AWARD WINNING PROGRAM "THE STORY" TO END EIGHT-YEAR RUN DUE TO DEPARTURE OF HOST DICK GORDON
Contact: Angie Andresen, Director of Communications
651.290.1373
Email: aandresen@americanpublicmedia.org
AWARD WINNING PROGRAM "THE STORY" TO END EIGHT-YEAR RUN DUE TO DEPARTURE OF HOST DICK GORDON
Aug. 26, 2013, (St. Paul, Minn.) -- "The Story," a nationally syndicated public radio news interview program hosted by the award-winning journalist Dick Gordon, will broadcast its final program on November 22, 2013.Gordon plans to return to his native Canada, where he started his journalism career with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, to be closer to his family.Connie Walker, the station's president and general manager, said Gordon recently made the difficult decision to step away from the program, which is produced at WUNC and offers an hour of stories, five days a week, in a long-form conversation format.
"We were proud to have been able to produce this program for so long. Stories and voices were heard that would never have been heard before, and Dick's compelling interviews were shared with listeners across the nation," Walker said. "Because 'The Story' was designed around Dick's unique skills and personality, we have decided not to continue the show. We wish Dick the very best and thank our listeners and stations that supported and carried the program over the years."
"The Story" debuted in 2006 with a focus on finding people whose experiences illuminate the news. Gordon was sought out by a passionate group of WUNC listeners when "The Connection," a program he hosted in Boston for four years, ended. Since coming to North Carolina, Gordon has shared thousands of deeply personal stories and compelling conversations with his audience. He delved into the news and history for hidden stories and, in the Studs Terkel tradition, introduced listeners to everyday people living extraordinary lives. The program has been co-produced with and distributed by American Public Media (APM) since its inception."After 36 years as a journalist and program host, I have decided it's time to make a change. My mother is getting older and I want to be closer to her at this stage of her life," Gordon said. "My daughters are also some distance away in Canada, and I find the tug of family is strong. I'm grateful to WUNC, APM and the listeners and sponsors who made 'The Story' possible."
As the distributor of "The Story," APM will work with stations to find other programs of equal value and quality, and that meet their audiences needs. "It's been a wonderful partnership with WUNC over the years," said Dave Kansas, American Public Media chief content officer. "We respect Dick's decision and appreciate his contributions, which made 'The Story' such a success over the years."
"The Story" and its staff have earned several national awards, including the Harry Chapin Media Award, as well as a number of awards over the years from the National Association of Black Journalists. The Story also was recognized by the New York Festivals for Best Host and Top International Reporting with Ahmed Fadaam in Baghdad, and won a Silver Medal from the United Nations for coverage of the war in Iraq.
North Carolina Public Radio-WUNC is a service of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, broadcasting at 91.5 FM in the Triangle and Triad, at 90.9 FM in Rocky Mount/Wilson, and at 88.9 FM on the Outer Banks. WUNC's mission is to provide high-quality news, cultural and entertainment content to create a more informed and engaged community. WUNC is one of the top ranked public radio stations in the country serving a weekly audience of more than 300,000 listeners in 42 counties in North Carolina.
American Public Media™ is one of the largest producers and distributors of public radio programming in the world, with a portfolio reaching 17 million listeners on more than 900 radio stations nationwide each week. Programs include A Prairie Home Companion®, BBC World Service, Marketplace®, Performance Today®, The Splendid Table®, The Dinner Party Download®, Wits™, American RadioWorks® and many others. American Public Media's 200,000 member-strong Public Insight Network promotes deep connections between journalists across the country and the communities they serve. American Public Media is the parent organization for Minnesota Public Radio, Southern California Public Radio and Classical South Florida. A complete list of stations, programs and additional services can be found at americanpublicmedia.org.
Source: Data are copyright Arbitron, Inc. Arbitron data are estimates only.
Links: http://www.thestory.org/, http://wunc.org/
WUNC contact: Connie Walker, (919) 445-9150, wunc@wunc.org
APM contact: Angie Andresen, (651) 290-1373, aandresen@americanpublicmedia.org
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