NPR’S JOHN BURNETT SPEAKS AT AKRON READING FESTIVAL
NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT DISCUSSES NEW BOOK AND LIFE AS A JOURNALIST
Thursday August 31, 2006

WKSU presents an author talk featuring radio journalist John Burnett on Sunday, Sept. 17 at 1 p.m. at the Main Akron-Summit County Public Library building. Burnett's discussion leads off the second day of the Akron Reading Festival and will focus on his experiences as a National Desk correspondent for National Public Radio (NPR). His adventures on the road covering events such as the drug wars in Central America, the current conflict in Iraq, Hurricane Katrina and the aftermath of 9/11 are the subject of his recently published book, "Uncivilized Beasts and Shameless Hellions: Travels with an NPR Correspondent," (Rodale, 2006).

Based primarily in Austin, TX, Burnett has been an NPR correspondent since 1986 covering the American Southwest producing stories for NPR’s award-winning news programs "Morning Edition," "All Things Considered" and "Weekend Edition." Following the attacks on New York City on 9/11, he reported from NYC, Pakistan and Afghanistan, contributing to efforts that earned the Overseas Press Club Award and an Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award, one of the highest honors in broadcast journalism.

Burnett's work while embedded with the First Marine Division during the U.S. invasion of Iraq was also singled out by the duPont Award committee. He was honored as well with a 2004 Edward R. Murrow Award from Radio-Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) for his investigative report on the bombing of an Iraqi village. Other highlights of his 20-year career with NPR include reports from New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Persian Gulf War, the Oklahoma City bombing and the U.S. invasion of Panama.

WKSU broadcasts NPR & Classical Music at 89.7 FM, and is a service of Kent State University. WKSU programming is also heard on WKRW 89.3 FM in Wooster, WKRJ 91.5 FM in Dover/New Philadelphia, WKSV 89.1 FM in Thompson, WNRK 90.7 in Norwalk, W298BA 107.5 FM in Boardman, and W239AZ 95.7 FM in Ashland. The WKSU web site is www.wksu.org.

PR06.15      ### 8/31/06

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