With a broken heart, the world of public radio bids farewell to Susan Stamberg (1938–2025) — a pioneering broadcaster, gifted storyteller, and one of NPR’s original voices whose warmth and curiosity helped shape the very sound of American radio. 🕊️
As the first woman to anchor All Things Considered, Stamberg shattered barriers and redefined what broadcast journalism could be — intimate, intelligent, and deeply human. For more than five decades, she invited listeners not just to hear the news, but to feel connected to it, bringing empathy and insight to every story she told.
Her legendary Thanksgiving broadcasts — filled with laughter, cranberry relish, and a touch of mischief — became a beloved tradition for countless families, a reminder that journalism could also be joyful and personal.
Colleagues remember her as both a mentor and a friend, a voice of calm in chaotic newsrooms and a champion for curiosity in every form. “Susan didn’t just report stories,” one longtime producer recalled. “She made people care about them.”
Stamberg’s influence resonates in the voices of every public radio journalist who followed in her footsteps, and in the millions of listeners whose mornings and commutes she transformed.
💔 Her voice may be silent now, but its echo — rich, fearless, and full of wonder — will continue to inspire generations to come. 🎧💬