Ever heard NPR's Diane Rehm?
Rehm was on the radio for almost 20 years...nine of them hosting what would be eventually called
The Diane Rehm Show...before her spasmodic dysphonia became so bad she had to take a hiatus for treatment in 1998 and eventually work out the structure she has now with botox treatments (which is one way to "treat" the seized throat muscles that cause SD) coupled with a regular series of fill-in hosts like Susan Page and whatnot.
I would agree that if Rehm had walked into WAMU with her voice sounding like it does today? Well, despite her considerable talent at booking guests and running interviews, she never would've gotten a job at all...much less one hosting one of the biggest shows on NPR. But she had a history and a legion of fans when the trouble started, so an exception was made. And the lack of any serious alternative to
The DR Show was a major driving force, too. By the same token,
that was a significant part of why WBUR took old
The Connection with Christopher Lydon national when it did.
FWIW, if memory serves Rehm signed a five-year contract extension about 2 or 3 years ago, and at the time she said she'd do the show forever if she could (she is 74). AFAIK the ratings are still solid and, I believe
The DR Show is on a lot more stations than its chief rival:
On Point with Tom Ashbrook, so barring a major illness or injury, I don't see Rehm leaving anytime soon. I also think that NPR is sensitive to the not-without-justification charges that
On Point has too much of a Boston focus. Rehm, of course, has quite a serious DC focus but that's more applicable on the national stage.
