Ketzel Levine
Encyclopedia
Ketzel Levine is an American radio journalist who began her broadcast career in 1974. She joined National Public Radio (NPR) in 1977 and worked, variously, as the network's arts producer, sports director, features reporter and garden expert. From 2000 through 2008, she was senior correspondent for the NPR program Morning Edition
. At the end of that year, due to cutbacks at the network, Levine was laid off, while working on a documentary series about Americans coping with economic stress and job loss. Her final NPR broadcast was about how she, herself, had just lost her job.
in Schenectady, NY. She moved to Washington, D.C. in 1977 to work at NPR, where she produced the arts magazine, Voices in the Wind. In 1979, she became part of the original staff of Morning Edition, where she remained until moving to London to report for the BBC World Service
. While abroad, she also freelanced for NPR, CNN
and the BBC domestic service. She returned to NPR full-time as its arts reporter in 1986. In 1990, she took up studies in horticulture, began her own landscape and design business, and in 1992 became NPR's horticultural reporter, the "Doyenne of Dirt", broadcasting for the next ten years on NPR's Weekend Edition
with Scott Simon
. During this time she was also a contributing writer for Horticulture Magazine, a features writer for Martha Stewart Living
and a contributing writer for The Oregonian
. In 2000, she published 'Plant This!' (Sasquatch Books, 2000).
In 2000, Levine became a senior correspondent for Morning Edition. In 2007, she expanded her horticultural reporting with the year-long special program, "Climate Connections". She also produced and reported for the series, "Take Two: People Reinventing Themselves Through Their Work", and at the time of her dismissal, was producing and writing a series documenting the effects of the economic crisis, "American Moxie: How We Get By".
Levine's career with NPR ended on an ironic note when she was one of 64 people laid off in December 2008, as she was producing the "American Moxie" series. In her last series installment, she reported about her own layoff.
School of Landscape Design. She began her own business, Hortus Landscaping, in 1991, then later began a career writing about horticulture, botanizing, and lecturing for garden clubs, botanic gardens and arboretums. After moving to Portland, OR in 1996, she became the northweast regional correspondent for Horticulture Magazine and a contributing editor for The Oregonian. Her newspaper plant profiles were published in the book, Plant This! (Sasquatch Books, 2000). Levine's own garden has been featured in several magazines, including Portland Monthly. A profile of Levine and her garden was published in the February 2011 issue of Sunset Magazine.
and working for the Portland office of In Defense of Animals (IDA). In September 2010, she became the volunteer creative and communications director for The Animal Rescue Association of the Americas, the first professional association for animal rescue group
s. She is currently in Ecuador pursuing local animal rescue efforts. url=http://www.ketzel.com
Morning Edition
Morning Edition is an American radio news program produced and distributed by National Public Radio . It airs weekday mornings and runs for two hours, and many stations repeat one or both hours. The show feeds live from 05:00 to 09:00 ET, with feeds and updates as required until noon...
. At the end of that year, due to cutbacks at the network, Levine was laid off, while working on a documentary series about Americans coping with economic stress and job loss. Her final NPR broadcast was about how she, herself, had just lost her job.
Broadcast career
Levine's academic background was in music and communications. Her first job in broadcasting was at the full-time, non-commercial classical music station WMHT-FMWMHT-FM
WMHT-FM is the callsign of a classical music and NPR radio station licenced to Schenectady, New York, broadcasting on 89.1 MHz with 11 kW ERP from the Helderberg Mountains antenna farm in New Scotland, New York...
in Schenectady, NY. She moved to Washington, D.C. in 1977 to work at NPR, where she produced the arts magazine, Voices in the Wind. In 1979, she became part of the original staff of Morning Edition, where she remained until moving to London to report for the BBC World Service
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 27 languages to many parts of the world via analogue and digital shortwave, internet streaming and podcasting, satellite, FM and MW relays...
. While abroad, she also freelanced for NPR, CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
and the BBC domestic service. She returned to NPR full-time as its arts reporter in 1986. In 1990, she took up studies in horticulture, began her own landscape and design business, and in 1992 became NPR's horticultural reporter, the "Doyenne of Dirt", broadcasting for the next ten years on NPR's Weekend Edition
Weekend Edition
Weekend Edition is the name given to a set of American radio news magazines produced and distributed by National Public Radio . It is the weekend counterpart to Morning Edition. It consists of Weekend Edition Saturday and Weekend Edition Sunday , each of which airs for two hours, from 8 a.m. to 10...
with Scott Simon
Scott Simon
Scott Simon is an American journalist and the host of Weekend Edition Saturday on National Public Radio.- Life and career :...
. During this time she was also a contributing writer for Horticulture Magazine, a features writer for Martha Stewart Living
Martha Stewart Living
Martha Stewart Living is a magazine and a television show featuring entertaining and home decorating guru Martha Stewart. Both the magazine and the television program focus on the domestic arts. Martha Stewart Living began as a quarterly magazine in 1990, published by Time Inc..and is currently...
and a contributing writer for The Oregonian
The Oregonian
The Oregonian is the major daily newspaper in Portland, Oregon, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. west coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 1850...
. In 2000, she published 'Plant This!' (Sasquatch Books, 2000).
In 2000, Levine became a senior correspondent for Morning Edition. In 2007, she expanded her horticultural reporting with the year-long special program, "Climate Connections". She also produced and reported for the series, "Take Two: People Reinventing Themselves Through Their Work", and at the time of her dismissal, was producing and writing a series documenting the effects of the economic crisis, "American Moxie: How We Get By".
Levine's career with NPR ended on an ironic note when she was one of 64 people laid off in December 2008, as she was producing the "American Moxie" series. In her last series installment, she reported about her own layoff.
Horticultural career
Levine studied at the George Washington UniversityGeorge Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
School of Landscape Design. She began her own business, Hortus Landscaping, in 1991, then later began a career writing about horticulture, botanizing, and lecturing for garden clubs, botanic gardens and arboretums. After moving to Portland, OR in 1996, she became the northweast regional correspondent for Horticulture Magazine and a contributing editor for The Oregonian. Her newspaper plant profiles were published in the book, Plant This! (Sasquatch Books, 2000). Levine's own garden has been featured in several magazines, including Portland Monthly. A profile of Levine and her garden was published in the February 2011 issue of Sunset Magazine.
Animal Activist
Following her layoff from NPR, Levine pursued a lifelong interest in animal welfare. She began writing for the Humane Society of the United StatesHumane Society of the United States
The Humane Society of the United States , based in Washington, D.C., is the largest animal advocacy organization in the world. In 2009, HSUS reported assets of over US$160 million....
and working for the Portland office of In Defense of Animals (IDA). In September 2010, she became the volunteer creative and communications director for The Animal Rescue Association of the Americas, the first professional association for animal rescue group
Rescue group
An animal rescue group or animal rescue organization is dedicated to pet adoption. These groups take unwanted, abandoned, abused, or stray pets and attempt to find suitable new homes for them...
s. She is currently in Ecuador pursuing local animal rescue efforts. url=http://www.ketzel.com