Ed Gordon to host new show on National Public Radio

Jet, Jan 17, 2005

Emmy Award-winning journalist Ed Gordon will host a new public affairs show on National Public Radio (NPR), beginning late this month.

The show, "News and Notes with Ed Gordon," will focus on news, trends and topical issues of interest and importance to the Black community, NPR and the African American Public Radio Consortium (AAPRC) recently announced.

"I am enthusiastic about the chance to bring a new show to NPR," said Gordon. "Throughout my career, I have interviewed the day's top newsmakers and with this program I'll get this extraordinary opportunity everyday."

He added, "The format of the show allows us to talk about anything from politics to pop culture, and that prospect is exciting. But most importantly we'll be able to shine the light on topics and people of importance to African-Americans. This kind of program is imperative because often these issues and voices are still, unfortunately, under-reported, under-represented or overlooked altogether by most media outlets."

Jay Kernis, NPR senior vice president, said, "We are thrilled that Ed Gordon will be joining the NPR team as host of this new show. He is a highly respected journalist who comes to NPR with a national reputation for smart interviews that make news, and he has a deep connection to the African-American community."

Loretta Rucker, spokesperson for the African American Public Radio Consortium, said, "NPR continues to make strides in expanding programs to meet the interests of African Americans, and this program with Ed Gordon is a welcome addition."

Gordon brings to NPR more than 20 years of experience as an intelligent, honest and compelling journalist covering a variety of topical news stories. He was recently named a contributing correspondent for "60 Minutes Wednesday" on CBS (JET, Dec. 13, 2004), and he reported for the "Today Show" and "Dateline" during his years at NBC.

He has served as host of "BET Tonight," anchor of "BET News" and creator of his signature one-on-one interview series, "Conversation with Ed Gordon." He is the recipient of numerous journalism awards, including an Emmy, the NAACP Image Award and the Journalist of the Year Award from the National Association of Black Journalists.