Ira Glass
© This American Life

Ira Glass started his long career in public radio in 1978 as an NPR intern at its Washington, DC, headquarters. By the time he left in 1989 for Chicago Public Radio, Glass had held almost all production positions on NPR’s various news programs. His show, This American Life, first aired in 1995 (under another name) as a production of Chicago Public Radio. Eventually, Public Radio International distributed the widely-syndicated show.