Diane Rehm
Host, The Diane Rehm Show
Diane Rehm is a native Washingtonian who began her radio career in 1973 as a volunteer at WAMU. She became host and producer of two health-oriented programs, and in 1979 was selected to host WAMU's local morning talk show, Kaleidoscope, which was renamed The Diane Rehm Show in 1984.
For 25 years, Rehm has offered her listeners compelling conversations with the world's most interesting and important people. During each hour, she invites listeners to join the conversation by opening the phones to their questions and comments on the topic at hand. Since 1995, NPR has distributed the award-winning program to stations across the nation. NPR Worldwide has offered the program to listeners in Europe and Japan since 1996 via direct broadcast satellite. It's also heard on U.S. military installations around the world via Armed Forces Radio.
Rehm has also forged a successful career as a writer, publishing two autobiographical books. In Finding My Voice, the host talks about her childhood, marriage, broadcast career, and vocal difficulties. Published by Knopf in 1999, it is now in its fourth printing. Together with her husband John, Rehm co-authored Toward Commitment: A Dialogue about Marriage, a book focusing on the art of building and maintaining a strong relationship. The book was published in September 2002 by Knopf.
In 1998, Rehm was diagnosed with spasmodic dysphonia, a neurological condition that causes strained, difficult speech. After finding treatment, she wrote several articles and produced a program about the little-known disorder. The National Council on Communicative Disorders recognized her work with a Communication Award, and the Maryland Speech-Hearing-Language Association honored her with a Media Award. ABC's Nightline host Ted Koppel devoted an entire program to a conversation with Rehm about her disorder.
Rehm has received many personal honors over the years, including being named a Paul H. Nitze Senior Fellow at St. Mary's College of Maryland and becoming an inductee into the Class of 2004 Hall of Fame by the Washington, DC, Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. She was also honored as a fellow by the Society of Professional Journalists, the highest honor the society bestows on a journalist. In 1999, she was named a Washingtonian of the Year by Washingtonian Magazine.
