A record number of Americans are quitting their jobs, and longtime NPR host Audie Cornish announced on Tuesday that she too would join “The Great Resignation.”
“I love my job. I love the listeners of NPR and the people who make it. Alongside that truth, I am ready to stretch my wings and try something new,” Cornish said on Twitter.
Some personal news…this week I am joining many of you in “The Great Resignation”. 1/5#NPR
— audie cornish (@AudieCornish) January 4, 2022
Cornish, a Randolph native, joined National Public Radio in 2005 “when [she] was barely old enough to drive a car,” she wrote on Twitter. She is well known as host of the network’s flagship news program, “All Things Considered.” She has hosted the show since 2012, and her last day on air will be Friday, Jan. 7.
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“No doubt leaving [All Things Considered] will be a risk. It’s in the Library of Congress!” Cornish said. “It has been an honor to be part of this legacy of service and to work with the incredible hosts, producers and editors who make it.”
Cornish made her way to the world of journalism while in college at UMass Amherst. After graduating in 2001, she worked as a reporter with the Associated Press in Boston before joining WBUR — an affiliate of NPR. She joined NPR’s National Desk in 2005, where she covered the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. She moved to the politics team in 2008 to cover the presidential race and the election of Barack Obama, and then worked as a congressional reporter, according to NPR.
In a note to NPR staff, Cornish said hosting “All Things Considered” helped her find her voice, “but I have never considered the host chair a tenured position and there is still much to learn. It’s time for my to try my hand at new journalism projects and embark on new adventures.”
She added that it “feels good to leave this particular stage on my own terms,” and that she “looks forward to new opportunities and new ways to tell stories.” Cornish emphasized that she wants to “keep finding ways to make space and center the voices of those who have been traditionally left out! Our conversation isn’t over. Stay tuned as we say in radio.”
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In a statement from Sarah Gilbert, NPR’s vice president for news programming, and Nancy Barnes, senior vice president for news and editorial director, Cornish’s reporting was recognized for being “incisive and human.”
“From podcasts to politics, Audie’s skills and presence are distinctive,” the statement said. “Whether in the field reporting on natural disasters, following presidential candidates and historic moments in our democracy, or landing illuminating high-profile interviews, Audie has brought listeners a rich array of topics, voices, and perspectives from across the spectrum of American life.”
Brittany Bowker can be reached at brittany.bowker@globe.com. Follow her @brittbowker and also on Instagram @brittbowker.