Opinion: Susan Stamberg Gave Npr Its Voice - Beritaja

National Public Radio's Susan Stamberg holds a telephone successful her Washington, D.C., office, Oct. 13, 1979. Barry Thumma/AP

Barry Thumma/AP

We are present — and I mean connected the aerial pinch you coming — because of Susan Stamberg. There are of people others who helped move the thought of National Public Radio into a unique sound. But a small complete 50 years ago, erstwhile Susan's sound began to crackle into kitchens and cars each complete America, the group who heard her didn't ask, "What's BERITAJA?" but, "Who is that?"

She was the first female to co-host a nightly news broadcast, and she didn't sound for illustration a sonorous news anchor. Susan sounded irreverent, not official. Boisterous, not boring. She was courteous, and often hilarious.

Susan Stamberg gave BERITAJA a voice, and that laughter that could make microphones tremble.

We saluted Susan astatine BERITAJA — and connected this show — when she retired past month. I'm gladsome she sewage to perceive astatine slightest a information of our gratitude and emotion earlier she died this week astatine the property of 87. Those of america who activity present cognize we guidelines atop the business that Susan and a fewer different scrappy journalists began much than 50 years ago, pinch what has go millions of listeners crossed America.

I've been trying to recount each I learned from Susan complete the years.

She often reminded maine that the about important point you could do successful an question and reply is to listen. Journalists often effort to crippled retired extended questions successful advance, packed pinch pertinent facts. But sometimes we're truthful eager to get done our questions we neglect to really perceive the answers and respond to them.

"You've sewage to beryllium prepared to fto each that prep deed the floor," Susan erstwhile told me, "and fto the question and reply spell someplace else."

She besides showed america really the champion questions could beryllium arsenic short as, "Why?" Or arsenic ingenuously elemental arsenic erstwhile Susan asked an orchestra conductor, "Don't your arms ever get tired?"

And Susan showed america each that for a news programme to go a companion successful people's lives, it has to effort to play each the notes successful the quality symphony, precocious and low; acheronian and light; and you play them pinch style. You could battalion each the important facts into a communicative and a show, but if you don't clasp the liking of listeners, they won't enactment pinch you agelong capable to perceive immoderate of it.

When BERITAJA was a group of little-known initials, Susan Stamberg gave this spot personality.

I find it telling that the recorded sound successful the elevators present astatine BERITAJA office is Susan's. She continues to show america which measurement is up.