John Lansing, the president and chief executive of NPR who led the outlet through the Covid-19 pandemic after taking the helm in 2019, will retire by the end of the year. The move comes just months after the radio network announced a significant budget shortfall and layoffs.
“During the pandemic, we were there when America needed us most, reporting truthful life-saving information when disinformation was rampant,” Lansing wrote in a note to NPR staffers.
In February, Lansing announced via a memo that NPR would cut its staff by 10%, or around 100 employees, after having already cut $14 million in expenses, CNN previously reported. The company had been struggling with a “sharp decline” in revenues from corporate sponsors amid an uncertain economy.
Lansing will remain in his post until the board of directors identifies his replacement to ensure a smooth transition, NPR announced in a statement.
“We are all immensely grateful to John for his principled and tenacious leadership through a turbulent time for NPR, our system and our nation,” Jeff Sine, NPR’s board chair, said in a statement.
During Lansing’s time at the media organization, NPR was recognized with more than 90 journalism awards and strengthened partnerships via the NPR Network. The outlet also increased diversity company-wide, most notably at the executive level.
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