Every Night at Five

by Susan Stamberg

All Things Considered host Susan Stamberg celebrates the anniversary of the program with a collection of the best moments from a decade of broadcasts

Genres: Journalism, Nonfiction

212 pages, Paperback

First published April 12, 1982

Reviews

[Victoria & David Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 1970's: All Things Considered every afternoon/evening for ninety minutes was the radio show to listen to. National Public Radio's premier news magazine it started in 1971 and this 10th anniversary look back by Susan Stamberg the co-host and first national media woman news anchor brings it all back up close and personal. I worked for a time at KUOP, the Stockton California college affiliate, and would regularly run to the teletype to see what news was upcoming and for what seemed like forever it was all about Watergate. Gavel to gavel. John Dean of the amazing memory, and Tricky Dick Nixon, and the old and amazing downhome philosopher Senator Sam Ervin. But ATH was much more than just the news. They covered literature, science, cultural events large and small and engaged their loyal listeners both on the air and by mail. And the contests. One of my favorites was about the National Bureau of Standards adding one second a year at the end of every December to their atomic clocks so as to keep in synch with the earth's rotation. Query to listeners: how would you spend that leap second? Favorite answers: the crocheter who would add an extra stitch in her afgan and thus have a stitch in time, and the woman from Chicago who would have second thoughts.