Deepa Fernandes joins ‘Here & Now’ as co-host

Journalist Deepa Fernandes will be the third host of NPR and WBUR’s midday news program Here & Now, the organizations announced Friday. 

She will debut Oct. 10 as co-host with Robin Young and Scott Tong.

“Deepa’s zeal and commitment for not only telling compelling and deeply reported stories — but to support improving access and diversity in journalism — is directly aligned with our mission at WBUR and NPR,” said WBUR CCO Victor Hernandez in a press release. “Her global-local perspective and experience are going to add tremendous value to our strong team at Here & Now.”

Fernandes was most recently an immigration correspondent at the San Francisco Chronicle and senior newsroom advisor on race and equity. She has worked as a freelance correspondent for KCET-TV, the BBC, Public Radio International, NPR and Marketplace. She previously hosted Wakeup Call on WBAI in New York and Free Speech Radio News.

“After a rewarding year at the San Francisco Chronicle, I’m looking forward to bringing my diverse background and passion for audio storytelling to the Here & Now team,” Fernandes said in the release. “Public radio is the most easily accessed daily news source for audiences across the country, and I believe we can continue to reach new listeners and enrich the public conversation by including voices, stories and news from communities often excluded.”