Weekend Edition Saturday: About
Airs Saturdays at 8AM on 93.9 FM and AM 820
Each week, nearly 4 million listeners tune in to Weekend Edition Saturday for two hours of news, features and entertainment anchored by Scott Simon, NPR's Peabody Award-winning host and correspondent.
Drawing on his experience in covering 10 wars and stories in all 50 states and seven continents, Scott brings a humorous, sophisticated and often moving perspective toWeekend Edition Saturday. He's adept at speaking to everyone, from heads of state to Hollywood celebrities.
Weekend Edition Saturday has a unique and entertaining roster of other regular contributors. Marin Alsop, conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, talks about music. Daniel Pinkwater, one of the biggest names in children's literature, talks about and reads stories with Scott. Financial journalist Joe Nocera follows the economy. Howard Bryant of EPSN.com and NPR's Tom Goldman chime in on sports. Keith Devlin, of Stanford University, unravels the mystery of math, and Will Grozier, a London cabbie, talks about good books that have just been released, and what well-read people leave in the back of his taxi. And Scott contributes his own award-winning essays, which are sometimes humorous, sometimes poignant.
Weekend Edition Saturday is heard on nearly 600 NPR stations across the United States, and around the globe on NPR Worldwide. It is also a pioneer in using new technology and social media platforms to create a conversation between the audience and its staff that enriches the show every week.
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Show Staff
Latest Stories from Weekend Edition Saturday
Last updated: Saturday, June 02 2012 02:56 PM
Just Deserts Follow Attempted Pastie Tax
Saturday, June 02 2012 12:35 PM
This week, the British government reversed course on a plan to place a 20-percent tax on hot foods like pasties, a humble food more associated with the layman than a posh parliamentarian. Sometimes those politicians must eat their words.
As Killings Continue In Syria, A Look At UN's Role
Saturday, June 02 2012 12:00 PM
Friday night in Syria, there was the third massacre in the space of one week. This time a dozen workers found shot to death, their bodies dumped in a field. Host Scott Simon speaks with United Nations spokesperson Kieran Dwyer about the options left on the table for conflict resolution in Syria.
A Case For Military Intervention In Syria
Saturday, June 02 2012 12:00 PM
Host Scott Simon talks with former Pentagon analyst Thomas P.M. Barnett about the pros and cons of a military intervention in Syria. Barnett has written in support of military intervention in Syria on Time Magazine's Battleland blog.
Implications Of The Facebook Let-Down
Saturday, June 02 2012 12:00 PM
Host Scott Simon talks with Joe Nocera, op-ed columnist for The New York Times, about the rocky debut of Facebook as a public company and what it means for the markets and the tech industry at large.
Europe's Debt Weighs On U.S. Employers
Saturday, June 02 2012 12:00 PM
Some American employers say their businesses are starting to take a hit from the European debt crisis. NPR's Chris Arnold talks to a tour bus operator who relies on European vacationers and a factory owner who's exporting less to Europe and has scaled back hiring plans.
Nuns Fight Back Against Vatican Report
Saturday, June 02 2012 12:00 PM
This week, the largest organization for U.S. Catholic Sisters issued their response to a critical report from the Vatican. The report accused the organization of "serious doctrinal problems." Host Scott Simon speaks with NPR's Barbara Bradley Hagerty for more on the conflict.
Britain's Ad Authority Releases Most-Hated List
Saturday, June 02 2012 12:00 PM
This week Britain's Advertising Standards Authority turned 50. To celebrate, it released a list of the 50 most-complained-about commercials in UK history. The one that generated the most viewer complaints was not about sex, violence or politics: It was a KFC ad in which the actors spoke with their mouths full. Vicki Barker has the story.
French Open Hasn't Been Great For Americans In Paris
Saturday, June 02 2012 12:00 PM
Host Scott Simon talks about the French Open with ESPN's Howard Bryant, who is at Roland Garros stadium.
Mubarak Convicted In Charges Of Protesters' Deaths
Saturday, June 02 2012 12:00 PM
A judge in Cairo has delivered a verdict Saturday at the trial of Hosni Mubarak, the ousted Egyptian leader accused of complicity in the deaths of more than 800 anti-government protesters during last year's revolution. NPR's Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson tells host Scott Simon that Mubarak was acquitted of corruption charges, but found guilty in connection with the killing of protesters.
For Impressionist Jim Meskimen, The Voice Is 'A Sample Of Who We Are'
Saturday, June 02 2012 10:43 AM
Impressionist Jim Meskimen does many, many celebrity voices. You may have heard his George W. Bush, or perhaps his Morgan Freeman.
America's Gone Bananas: Here's How It Happened
Saturday, June 02 2012 10:20 AM
The Fish That Ate the Whale tells the story of Sam Zemurray, a Jewish immigrant who came to the U.S. as a teenager and became one of the biggest players in the banana business. "He's like the American dream in the shape of a single life," says author Rich Cohen.
London's Mayor On 'The City That Made The World'
Saturday, June 02 2012 10:09 AM
In just a few weeks, the world will descend on London for the Olympic Games. NPR's Scott Simon talks with London Mayor Boris Johnson about his city and his new book, Johnson's Life of London: The People Who Made the City That Made the World.
Conspiracies Swirl As Vatican Scandal Engulfs Rome
Saturday, June 02 2012 09:57 AM
The publication of Vatican documents alleging corruption among cardinals has triggered a major crisis in the Holy See. It has shed light on a Vatican gripped by intrigue and power struggles like a Renaissance court, and some observers say it highlights the Vatican's dire need for structural reform.
'Flame' Virus Fuels Political Heat Over Cyber Threats
Saturday, June 02 2012 09:56 AM
A United Nations agency has raised alarms about the Flame virus, which may have been designed for use against Iran. Skeptics say the announcement was more about politics than global security.
Fingers Point As Job Numbers Fall
Saturday, June 02 2012 09:53 AM
Hiring ground to a halt across different industries in many parts of the country last month, according to the jobs report released on Friday. The news sent the Dow Jones plunging and gave President Obama's critics fresh material for attacks, but analysts see another story.