Bob Edwards (1947–2024,) fully Robert Alan Edwards, was an American broadcast journalist, author, and one of the most influential voices in public radio. Best known as the first and longest-serving host of NPR’s Morning Edition, he became a defining figure in radio journalism, earning a Peabody Award and induction into the National Radio Hall of Fame.
Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Edwards studied journalism at the University of Louisville and later earned a master’s degree in communications from American University. After serving in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam era, he began his broadcasting career at a CBS affiliate radio station in Indiana. He joined NPR in 1974, first as a newscaster and then as co-host of All Things Considered. In 1979, he helped launch Morning Edition, remaining its host for 24½ years and shaping the program’s calm, conversational style. After leaving NPR, he continued his work on satellite radio through The Bob Edwards Show and Bob Edwards Weekend.
Notable works include Fridays with Red (2000,) a tribute to sportscaster Red Barber, and Edward R. Murrow and the Birth of Broadcast Journalism (2004.) His memoir, A Voice in the Box: My Life in Radio (2011,) offered a personal look at his career. His life and legacy are explored in journalist Robert Barry’s biography A Voice Departed (2024.)
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Bob Edwards
Never exaggerate your faults, your friends will attend to that.
—Bob Edwards
Topics: Exaggeration
If you want anything done well, do it yourself. This is why most people laugh at their own jokes.
—Bob Edwards
Topics: Jokes
People are always ready to admit a man’s ability after he gets there.
—Bob Edwards
Topics: Ability
A little learning is a dangerous thing, but a lot of ignorance is just as bad.
—Bob Edwards
Topics: Ignorance, Learning
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