She finally got her big break, bursting out of the gold-lined confines of TV and has landed a job... in public radio!
She's Alison Stewart, 40; most recently host of the MSNBC's weekdaily, The Most. Named Friday, by NPR, she's join Luke Burbank as co-host of a 2-hour NPR morning drivetime news show targeting adults 25-44.
It's to air in September; part of a 24-hour news service that will be offered to public radio stations, satellite radio and online.
Many know the Peabody Award-winning Stewart as a witty fill-in for Keith Olbermann on his MSNBC hit news hour, Countdown; but those who found The Most knew it to be a smart, funny, fresh (read young) yet substantive watering hole in the TV daytime dustbowl. It was ground-breaking with its Web presence, and awareness; viral videos, off-beat news coverage with surprisingly hard hitting interviews by Stewart.
She is not related to Jon Stewart or Rod Stewart or Stuart Smalley.
NPR's making a major investment in this project as hiring someone of Stewart's stature and pay grade indicates. She's an up-and-comer, and that she gets new media, and is willing to risk this jump, speaks well to the insight of both her and NPR.
(OK, OK, she's not a huge name, but she's on the way up having built a respectable résumé in a relatively short career. She's put in her time doing pumps-on-the-ground reporting; given due diligence in the fill-in and daily anchor work around NBC; had her own show which survived for a respectable length of time; and has an easy-going, on-air persona reportedly matched in real life- in other words, she's not known as an insufferable TV-donna).
The show hasn't been named yet but goes by the working title, The Bryant Park Project or "TB double P" or simply, "Zak." It'll will be available on terrestrial, satellite radio, HD digital, and free online audio streaming through station websites, a podcast, and mobile on-demand.
Luke and producer Matt Martinez have made some sample segments- listen to them here.
This from the NPR press release:
Stewart joins NPR from NBC and MSNBC, where she has been anchor of the MSNBC daily news show The Most, newsreader and substitute anchor for NBC's Weekend Today and contributor to Today. Since joining MSNBC in 2003, she has anchored coverage of such news stories as Hurricane Katrina, the 2006 Olympics in Torino and the Israel-Hezbollah conflict. Previously, she was an anchor for ABC News' World News Now and contributor to 20/20 Downtown and Good Morning America, and was part of the network's Emmy Award winning team reporting on the September 11 terrorist attacks. Stewart began her career as a political reporter for MTV News, working on the channel's 'Choose or Lose' election coverage in 1992 and 1996. She was honored with a George Foster Peabody Award for MTV's coverage.
Stewart is married to MSNBC Vice President of Programming Bill Wolff.
Who cares who sits and blabs on NPR with Luke.
But, Brian Ross is a terrible debate monitor. Am watching the Democratic debate in South Carolina. He is a smart ass which I don't like. And, he is trying to hurry everything along. What a TV baby. Trying to discuss and debate in sound bites.
This is the kind of "substance" debate for which we are in store nowadays? What a travesty of democracy.
Posted by: joanie | April 29, 2007 at 04:55 PM
thats great! And if KPTK messes with the Stephanie slot and sticks in someone "local", I will have another place to go listen on the way to work.
Posted by: sparky | April 29, 2007 at 04:58 PM
did you mean Brian williams, Joanie??
Posted by: sparky | April 29, 2007 at 05:03 PM
Yes, I probably did. Whoever that person is who took over the NBC anchor chair. You can tell I don't watch it.
Posted by: joanie | April 29, 2007 at 05:18 PM
Somehow, I suspect this new NPR mornng news service will be widely ignored. Not many NPR affiliates are likely to take the program (and give up the Morning Edition
cash cow), and the net and satellite distribution still doesn't have a lot of impact, In this market, we might get it on KXOT, which is practically invisible (quickly, how many reading this have ever heard (or even heard of) KXOT?).
On the other hand, it's essential that NPR do something to bring their news shows into this century. Maybe this is a start.
Posted by: rev | April 29, 2007 at 07:41 PM
NPR is the ghetto of broadcasting. Going from commercial broadcasting to govt radio is the difference between directing big budget Hollywood movies to documentary film making. Stewart will never be heard from again.
Posted by: shoreke | April 30, 2007 at 09:40 AM
Why you callin' NPR "ghetto," shrek?
