On Friday, November 16th I had the opportunity to sit down for a one-on-one interview with Diane Rehm before a sold-out audience at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center. Diane was not only engaging and entertaining -- but forthright when audience questions turned to the importance of NPR in the current media landscape. "It's more important now than ever," replied Diane. "It would be a sad day if the public didn't have a voice they could trust -- one free of commercial interest or an advertiser's point of view. We go to extraordinary lengths to provide balanced points of view and I believe that the need for a strong news presence has never been greater." If you were one of the more than 600 individuals to attend the luncheon, you experienced, first-hand, the passion that Diane brings to the airwaves.

With that in mind, let me once again remind you that beginning Monday, November 26, Beth Adams will be taking over as the new host of Morning Edition. A familiar voice to Rochester area listeners, Beth's debut -- along with Alex Crichton's move to host afternoons on All Things Considered -- further strengthens WXXI's commitment to local news. We’re proud to welcome Beth Adams as the newest member of the WXXI family. She will be a great addition to our news department, which already boasts a dedicated group of journalists focused on in-depth reporting on issues that concern our community and state.