Tom Ashbrook

Tom Ashbrook is an American journalist and radio broadcaster. He hosts National Public Radio's daily call-in show, On Point.

Early life and education

Born in 1956 on a farm in Bloomington, Illinois, he studied at Yale University.

Career

Ashbrook worked in Alaska as a surveyor and dynamiter of oil fields before leaving for Asia, where he spent a decade as a foreign correspondent in India, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. His first newspaper job was at the "South China Morning Post". During the late 1980s, Ashbrook became foreign editor for "The Boston Globe".

Ashbrook was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University during which time he decided to leave the "Globe" in 1996 and create an internet startup with college friend Rolly Rouse. This company eventually became http://www.homeportfolio.com/. Ashbrook wrote a book called "The Leap" about his experience in Internet entrepreneurship, and currently hosts the National Public Radio show "On Point". Ashbrook underwent heart bypass surgery in November 2007 and was off air until January 2, 2008. [cite news |first=Colin |last=Riley |title=WBUR’S “ON POINT” HOST TOM ASHBROOK ON SIX-WEEK MEDICAL LEAVE |url=http://www.bu.edu/phpbin/news/releases/display.php?id=1465&template=today |publisher=BU Today |date=2007-11-16 |accessdate=2008-01-04]

Personal life

Tom Ashbrook has a wife, a daughter, and two sons. He lives in Newton, Massachusetts.

Health problems

Ashbrook went on medical leave in November 2007 to undergo heart bypass surgery. He resumed fulltime broadcasting on 2 January 2008, when he discussed his medical journey in a show with his doctors and nurses.

References

* [http://www.onpointradio.org "On Point" Website]
* [http://www.onpointradio.org/about-on-point/tom-ashbrook/ "On Point" Biography]
* [http://internet.monster.com/articles/ashbrook/ Interview for "The Leap"]
*Weiss, Joanna. " [http://www.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/2005/09/28/pardon_the_interruption/?page=1 Pardon the interruption] ", "The Boston Globe", September 28, 2005. Retrieved March 21, 2007.