Posted by: Shaniqua | April 30, 2007 at 10:29 AM
Sparky, do you listen to Ron on KIRO from 12 to 1? He is One of Us.
Posted by: Poor in Redmond | April 30, 2007 at 12:53 PM
I do if I can get away from the hubub...I like him a lot and I would like to see him take over Dori's spot.
Sometimes I stream Randi...cant tolerate Edd, Ed and Eddie.
YOU of all people should tape or TIVO Stephanie Miller on MSNBC from 3 am to 6am
Posted by: sparky | April 30, 2007 at 01:31 PM
Dori is expressing his wimpy, weak disagreement with the spying on the two lesbian high school girls. I'm sure his Christian megachurch that he goes to with Star and the girls, views homosexuality as a sin. as fo rthe religious dad of one of the kissers who requested the spying- hey, nice going, Dad, by yanking your daughter out of school and sending her to a goofball church school to be "cured". You've just guaranteed her undying hatred for you, you big fat bozo.
Posted by: Tommy008 | April 30, 2007 at 01:49 PM
sparky: I know how you feel about local talkers, local issues- but KPTK better do something- they can't sell enough ads to stay afloat over there. They can't sell what they've got. Listeners connect better with local; better revenue (and more overhead, of course) with local. KPTK and KKOL are itching for local- CBS won't spend the money for KPTK, and the danged transmitter isn't stable for KKOL. Meanwhile, listeners are going to the Web, anyway.
Posted by: blathering michael | April 30, 2007 at 02:03 PM
Local issues stay fresher longer while national issues get warn out and over covered. You can see the same national topics on cable news, the drudgereport, the CBS news updates, Ron I-Hate-Seattle Reagan's show, The Daily Show, and on and on, but you only hear about the father ruining his lesbian daughter's life on local radio, or briefly on the local news, which also comes free of any commentary.
Dori Monson tried to get in his daily contradiction of the public consensus on that issue by suggesting that the father's "personal values" are material for eating up tax payers resources by having educators stalk children on closed circuit TVs, but that logic doesn't scale well. If my personal values were that my kids only kiss members of the same sex then I don't think he'd be coming to bat for me with that wonderful logic.
Posted by: Andrew | April 30, 2007 at 03:53 PM
I swing by every now and then to check out the radio scene and I'm glad to see the bullshit has subsided somewhat on this board. Seems more are sticking to topic and finding other things to do. Bravo!
Posted by: Grace | April 30, 2007 at 05:14 PM
Oh I understand the financial ramifications. I understand that they need to figure out something...but can they or would they find someone like Thom Hartmann?? I would listen to Ron Reagan in the morning MAYBE....but only if he talked about national issues. His style is a lot lighter than the other KIRO hosts...
But watching Stephanie Miller this morning on MSNBC reinforced my feelings that I would rather start out the day with a belly laugh than to listen to traffic Im not in, weather I may or may not be in, etc. I wonder what would happen to the Seattle audience if a "local" host talked about loss of jobs in Centralia, urban growth in Olympia/Tumwater/Lacey, loss of farmland near Montesano, etc. Would they be bored and tune out?? Hartmann often talks about things happening in the rest of the state of Oregon in his local show, not just about issues that are of interest to Portland residents.
Maybe someone from KPTK needs to go down to Portland and hang out at KPOJ to learn how they keep a local feel without having amatuer sounding production values.
I have options, so whatever KPTK decides is obviously up to them...I will find a way to listen to what I enjoy too.
Posted by: sparky | April 30, 2007 at 05:18 PM
Andrew, what exactly is "fresh" about hearing yet again about the viaduct, light rail, sound transit, how the Mariners suck again, how Ron Sims and Greg Nickles suck again, are Seattle schools failing and what can be done about it if they are, King County taxes, the crowded freeways, is Microsoft a bully, what should be done about the homeless people downtown, Dori's incessant rants about personal responsibility and what a fine person he is for being a Coach, his endless commercial voiceovers, and on and on and on. It never changes.
Ever.
It is the same stuff I had to listen to when I lived in Snohomish County 6 years ago and had few options on the AM dial. Very few.. The only thing that has changed is the name of the person doing the talking on KIRO. I will even stream stations from communities across the nation because their local news is at least NEW, even if I dont know the details or background.
