Amid career change, Edwards promotes book at Mandalay Bay

Tuesday, June 8, 2004 | 9:16 a.m.

What: "An Evening with Bob Edwards."

When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Where: Mandalay Bay's Islander Ballroom.

Tickets: $10.

Information: 258-9895.

The next book Bob Edwards writes might be about his controversial removal as the host of National Public Radio's popular "Morning Edition" after almost 25 years.

In 1993 he penned "Fridays with Red," about his conversations with legendary Brooklyn Dodgers radio announcer Red Barber. This year his second book was published, "Edward R. Murrow and the Birth of Broadcast Journalism."

But millions of fans want to know why, on April 30, Edwards was relieved of his hosting duties and given the title "senior correspondent."

"I think a book about what has happened might be in order," said Edwards, speaking by phone recently from Tucson, Ariz.

Edwards is in the midst of a three-month national tour that has a dual purpose - he is raising money for NPR affiliates around the nation, and he is promoting his latest book.

Edwards will be at the Mandalay Bay on Wednesday, primarily to discuss Murrow, but he may also be open to other subjects, such as his nomination to be inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.

There are four candidates, including Edwards, shock jock Howard Stern, Dr. Laura Schlessinger and Bob Brinker, host of "Money Talk," ABC Radio's financial advice program.

Stern currently is in the eye of a storm over freedom-of-speech issues.

"So many broadcasters want to send Congress a message about censorship that I think Stern is a shoo-in," Edwards said.

The 56-year-old Edwards joined NPR in Washington, D.C., in 1974 as co-host of "All Things Considered." In 1979 he became host of "Morning Edition" (heard locally on KNPR 88.9-FM), which now has more than 8 million listeners nationwide each week.

Edwards was cool to discussing the subject of his career change.

"I got reassigned," he said. "I had one job, and now I have another."

Asked if he was happy with the reassignment, he stated, "No, not at first. But it's all right."

He said his new duties, for the moment, include the tour to help raise funds for the network of NPR stations and to promote the book, which is No. 8 on the Los Angeles Times and Washington Post best-seller lists.

It is No. 17 on The New York Times extended list.

"Unfortunately, their regular list stops at 15," said the Louisville, Ky., native. "It's No. 1 in my hometown."

After the tour Edwards says he will be doing profiles of newsmakers, in addition to other duties.

But there could be more changes in the future.

"My immediate plans are this tour," Edwards said. "But I'm listening to offers. They come almost every day. That is very gratifying. But at the moment, I am a senior correspondent for NPR news."

Edwards says the topic of his removal from his host's chair sometimes comes up.

"Rarely, but it happens," he said. "Mostly people want to talk about the book."

The book was written for publisher John Wiley & Sons' "Turning Point" series.

Books by other authors in the series have included such subjects and topics as Jackie Robinson and the integration of baseball and the fall of the Berlin Wall.

"They asked me to be one of the authors in the series," Edwards said. "I chose Murrow because I knew about him and deeply respected him. He was the founder of broadcast journalism, a very clear turning point of bringing news to radio and television in a new and exciting way.

"He really gave us the foundation of modern news communication, beyond the print world."

Edwards said Murrow would not be happy with the state of broadcast journalism today, which is more entertainment- and money-oriented than it was in the early days.

"I discuss that in my last chapter," he said. "He probably would not be in the business. He would be a college president somewhere. What you see now is alien to him and what he did."

Edwards said news was covered in Murrow's day because "it needed to be covered."

"Then the money came in. In the early days, there was no requirement that news make money. But that's what we have now, which is why it looks like entertainment."

Edwards says the future doesn't look too bright for old-fashioned newshounds.

"I don't know what we can do," Edwards said. "There are, of course, a few programs such as 'Nightline' and 'Sunday Morning' and the fringe areas, such as C-Span.

"That's all well and good, but in prime time we have Kobe (Bryant), the Olson twins, J. Lo (Jennifer Lopez), murders and titillating crime stories, which all of us could live without."

But apparently what we can't live without is increased national security.

As Edwards tours the country he is experiencing firsthand the inconveniences of fighting terrorism, such as searches of airline passengers at airports.

He says because he is on a tour, he is forced to use one-way tickets, which is a signal for airport security to pay closer attention to you.

"With all these one-way destinations, I get marked for extra security wherever I go," he said. "But it's probably a good thing, it's sad to say. It's bothersome, and no way to live your life, but it's probably necessary."

He says what bothers him is the administration using the threat of terrorism as an excuse to be secretive.

"Airport security doesn't bother me," he said. "What bothers me is doing business in the dark -- that bothers me a lot."

Edwards says the government is using the threat of terrorism to operate in secret, behind closed doors.

"All administrations would like to do their business in the dark if they could get away with it," Edwards said. "But this one has taken more license in the wake of 9-11. They have more excuses to classify information, to hold meetings in secret, to close the doors and draw the blinds.

"I can see them making a case for everything being terrorist related."

Edwards says its the public's responsibility to fight such actions, "whether in the courts or the court of public opinion."