'Morning Edition': The Radio News Show That Almost Wasn't
Morning Edition debuted on Nov. 5, 1979. The newsmagazine show had a rocky beginning, including a total revamp of hosts and leadership, an internal boycott by reporters and resource challenges.
Morning Edition turns 40 on Tuesday. Over the years, NPR's morning newsmagazine program has covered seven presidents, two Persian Gulf wars, the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and nine Star Wars movies.
But the show was almost canceled before it even started — and there were obstacles just keeping it on the air.
"They did this pilot with the original staff, and it was awful," said Bob Edwards, who hosted Morning Edition from 1979 to 2004.
The pilot played over closed circuit for NPR member stations' news and program directors, who complained that the show sounded too much like commercial all-news radio.
"It was absolutely a disaster. It