The national and world news changes every day and it affects me more than what goes on in Seattle.
But, as I said above to Bla'm, I realize that companies want to advertise with someone local.
Posted by: sparky | April 30, 2007 at 05:28 PM
What do you think frank Shiers is going to talk about tonight ?????
I KNOW, I KNOW !!!!
What very Dave Ross Talked about this moring, or what ever David and Dan on 770 am talked about This moring or Iam thinking ??? How about what Ron and Don talked about , or better yet.............. what the morning boy's are talking about on 570 am kvi! Iam thining that it ! Remember Frank all's we ask is two ( TINGS) DUDE!!!!!
Work on the show PREP !
and good home training !
hooty hoo!
Posted by: Brian | April 30, 2007 at 06:12 PM
You should do some post prep.
Posted by: Andrew | April 30, 2007 at 06:26 PM
sparky, some local topics might be stale, but still no where near as worn as democrats trying to humiliate republicans one way or another to earn votes for the next election.
If they wanted to do the right thing they'd impeach Bush but they don't want to do the right thing, they just want to take pot shots at attorney general Gonzales and force Bush to sign and or veto embarrasing legislation that they can use to ridicule republicans in '08. News is particularily boring when you already know the ultimate outcome.
Posted by: Andrew | April 30, 2007 at 06:34 PM
Sparky, with hopefully due respect, you keep talking about KIRO being local.
Dave's show is hardly ever just local. At least not the whole show. That would be impossible in a metropolitan area like Seattle and suburbs.
He talks a lot about Iraq. He talks a lot of State transportation stuff. Tax stuff. Today at 9AM, Tenet, Bay Bridge and the N-word. 10AM - woman shot trying to get help from neighbors in Des Moines. Not a local topic although it happened locally - if you think DesMoines is Seattle.
11:00 - woman who provides vests for troops.
Reagan - don't remember but wasn't local. (I only hear like 7-8 minutes of it!)
Hartmann is a one-note talker. It is always politics. Dave talks national much -at least 50% of the time. What he doesn't do is always do politics. He does a myriad of interesting and diverse topics. Even the locals one have national implications often.
So, I just don't get the "local" label. Dori - don't know 'cause I really don't listen much. The girls kissing wasn't Seattle - wasn't it another county? Kitsap? Can't remember - oh dear. But even that has national implications - spying on kids in school; homosexuality and kids; right to privacy and kids; schools and kids.
I'm sorry. I don't see the constant accusation that KIRO is local and thus of no interest to anybody outsite the city limits.
I might add that when I lived in Centralia many years ago, I listened to KIRO. It was still the most interesting station (and easiest to get!) around.
"splain please. :)
Posted by: joanie | April 30, 2007 at 06:40 PM
More from the ever-dutiful Grace...
"I swing by every now and then to check out the radio scene and I'm glad to see the bullshit has subsided somewhat on this board. Seems more are sticking to topic and finding other things to do. Bravo!"
You've really got to admire the craven cojones of someone who posts - with daily muslim prayer devotion, mind you - urging people to "get a life".
However, I might be the first to notice that Duffman is suddenly missing, but now Grace is blazing the keyboard.
Take off the glasses Clark Kent. That's right.
Posted by: mercifurious | April 30, 2007 at 06:41 PM
BTW, didn't mean to disrespect Hartmann. I love politics and he's the best. But, I have other interests besides just politics.
Getting a local person on KPTK gives the whole state - not just Seattle - something more personal to which to listen. Whether it be Hanford, Bremerton, tax issues regarding Oregon and Washington in Longview, breaching dams on the Snake . . . those are all local and those are all interesting to me.
Posted by: joanie | April 30, 2007 at 06:46 PM
No way Duff is Gracie. Duff has got more going in cerebrally than Gracie. Duff's vocab is usually A-Z; Gracie's is T-A.
Thanks for stopping by, Gracie, on your trolling through bloglands . . . someday you'll find a home.
Posted by: joanie | April 30, 2007 at 06:48 PM
Joanie - you're joking, right?
Duffy's polite (I guess), but not cerebral.
