Linda Wertheimer
Encyclopedia
Linda Wertheimer (ˈwɜrθhaɪmər; born March 19, 1943) is an American radio journalist for NPR
.
, New Mexico
. She graduated from Wellesley College with the class of 1965.
and WCBS
. She was reportedly told by an executive at NBC that she should be a researcher, rather than an on-air reporter. Wertheimer began her career with NPR as the first director of news magazine All Things Considered
, hosted by Robert Conley, from its debut on 3 May 1971. She was appointed political correspondent by 1974, and in 1976 became the first woman to anchor NPR's coverage of a presidential nomination convention and of an election night.
She continued in her role as a political correspondent through 1989, at which point she became a host of All Things Considered, a role in which she would continue for thirteen years. With Wertheimer as host the program's audience grew to record levels, from six million listeners in 1989 to nearly 10 million listeners by 2001, making it one of the top five shows in U.S. radio. In 2002, she left that role and became NPR's first senior national correspondent.
As of 2008, Wertheimer has anchored ten presidential nomination conventions and twelve election nights.
for excellence in broadcast journalism. She received the award for her live coverage of the debate in the United States Senate
about the Torrijos-Carter Treaties
, concerning the Panama Canal
, in February 1978. Her coverage spanned a period of 37 days and marked the first time a live broadcast was transmitted from inside the Senate chamber. Washingtonian magazine
named Wertheimer one of the top 50 journalists in Washington, while Vanity Fair
called her one of the 200 most influential women in America. In 1985, Wertheimer was awarded Wellesley's highest alumnae honor, the Distinguished Alumna Achievement Award.
Wertheimer has received several other accolades, including awards from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
for her anchoring of The Iran-Contra Affair: A Special Report -- a series of 41 half-hour programs on the Iran-Contra congressional hearings—from American Women in Radio and Television
for her story Illegal Abortion, and from the American Legion
for NPR's coverage of the Panama Treaty debates.
is a past president of Common Cause
and current CEO of Democracy 21
. Because of his vocal advocacy of the issue (and the appearance of a conflict of interest), Linda Wertheimer does not do stories on campaign finance reform.
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
.
Background and education
Wertheimer was born on March 19, 1943 in CarlsbadCarlsbad, New Mexico
Carlsbad is a city in and the county seat of Eddy County, New Mexico, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 26,138. Carlsbad is the center of the designated micropolitan area of Carlsbad-Artesia, which has a total population of 55,435...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. She graduated from Wellesley College with the class of 1965.
Career
After graduation, Wertheimer worked for the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and WCBS
WCBS (AM)
WCBS , often referred to as "WCBS Newsradio 880" , is a radio station in New York City. Owned by CBS Radio, the station broadcasts on a clear channel and is the flagship station of the CBS Radio Network...
. She was reportedly told by an executive at NBC that she should be a researcher, rather than an on-air reporter. Wertheimer began her career with NPR as the first director of news magazine All Things Considered
All Things Considered
All Things Considered is the flagship news program on the American network National Public Radio. It was the first news program on NPR, and is broadcast live worldwide through several outlets...
, hosted by Robert Conley, from its debut on 3 May 1971. She was appointed political correspondent by 1974, and in 1976 became the first woman to anchor NPR's coverage of a presidential nomination convention and of an election night.
She continued in her role as a political correspondent through 1989, at which point she became a host of All Things Considered, a role in which she would continue for thirteen years. With Wertheimer as host the program's audience grew to record levels, from six million listeners in 1989 to nearly 10 million listeners by 2001, making it one of the top five shows in U.S. radio. In 2002, she left that role and became NPR's first senior national correspondent.
As of 2008, Wertheimer has anchored ten presidential nomination conventions and twelve election nights.
Awards
In 1979, Wertheimer won a DuPont-Columbia AwardDuPont-Columbia Award
The Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award is an American award that honors excellence in broadcast journalism. The awards, administered since 1968 by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York City, are considered a broadcast equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize, another...
for excellence in broadcast journalism. She received the award for her live coverage of the debate in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
about the Torrijos-Carter Treaties
Torrijos-Carter Treaties
The Torrijos–Carter Treaties are two treaties signed by the United States and Panama in Washington, D.C., on September 7, 1977, which abrogated the Hay-Bunau Varilla Treaty of 1903...
, concerning the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
, in February 1978. Her coverage spanned a period of 37 days and marked the first time a live broadcast was transmitted from inside the Senate chamber. Washingtonian magazine
Washingtonian (magazine)
Washingtonian is a monthly magazine distributed in the Washington, DC area since 1965. The magazine describes itself as "the magazine Washington lives by." The magazine's core focuses are local feature journalism, guide book-style articles, and real estate advice.-Editorial Content:Washingtonian...
named Wertheimer one of the top 50 journalists in Washington, while Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
called her one of the 200 most influential women in America. In 1985, Wertheimer was awarded Wellesley's highest alumnae honor, the Distinguished Alumna Achievement Award.
Wertheimer has received several other accolades, including awards from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a non-profit corporation created by an act of the United States Congress, funded by the United States’ federal government to promote public broadcasting...
for her anchoring of The Iran-Contra Affair: A Special Report -- a series of 41 half-hour programs on the Iran-Contra congressional hearings—from American Women in Radio and Television
AWRT
The Alliance for Women in Media, originally the American Women in Radio and Television , is a national non-profit organization for female professionals in radio, television, and other electronic media....
for her story Illegal Abortion, and from the American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
for NPR's coverage of the Panama Treaty debates.
Personal life
Her husband Fred WertheimerFred Wertheimer
Fredric Michael "Fred" Wertheimer is an American activist notable for his work on campaign finance reform. He served as president of Common Cause and is currently the President and CEO of Democracy 21 and Democracy 21 Education Fund, which he founded in 1997.He has received honorary Doctorates...
is a past president of Common Cause
Common Cause
Common Cause is a self-described nonpartisan, nonprofit lobby and advocacy organization. It was founded in 1970 by John W. Gardner, a Republican former cabinet secretary under Lyndon Johnson, as a "citizens' lobby" with a mission focused on making U.S. political institutions more open and...
and current CEO of Democracy 21
Democracy 21
Democracy 21 is a non-profit organization in the United States that works to remove the influence of private money from politics . It was founded in 1997 by longtime activist Fred Wertheimer, and is based in Washington, DC...
. Because of his vocal advocacy of the issue (and the appearance of a conflict of interest), Linda Wertheimer does not do stories on campaign finance reform.