So, what special day is it, you ask? Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! Today is
NATIONAL NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO DAY!
It’s not the anniversary of its founding or the day it went on the air, but like Public Radio itself, you just take National Public Radio Day for granted.
You won’t hear them airing any slick advertisements for their own anniversary, since they don’t do commercials on NPR, not on any of the 900 local radio stations that broadcast All Things Considered, A Prairie Home Companion, Morning Edition, This American Life, Jazz Night in America, Mountain Stage, On Point, Latino USA, StoryCorps, The World Cafe and a whole lot more.
NPR was created by President Lyndon Johnson when he signed the National Public Broadcasting Act of 1967. Funded both publicly and by private donations, NPR has been delivering quality radio since April 1971, when its first broadcast was live coverage of Senate hearings on the Vietnam War.
Like America itself, NPR’s programming is eclectic and quirky, with the comfortable and familiar often followed by the outlandish and new. Their news department is still staffed by actual journalists, so you can count on skilled, professional reporting of the news, and a non-hysterical analysis of the available facts. Keep your radio tuned to NPR on National Public Radio Day and let America come to you.
•Suggested Activities: Not touching that dial.