Remember this is the fool who:
A.) Believes a Serbian holocaust denier over Scott Ritter,
B.) Used drudge as a source against Al Gore, Global Warming, & John Edwards
C.) Believes in the wingnut black-helicopter conspiracy theory of a "UN Tax", and used (wait for it) a WORLD NET DAILY book as his source
Cerebral? You be the judge.
Posted by: mercifurious | April 30, 2007 at 06:57 PM
It depends on why you listen to the radio..I do listen for politics, which is probably why I like Thom. He has a myriad of guests and he always debates someone from the conservative side every day. Stephanie is all about politics, but chooses to poke fun at the bullies. Rachel Maddow and Randi Rhodes are all about politics.
But so are Sean Hannity and Billo on the right.
I have listened to Dave talk about Iraq and it is not satisfying for me.,,he does not always talk about the latest information, but instead, what people have been talking about during the week. It feels stale to me. There is no historical connection like Thom adds. It feels like "Politics Lite." I spend a lot of time reading online newspapers and blogs in the evenings and I look at different viewpoints. But I always learn bits of information that sometimes takes days to hit the MSM and yet Rachel and Thom and Stephanie know about those tidbits. Dave either never mentions them or talks about them after they are old old news.
And then there are the incessant commercials. Dori commercials.
Des Moines and Gig Harbor are still part of the urban area and are, in my mind, considered to be local.
If people like to listen to KIRO, I say more power to them, and enjoy! I just happen to have different tastes in where I want to spend my time.
Posted by: sparky | April 30, 2007 at 06:57 PM
I think you said it: you like politics!
I do too but not 24/7!
However, disagree that Dave's comments are stale. He has an awful lot of guests on his shows. He's made a lot of connections over the years including political ones - Ron, too, though he doesn't bring them on much. Dave's not there to just recite history. He really tries to hear both sides and more thoroughly in some ways. He tries to get the peoples' opinions as well.
So, I guess we look for different things. For me, Hartmann can be stale because the it is the same thing over and over. . .
Different strokes for different folks I guess.
Posted by: joanie | April 30, 2007 at 07:05 PM
Big Ed Schultz is a fat beef eating idiot...Yeech.
Posted by: shoreke | April 30, 2007 at 07:14 PM
Speaking of something different - sorry Michael, I like diverse topics! - check out Yahoo - "Reversing Alzheimer's memory loss may be possible"
Now that's what I call a story! And a relief for us older people. :)
Posted by: joanie | April 30, 2007 at 07:15 PM
Speaking of something different - sorry Michael, I like diverse topics! - check out Yahoo - "Reversing Alzheimer's memory loss may be possible"
Now that's what I call a story! And a relief for us older people. :)
Posted by: joanie | April 30, 2007 at 07:16 PM
Whooops -sorry! Randi is playing parts of 60 min interview with Tenet.
Posted by: joanie | April 30, 2007 at 07:17 PM
joanie, there are all sorts of wierd things happening around you, but you'll never here anything about it on the Air America affiliate, who has not one local talker. I know you have to justify AA-all-day-long but don't fool yourself, we're not buying. Admit you miss out.
Posted by: Andrew | April 30, 2007 at 07:59 PM
Andrew, who are you talking to?
I want some local! I like local. I don't think "local" means just Seattle. I do think local provides interest . . . for all the people within range of the transmitter.
Be it KIRO or KPTK. :)
Posted by: joanie | April 30, 2007 at 08:06 PM
Christ, I JUST NOW HEARD BUSH say that "major combat operations in Iraq have ended!" i guess he finally got the message from the Democratic -oh wait a minute. oh, good night nurse! They're saying this is a tape from four years ago.
Posted by: Tommy008 | April 30, 2007 at 09:06 PM
I'm watching the Jon Stewart segment from Bill Moyers Journal and it features Stewart's guest John McCain. Very interesting. Watch it here. Click on the Jon Stewart button.
Then watch the Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo segment.
Posted by: joanie | April 30, 2007 at 09:31 PM
The Daily Show was a rerun last night and they ran that show...it was very very weird.
Posted by: sparky | May 01, 2007 at 07:26 AM
Andrew, all your comments, especially the one about already knowing the outcome are how i feel about yet another discussion on the monorail, the viaduct...etc. Like I said, it boils down to personal taste and what holds our attention.
Posted by: sparky | May 01, 2007 at 07:28 AM