Brian Mann Will Be NPR's First Correspondent Covering Addiction

By Vickie Walton-James

Published March 30, 2020 at 1:35 PM CDT

Brian Mann, of North Country Public Radio, will be joining NPR as the network's first full-time correspondent covering addiction.

In a note to newsroom staff Senior National Editor Vickie Walton-James announced this staffing update:

Colleagues:

I'm pleased to announce that Brian Mann, of North Country Public Radio, will be joining NPR as the network's first full-time correspondent covering addiction.

Brian is a veteran public radio journalist who has worked with the National Desk for years. He's taken our audience along as he hiked and skied through Upstate New York. And he's contributed to coverage of breaking news, from historic flooding in Houston to mass shootings in Las Vegas and Parkland, Fla. Over the past year, Brian has covered litigation against pharmaceutical companies stemming from the national opioid crisis, positioning him perfectly to tackle the addiction beat. Our coverage will examine how communities, scientists and civic leaders are grappling with addiction in the U.S. and abroad.

"My family has been deeply damaged by addiction," Brian says. "I lost my father and my step-brother to substance abuse. I'm excited by the challenge of breaking down some of the stigma around this part of our lives and helping people talk about addiction more factually."

Brian has won several Edward R. Murrow awards and is the author of the 2006 book "Welcome to the Homeland."

As we cover the myriad ways Covid-19 is affecting the U.S., Brian will continue to cover the impact on the virus in New York State, joining NPR in mid-May. Please join me in welcoming Brian to our staff.

Vickie