Bill Siemering is a child of radio having grown up listening to the country’s first station in Wisconsin, then going to school in Madison and working his way through WHA. But it’s really not a stretch to call him a “father” of public radio. He was there for the very beginning of National Public Radio, responsible for writing its first mission statement. He was there for the launch of All Things Considered as NPR’s first Director of Programming. Later, at member station WHYY in Philadelphia, Siemering nurtured Fresh Air with Terry Gross and helped it reach a national audience. These days, Siemering helps launch radio shows and nurture independent radio stations in developing countries like Mongolia and Sierra Leone as the president of Developing Radio Partners. This interview originally aired in September of 2007 and includes examples of early programming produced by Siemering, as well as more recent productions from some of the distant radio stations he helped launch. Bill Siemering called this the definitive interview of his career and I am proud that we can present it to you again today.
-Chad
Can I find this interview anywhere? I heard it live, and have thought about it much since. I would really love to hear it again.
Thanks!
This interview was a terrific look back to pioneering days of NPR, and roots of (despite his protest of the notion) what truly did become alternative radio.
His accounts of events through the years filled in the gaps for long-time NPR listeners, and gave insightful peeks into individual efforts and the personalities who have crafted what we consider a national treasure.
Hearing two legends of the public radio realm chatting, made for a comfortable learning experience. I listened to the first and replay editions just to soak it all in.