Ex-NPR host to be XM's new star

By Jennifer Frey
The Washington Post

Bob Edwards to host new show on satellite radio.

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WASHINGTON — Radio host Bob Edwards, who drew millions of listeners to National Public Radio for three decades but was demoted earlier this year, is taking his signature voice to a competing radio universe, according to Edwards and executives of Washington-based XM Satellite Radio.

Starting Oct. 4, Edwards will host his own morning show on a new channel being launched by XM, as the growing subscription radio service makes its move into public-radio programming.

Edwards, who was unceremoniously dumped as anchor of NPR's "Morning Edition" in March, prompting widespread public protests, will bring the blend of news, talk and interviews he was famous for at NPR to the new "Bob Edwards Show," airing 8 to 9 a.m. daily — opposite "Morning Edition." The show will repeat immediately afterward.

"They want to give me a program, so I can continue to host and be heard every day instead of occasionally, as I would have been at NPR," Edwards said Tuesday.

"It's also new. It's like being at NPR when I joined NPR in 1974. It was less than three years old — as old as XM is now. I get to be a pioneer again. How often does someone get that opportunity twice?"

Edwards, 57, had agreed to remain at NPR as a correspondent — he was expected to return to work shortly — but had hinted recently he might be moving on. What NPR didn't know, however, was that Edwards had been won over by the largest U.S. satellite-radio network. After developing its own music programming in its first three years, XM is pursuing its goal to distribute public-radio programming and its own original shows in the public-radio vein.

With that in mind, XM President and CEO Hugh Panero, who has been developing the new channel (XM Channel 133, premiering Sept. 1), heavily wooed Edwards in hopes his presence would expand XM's subscriber base (By the end of his 25 years as anchor, Edwards drew 13 million early-morning listeners to NPR's "Morning Edition" every week). XM, which offers more than 100 channels, has 2.1 million subscribers, who pay $9.99 per month for the nationwide service.

XM Satellite Radio has yet to officially announce the deal. But Panero, reached on Wednesday, could not hide his excitement.

"Bob Edwards is a guy I respect, a guy who has done nothing but contribute his entire life to public radio and continues to offer great value to his listeners," Panero said. "I could not be more thrilled to be able to offer him a place to continue to do what he does extremely well."
 
NPR management, which has said that the Edwards move was mishandled, issued a statement after news of the deal leaked Wednesday: "We understand that Bob has decided to end his distinguished tenure at NPR. We wish him the best of luck in his new endeavor and thank him for the contributions he has made to public radio."

Edwards only recently made his decision, after months of mulling various opportunities. And although it's clear he's displeased with how his career ended at NPR, he says he's ready to move on.

"It's been a couple of months, and I've turned it over in my head again and again," he said. "I think I was pretty sure all along. Which is not to say that it was an easy thing to do at all. Thirty years, for heaven's sake. That's kind of bittersweet."