WVIA Welcomes NPR's Susan Stamberg and Ellen McDonnell to a special State of Pennsylvania PITTSTON, PA (wvia) - Nationally acclaimed broadcast journalist and NPR Special Correspondent Susan Stamberg and NPR's Executive Director of News Programming Ellen McDonnell, a native of Jessup, Pa., join WVIA President Bill Kelly for a special live "State of Pennsylvania" on Thursday, March 25, at 8 p.m. on WVIA-TV. The program will be simulcast on WVIA-FM 89.9 FM and in the Williamsport area 89.7 FM.

Stamberg, the first woman to anchor a national nightly news program, won every major award in broadcasting, and is in the Broadcasting Hall of Fame and the Radio Hall of Fame. An NPR pioneer, Stamberg has been a staff member since the network began in 1971. She served as co-host of NPR's award-winning newsmagazine "All Things Considered" for 14 years beginning in 1972. She then hosted "Weekend Edition Sunday," and now serves as guest host of NPR's "Morning Edition" and "Weekend Edition Saturday," in addition to reporting on cultural issues for all NPR programs. Her thousands of interviews include conversations with Laura Bush, Billy Crystal, Rosa Parks, Dave Brubeck and Luciano Pavarotti.

Prior to joining NPR, Stamberg served as producer, program director and general manager of NPR member station WAMU-FM in Washington, DC. She is the author of two books, and co-editor of a third. "Talk: NPR's Susan Stamberg Considers All Things" chronicles her two decades with NPR. Her first book, "Every Night at Five: Susan Stamberg's All Things Considered," was published in 1982. Stamberg also co-edited "The Wedding Cake in the Middle of the Road," published in 1992. That collection grew from a series of stories Stamberg commissioned for "Weekend Edition Sunday."

McDonnell is NPR's executive director of news programming, responsible for overseeing all of NPR's radio news programs: "Morning Edition," "All Things Considered," "Talk of the Nation," "Tell Me More" and "Weekend Edition." She was previously director of morning programming.

From 1998-2007, McDonnell served as executive producer of NPR's premier morning news magazine, "Morning Edition." She oversaw a major transformation and expansion of the 24-hour staff, and led the program into its current two host/two coast format. McDonnell also initiated and developed fresh and original approaches to news coverage on the show, including instituting seven hours of continual "Morning Edition" news updates each day. Under her leadership, the "Morning Edition" audience has flourished, and the show is now ranked the number one morning radio show in the United States.

Prior to her appointment as Executive Producer for "Morning Edition," McDonnell served as senior producer for the program. She joined NPR in 1979 after holding a number of news positions at various commercial and public radio stations throughout the country. She graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 1976 with a degree in communications. She received a master's degree in public affairs journalism from American University in Washington, DC, in 1978.

"State of Pennsylvania" with WVIA President Bill Kelly and Correspondent Suzanne Kapral-Kelly is the only regional interactive public affairs and news program providing an in-depth look at important issues in the Commonwealth.

This State of Pennsylvania program featuring Susan Stamberg and Ellen McDonnell will encore Friday, March 26, at 7 p.m. on WVIA-TV.

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