After 11 Years Behind The Host Mic, Neal Conan Signs Off : NPR

Neal Conan, host:

And it is therefore time to say goodbye. As you probably know, this, after 21 years, is the final broadcast of Talk of the Nation, and after 36 years, my last day at NPR.

Before leaving, there are people to thank. First of all, my predecessors in this chair: John Hockenberry, Ray Suarez, Juan Williams and the many substitutes that allowed us to leave.

There have been dozens of people in staff over the years, people whose names you heard after letters on Tuesday, the people who made this program. I cannot start listing them, but I have to thank the crew that has held the ring with me in recent months. Tinbete Ermyas, Libby Franklin, Monica Bushman, Laura Lee, Ad Quig, Jessica Reedy, Priska Neely, our editor Sarah Handel, director Gwen Oneten, the main producer Scott Cameron, the supervised producer Senior Carline Watson. And we do not go up or in the air without our technicians.

Again, we cannot start enumerating them, but on their behalf, our thanks to the technical director Melissa Marquis. And, of course, I cannot skip the Ken Rudin political drug addict.

There were only two executive producers in my time in the series. So let me thank Leith Bishop, wherever it may be, and especially Sue Goodwin. On this program and others, she and I are working together for many years. She, more than any other person, can claim the credit of our successes. I will miss it a lot.

I have to thank the bosses who decided to start this show and maintain it more than two decades. I have to thank the member stations, and not only more than 400 that followed this program, but all, all these stations that collectively support NPR and allow us to take their outlets to speak with people across the country.

And I need to thank you. We are told that more than 3.6 million of you listen to you every week. It talks about the nation in the top 10 of all the country’s talk shows. The currency of broadcasting is this number, the amount of eyes and ears that can be delivered to soap manufacturers and car manufacturers. To be honest, we also do some of this on public radio.

But to talk about the nation in particular, listeners also have voices. This program works better when we find means to engage your stories on your jobs and children, you fear and your successes, on what happened in drought, hurricane, fire, hospital, work and school, Iraq or Vietnam.

Throughout my time at NPR, I worked as a journalist, publisher and producer. And as much as I loved all these jobs, in the past 11 and a half years, this work has been the best. It was an honor to speak to you every day.

I counted them: 600 weeks. Give holidays for the holidays, throw the whole special coverage, which closes it at 5,000 hours. There is still so much to say, but it will be enough.

So, in about a minute, I will come back where I started on public radio. I will be one of you again, a listener. Yes, an auditor’s godfather, but also an auditor-critic. I’m going to cry and laugh and shout on the radio. And we, the listeners have a vital function. It is our work to hold member stations and responsible NPRs.

So here, I form my own private pact with NPR and my member stations. I will listen to and, yes, I will open my checkbook, but I need services in return. Go tell me the stories behind everything that happened in the world today. Explain why it happened and how it affects our lives. Do it every day. Tell me what is important and don’t waste my time with stupid stuff.

Bye-bye. Signature to talk about the nation and NPR News, I am Neal Conan, in Washington.

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