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Carl Kasell To Leave NPR's Morning Edition After 30 Years
Jillian Rayfield | November 23, 2009, 11:39AM
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Carl Kasell, host of NPR's Morning Edition, will leave the radio show after 30 years. He will stay on at NPR as official judge and scorekeeper of Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me.
The 75-year old newscaster joined NPR part-time in 1975, and became host of Morning Edition when it first began in 1979.
Over the years, Kasell has reported on the takeover of the American embassy In Iran in 1979, the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989, and the attacks of September 11, 2001. He has received a Peabody Award that he shares with Morning Edition, and has been inducted into the North Carolina Journalism Hall of Fame.
Kasell says of his departure: "I'm just changing jobs," not disappearing.
His final broadcast for Morning Edition will be December 30, 2009.
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Tom Betz
November 23, 2009 1:07 PM
One nit -- Karl Kassell is not a "host" of Morning Edition, and never was. Steve Inskeep has that position. Kassell is the top-of-the-hour newsreader for Morning Edition.
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FlownOver
November 23, 2009 2:03 PM in reply to Tom Betz
Best voice since Murrow, though.
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dougom
November 23, 2009 8:21 PM in reply to FlownOver
True enough. Unfortunately, it's been clear that he's been, well, losing it of late. Mis-pronunciations, fumbles of words, stutters, and all the other signs of a radio person losing their stuff. I wish absolutely no ill will to Kasell; he's earned his retirement. But honestly, I think it's for the best.
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GTFOOH
November 23, 2009 2:28 PM
What's missing from the story? Where is he going?
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withers
November 23, 2009 3:05 PM in reply to GTFOOH
He will stay on at NPR as official judge and scorekeeper of Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me.
The 75-year old newscaster ...
Semi-retirement? He's certainly earned it.
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Mr.E.
November 23, 2009 4:43 PM in reply to withers
I'm an avid fan of Wait, wait (available on free podcast!). I think Kasell would continue with the show even if he had to pay to do it. He seems like he's always having a ball. To me it's the funniest thing out there, on a consistent per minute average.
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araucaniad
November 23, 2009 3:14 PM
The one that needs to go is Inskeep. I'm so tired of his leading questions, trying to corral his interviewees into accepting whatever the conventional wisdom of the moment is. He only plays journalist when he's dealing with liberals or progressives, or people from other countries.
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FDRdog
November 23, 2009 5:34 PM in reply to araucaniad
Amen!
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Mtnrad
November 23, 2009 6:07 PM in reply to araucaniad
Inskeep is such a transparent conservative. I'll never forget how he questioned Dennis Kucinich in the pre-Dem primary debate on NPR, his words just dripping disdain. He might as well have prefaced his questions with something like "Now we all know you have to be an idiot to be progressive ...." What a jerk.
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leoklein
November 23, 2009 7:16 PM in reply to araucaniad
Don't agree. Inskeep is far more balanced than a number of hosts. There are times when he just won't swallow the conventional wisdom/propaganda being shoveled his way.
He's okay.
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Mr.E.
November 23, 2009 4:52 PM
Sadly, I think the criticism extends to just about all news on NPR/PBS. It's better than most, but still deserves to be called "All Things Considered . . . Superficially." My local station airs the BBC News Hour. Their questioning and depth puts Morning Edition and ATC to shame. They may not cover as many heart-rending personal stories but they are much better at the tough issues, and are willing to challenge the lies of those in power.
I think the best (only?) consistent on-air show that really shows true depth and understanding is Fareed Zakaria's GPS.
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chard
November 23, 2009 5:06 PM in reply to Mr.E.
Out my way it's called "Small Things Considered."
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