FLVS Journalism I blog: 06.00 Journalism Careers

“From WAMU in Washington, I’m Diane Rehm.” 2.4 million people all over the country hear this phrase every week. This well loved reporter has over 40 years of experience to her name and has been honored with many different awards over the course of her career, including the George Foster Personal Peabody Award, inaugural Urbino Press Award, and Excellence in Journalism Award from the American News Women’s Club. She was also named a Fellow by the Society of Professional Journalists, the greatest privilege the society can offer a journalist. Though Rehm is now a great and renowned journalist, she started out very simply; in 1973 her reporting career began as a volunteer producer for WAMU, the NPR member-station in Washington, D.C. and the only news organization for which she’s ever worked. Rehm was then hired as an assistant producer, and later was the host and producer of two health programs. Just six years after her profession had begun, Rehm was asked to host a morning talk show called Kaleidoscope run by WAMU. In 1984, it was renamed The Diane Rehm Show and she has continued reporting for it ever since.

The jobs of producer and host are closely linked. As a producer and assistant producer, Rehm would have done behind-the-scenes work, coming up with ideas about how the show would be run and provide program guests. Perhaps it was her experience as a producer that aided her in becoming what I consider one of the greatest American radio reporters. Her duties as host would have included carrying out all the show ideas her producer supplied, as well as interviewing countless people from all walks of life. Among Rehm’s most prominent guests are Bill Clinton, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Toni Morrison, General Tommy Franks, and Julie Andrews. All of these great and respected people coupled with Rehm’s tactful and impartial reporting add to her credibility. I feel she is a source I can look to for unbiased information on what is going on in the world.

Unbiased or not, Rehm’s career almost ended in 1998 due to spasmodic dysphonia. This neurological voice disorder caused her uncomfortable speech, a major hindrance in her profession. However, Rehm found treatment and returned to work, pointing out her new hurdle. Now many of us are familiar with her cracked voice, though undoubtedly it must be a struggle for Rehm. The fact that she sticks with her job despite her condition is a sign of devotion and love of what she does. I, for one, am grateful she possesses this loyalty, and am indebted to her reporting, without which I would not be as knowledgeable as I am today.