A Martínez Named Fourth Host of NPR's Morning Edition

RADIO ONLINE | Thursday, May 27, 2021 | 12:04pm CT

A Martinez

NPR has announced that, after conducting a national search, A Martínez has been selected as the fourth host of "Morning Edition," NPR's morning drive news magazine carried by 835 public radio stations across the U.S. Martínez will join NPR on July 6th, and his first day on-air will be announced in the coming weeks. He will be based at NPR West in Culver City, CA.

Martínez has been the host of "Take Two" at KPCC in Los Angeles since 2012. Before that he was a familiar voice to Sports/Talk listeners in Los Angeles as host of 710 KSPN's "In the Zone." During his tenure, "Take Two" has created important forums on the air and through live events that have elevated the voices and perspectives of Angelenos, and provided nuanced coverage of the region's challenges including homelessness, climate change and systemic disparities in health and education.

"We are delighted to have A join the 'Morning Edition' team anchoring from the West Coast. He brings a remarkable record of journalism and empathy that allows him to truly connect with audiences and stories," said NPR Vice President of News Programming Sarah Gilbert. "He brings intelligence, a sense of humor and a deep curiosity that will fit right in with the show's commitment to telling distinctive stories that make a difference to our understanding of the world."

"Nine years ago, I had never listened to public radio. I was about to start a new path that would change my career, and in a deeper way, my perspective on life," said Martínez. "The time I've spent at KPCC proves that public radio journalism can be accessible, relatable and understandable to ANYONE, regardless of their background or educational pedigree. I'm excited to bring every experience I've had along the way to NPR and to represent Los Angeles and California the best way I can."

Martínez will be joining Steve Inskeep, Noel King and Rachel Martin. He fills the vacancy that was left after David Greene's departure in 2020.