Bill Chappell Bill Chappell is a writer and editor on the News Desk in the heart of NPR's newsroom in Washington, D.C.
Stories By

Bill Chappell

Bill Chappell

Reporter, Producer

Bill Chappell is a correspondent and editor, and a leader on NPR's flagship digital news team. He has frequently contributed to NPR's audio and social media platforms, including hosting dozens of live shows online.

He has gone to two Olympics for NPR (Rio and Pyeongchang), focusing on finding the human aspect of sports — and sharing that fascination through text, video and images on NPR's Instagram and other branded accounts. He was also the lead editor for several other Olympic Games.

Because of his contributions, Chappell is also named on NPR's Peabody-award winning team for its Ebola coverage. Years ago, he established the Peabody Award-winning StoryCorps' presence on NPR.org, which separately won a Webby Award.

At NPR, Chappell has trained digital and radio staff in how to tell compelling stories online, facilitating collaboration between departments and desks. He was previously NPR.org's homepage editor, and has frequently worked with shows such as Morning Edition, Fresh Air, and All Things Considered.

Prior to NPR, Chappell was an editor on the Assignment Desk at CNN International, handling coverage in areas from the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America. He also edited and produced stories for CNN.com's features division, and edited video for the CNN Sports Illustrated venture.

Story Archive

Friday

A woman is facing charges after pouring what appears to be gasoline on the porch of the Queen Anne style house in Atlanta where Martin Luther King Jr. spent the first 12 years of his life. The home was not damaged. Historic American Buildings Survey/ Library of Congress hide caption

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Historic American Buildings Survey/ Library of Congress

Thursday

CosMc's offers a large variety of drinks — and no hamburgers. The first store testing the new McDonald's concept is opening in Bolingbrook, Ill., near Chicago. McDonald's/Screenshot by NPR hide caption

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McDonald's/Screenshot by NPR

Wednesday

The Sycamore Gap tree drew visitors and fame to a section of Hadrian's Wall near Hexham, in northern England. It's seen here in June and, at bottom, after it was felled in September. Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images

Tuesday

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., paid recently expelled Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., to record a video message aimed at Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J. Like Santos, Menendez is under a federal indictment. Alex Wong/Getty Images hide caption

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Alex Wong/Getty Images

Monday

Rizz is the word of year for 2023, according to the publishers of the Oxford English Dictionary. The term deals with charisma and charm — and other rizzes are available, such as Stockard Channing, center, seen here as Betty "Rizz" Rizzo in the 1978 film Grease. CBS via Getty Images hide caption

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CBS via Getty Images

Friday

The world's largest iceberg, A23a, is moving into the open waters near Antarctica after being essentially stuck in place for decades. It's seen here in satellite imagery from Nov. 15. European Union/Copernicus Sentinel-3/via Reuters hide caption

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European Union/Copernicus Sentinel-3/via Reuters

Wednesday

When the Life at Sea cruise line failed to purchase the German cruise ship AIDAaura, seen here in 2020, its plans for a worldwide cruise embarking in November began to unravel. Marit Hommedal/NTB Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Marit Hommedal/NTB Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images

Monday

New Zealand's new Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, center, formed a coalition government with Winston Peters, left, the leader of the New Zealand First party, and David Seymour, leader of ACT New Zealand. Marty Melville/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Marty Melville/AFP via Getty Images

Wednesday

Deep-frying a turkey has become popular in recent decades — but the Consumer Product Safety Commission is reminding people of the risks of the technique, and how to safely fry a bird for Thanksgiving. Jason Kempin/Getty Images hide caption

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Jason Kempin/Getty Images

Monday

Mikaela Shiffrin speeds down the course during the first run of an alpine ski World Cup women's slalom race, in Levi, Finland, on Nov. 12. Giovanni Auletta/AP hide caption

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Giovanni Auletta/AP

Thursday

A satellite view shows smoke along the Gaza-Israel border on Oct. 7 in an image combining natural with shortwave-infrared highlights. The image came from a Copernicus Sentinel satellite run, by the EU space program. Gallo Images/Orbital Horizon/Copernicus Sentinel Data 2023/Getty Images hide caption

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Gallo Images/Orbital Horizon/Copernicus Sentinel Data 2023/Getty Images

Monday

The vandalism that brought the Sycamore Gap tree down also harmed a UNESCO World Heritage Site: Hadrian's Wall. In this October photo, a worker used a chainsaw to cut up the tree so its trunk could be removed. Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images

When the Lewiston High School Blue Devils boys' soccer team won a state championship, they brought joy to a community that was rocked by a mass shooting in late October. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal via AP hide caption

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Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal via AP

Thursday

An archive image shows how the Omegle website appeared in early 2014. That year, a young woman says, Omegle paired her with an older man who exploited her starting from when she was 11 and lasting several years. Wayback Machine/Screenshot by NPR hide caption

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Wayback Machine/Screenshot by NPR

Wednesday

Cirque du Soleil is unveiling a plan to join its famous acrobatic shows with Nashville's country music. Here, a cast member performs during the The Beatles LOVE show by Cirque du Soleil at The Mirage in Las Vegas. Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Cirque du Solei hide caption

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Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Cirque du Solei

Tuesday

Monday

The Buffalo Bills' Damar Hamlin took 10 Cincinnati medical workers out for dinner — and told them he's setting up scholarships in their names. He's seen here before the Bills' game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Zach Bolinger/AP hide caption

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Zach Bolinger/AP

Friday

The Indiana Supreme Court has found the state's attorney general, Todd Rokita, violated professional conduct rules in his remarks about an abortion provider. Rokita is seen here speaking in Indianapolis in 2021. Darron Cummings/AP hide caption

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Darron Cummings/AP

Thursday

Erin Patterson was arrested and charged with multiple murders on Thursday. She is seen here arriving at her home in Leongatha, Victoria, in August. Jason Edwards/Newspix via Getty Images hide caption

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Jason Edwards/Newspix via Getty Images

Palestinians with dual nationality register to cross to Egypt on the Gaza Strip side of the border crossing in Rafah on Thursday. Hatem Ali/AP hide caption

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Hatem Ali/AP

Wednesday

Players from the Pittsburgh Penguins and Anaheim Ducks on Monday honored former Penguin player Adam Johnson, who died during a game in England. The Penguins are making neck guards mandatory for players at the minor-league level, and will also urge NHL players to wear them. Gene J. Puskar/AP hide caption

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Gene J. Puskar/AP

People enter the Rafah border crossing in the southern Gaza Strip before crossing into Egypt on Wednesday. The U.N. says some 500 foreign passport holders were allowed to leave Gaza. Mohammed Abed/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Mohammed Abed/AFP via Getty Images

Tuesday