NPR anchor Susan Stamberg visiting Nov. 13

Susan Stamberg, former anchor of National Public Radio's "All Things Considered," will speak at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 13, in the Jepson Alumni Center about her award-winning broadcasting career.

Stamberg's talk, "Considering All Things: My Life as a Cultural Correspondent," will take place at the annual Hays and Margaret Crimmel Colloquium on Liberal Education.

The Crimmel Colloquium was established by Henry Hays Crimmel, who sought to advance the cause of liberal education, and in doing so, honor the memory of his parents, Henry Hays Crimmel Sr. and Margaret Cox Crimmel, said Nell Massee, assistant to the provost. "This year's colloquium is part of the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the School of Professional and Continuing Studies," she said.

Stamberg, a member of both the broadcasting and radio halls of fame, has worked with NPR since its founding in 1971. She was a co-host of "All Things Considered" for 14 years and hosted "Weekend Edition Sunday." Stamberg still serves as a guest host and cultural issues reporter on "Morning Edition" and "Weekend Edition Saturday."

Stamberg has written two books about her career in broadcasting, "Every Night at Five" and "The Wedding Cake in the Middle of the Road," and co-edited an anthology that grew out of stories she originally commissioned for "Weekend Edition Sunday."

Dan Roberts, associate professor of liberal arts for the School of Professional and Continuing Studies, chose Stamberg to speak at the Crimmel Colloquium.

"Susan is a broadcasting icon," Roberts said. "She was one of the founding members of what became National Public Radio, one of the most respected, accurate, incisive news outlets in national and international news today. ...She has some amazing insights into the world and nation we live in today."

Stamberg will help students realize that audio broadcasting still has an important place in the media mix of the American broadcasting world, Roberts said. "In fact, it can be far more penetrating than what passes for television news today," Roberts said. "Withdrawing the visual from analysis means that news can focus on what is real, rather than what is apparent. And because it is infinitely cheaper to produce and broadcast, audio analysis can examine an issue in far more depth than the surface treatment approach that you find on local, national and cable news."

Stamberg's life work can be a rich and powerful inspiration to students who may be interested in pursuing a career in journalism or just trying to sort out the confusing messages that characterize public affairs programming these days, Roberts said.

"You do not get honors she has received unless you have a lifetime of accomplishment and have achieved a significant level of excellence in reporting, writing and analysis," Roberts said. "Plus, she is a cracking good speaker and a delightful person. She is very accessible and open to sharing her life and her insights."

Roberts suggested students spend some time listening to NPR before the event. The local station can be accessed at WCVE FM 88.9 and FM 92.5 or on the web at www.ideastations.org. The colloquium will be free to the public, but reservations are required online at spcs.richmond.edu/crimmel.

Contact reporter Lauren Shute at lauren.shute@richmond.edu