American Public Media pulls the plug on ‘The Story’ as host Gordon exits

Interviewer Dick Gordon is calling it quits as host of American Public Media’s The Story.

Gordon announced in an email today he’s moving from North Carolina back to Canada:

As you may know, we moved to the Triangle eight years ago, largely at the invitation of listeners and supporters of WUNC. We made our home in Chapel Hill. We’ve made wonderful friends here and we have felt very much a part of the community.

However, as we all know, the tug of family is strong, and that has lately increased for both of us. My mother is getting older and her health is more of a concern, and she has recently asked me if I might live a little closer. Also, our two daughters both make Canada’s capital city of Ottawa their home base, and we are not seeing as much of them as we’d like.

And to be perfectly honest, I’m ready for a break. I started working in daily radio broadcasting in September 1977. That’s 36 years of early mornings and long days. I’d like to slow things down a little.

I have informed the senior managers at WUNC of my intentions and they have been very gracious in making way for us to leave.

UPDATE: Later in the day, APM announced that The Story would end production and broadcast its last show Nov 22.

Interviewing people — no matter how easy you think it sounds — is a terribly difficult thing and not many people can lead people through the story they have to tell.

(h/t: Julia Schrenkler)