He has previously announced he would be staying on as president emeritus to help the network raise major gifts, and along with his wife, Pamela Mohn, he personally committed $10 million to the network. John Lansing, the chief executive officer and director of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, will become NPR's CEO in mid-October. I think we're moving forward. Unlike some predecessors, Lansing doesn't face a particularly fraught political landscape. Its new president and chief executive is John Lansing, a former cable executive who for the last five years has run the U.S. Agency for Global Media, the federally funded organization behind. hide caption. The roots of the VOA involved providing truthful reports to people under Nazi and Axis power rule during World War II. Lansing previously held positions overseeing the Scripps Co.'s local television stations and then its national cable channels, which include the Food Network and HGTV, among others. There's always going to be things here and there that have to be worked out, because that's just the way a company is, but I've never been in a company before where it was so understood that we're here to serve the American people. Bellarmine alumnus and former trustee John Lansing, a veteran cable television and government broadcast executive, is the new CEO of NPR. Scripps Co., says whenever an economic slowdown appears imminent, marketing budgets get slashed. Its my expectation that that will expand throughout the organization, so that everybody understands its everybodys job, and the accountability is going to be something that we measure and transparently report back out. Theres no question about it. Then I moved on to manage TV stations and cable networks. CEO John Lansing discusses NPRs diversity efforts, budget deficit and growing podcast competition. NPR And the pandemic hit six months later in March of '20. Harvard Kennedy School. "A really important strategic vector that we'll be talking about more within the company going forward is maximizing the value of the content wherever it can live and wherever the audience demands it," NPR Chief Operating Officer Will Lee says in an interview. NPR Facebook Post with Comments. Current: With broadcast listening declining during the pandemic, what is NPR doing to address and adjust to those trends? How is it a priority? Disclosure: This story was reported by NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik under guidance from NPR chief business editor Pallavi Gogoi. "Your mobility becomes extremely important to be involved and connected to audiences that are mobile and that tend to be, frankly, younger and, as we think of it at USAGM, future leaders, who can influence the rise of free and open societies.". I think that's where we all wind up. In these comments, John Lansing slides by with a public swipe at the Trump Did you plan for this or did it kind of just happen? I had no idea what was out there. Coming into public media, which I love, I noticed something that would be unusual in commercial media, in that there really wasnt a great investment in marketing podcasting to outside audiences off of our platforms. NPR headquarters in Washington, D.C. Just be tuned into our folks. And I still think we have a long way to go. Were certainly not over, were not at a finish line. So sad to lose an American institution to propaganda. Its an inclusive process. Since then,. NPR has also been the nation's leading producer of podcasts since Podtrac started measuring audiences. While serving as chief operating officer, she took on a greater role during two of Mohn's medical leaves and in the aftermath of the sexual harassment scandal. So sad to me. "Management is about committing to strategy, making tough decisions.". I think there's an awareness, like in the way you asked the question about 'our North Star.' National Public Radio (NPR) CEO John Lansing announced in a Wednesday memo that the network will lay off 10 percent of its staff and freeze vacant positions. Current: NPRs budget also took a hit because of the pandemic. Because when you're all at work, you're all at work, and you go home to your individual situations. Faces Of NPR showcases the people behind NPR--from the voices you hear every day on the radio to the ones who work outside of the recording studio. It goes on to say that Mr. Lansing, 62, is currently the chief executive of the government agency, The U.S. Agency for Global Media, that oversees Voice of America, Radio and Television Marti, and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, among others. Essentially, the success of the company falls in your hands. And it gives the lie to NPRs claim, through disclaimers, that it is simply reporting on its own the implication of the disclaimer being that there is no editorial control or direction from the CEO. I'd say if there's anything that I focused on, and still am focused on during the pandemic, it is to make sure that whatever the situation is, we are supporting staff to do their best work, supporting them when they're having other challenges and making sure that we're attentive and tuned in to employees that need help, that need a break, that need to be heard, whatever that may be. Scripps Company, Held senior management positions at Scripps-owned affiliates, including WEWS TV in Cleveland, Ohio and WXYZ TV in Detroit, Michigan, Early in his career Award-winning Photojournalist and Field Producer, Assignment Manager, Managing Editor, and News Director at several television stations. Current: You recently made some changes to NPRs digital strategy by moving to integrate digital operations into divisions throughout the organization.This also includes eliminating the role of chief digital officer held by Thomas Hjelm at the end of February. "Bloomberg Opinion" columnists offer their opinions on issues in the news. Here's what to do in a worst case scenario. At a young age, my biggest goal at the time was to someday be a news director for a local TV station. It's interesting. Such distinctions between news and programming are tricky, however, as programming oversees podcasts, including those that perform journalistic functions, such as Code Switch, It's Been A Minute, Planet Money, and Throughline. Were consulting with digital media, were consulting with the division heads, and were doing it as an all-hands project so that we get it right. Faces of NPR: John Lansing : NPR Extra : NPR - NPR.org Lansing: I dont know how long that may or may not take, but our emphasis right now is on our own internal digital strategy, digital production, digital storytelling. NPR Names John Lansing President And CEO : NPR - NPR.org NPR CEO Jarl Mohn To Step Down After 5-Year Term Ends In June, Tensions Build In NPR Newsroom Over Handling Of Sexual Harassment Allegations, NPR Announces Newsroom Job Cuts Amid Restructuring. John F. Lansing (he/him) oversees one of the country's most iconic news organizations, whose rigorous reporting and unsurpassed storytelling connects with millions of Americans every day on the air, online, and in person. An open letter to NPR President John Lansing: Racial justice - Current This is just dishonest, especially since NPR became what amounted to a voice of the opposition in its coverage of this dysfunctional federal agency. I have read and agree to the terms & conditions, Senior Vice President for Television in the broadcasting division of the E.W. NPR CEO Defends Journalist After Pompeo Lashes Out Over Ukraine Lansing: That was conducted back in September. Required fields are marked *. And for those stations that were scheduled to have a reduction, we allowed those reductions to go forward with a floor of 3% so that nobodys dues went up. On an annual budget of roughly $300 million, Lansing says, revenues are likely to fall short by close to $30 million, although that gap could reach $32 million. 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And it really opened the funnel. You'll find out about what they do and what they're inspired by on the daily. I will say in the last three or four weeks weve seen a little bit of an uptick in a positive way on corporate sponsorship. NPR draws more than 28 million listeners each week and 40 million unique monthly visitors to its website both represent a rise of several million over those five years. When that happened, it energized us to really double down on understanding where our weak spots were, what we needed to work on. I dont know if youve been on the highway recently, but theres a lot more traffic on the highway today than there would have been last May and June. "I have been an avid fan of NPR for many years. I'm kind of a politics junkie. "And we finally got to the point where there was nothing really that we could cut big enough to fill a hole like that.". Disclosure: This story was reported and written by NPR Media Correspondent David Folkenflik and edited by Acting Chief Business Editor Emily Kopp. John Lansing is a former Obama appointee who was named president and CEO of NPR on Thursday. My top goal is to support the women of color at NPR so that they feel like they have more upward mobility.. "Nothing is nailed down yet except the principles and what we know we have to reach.". Last year brought a host of challenges to NPR: a multimillion-dollar deficit, calls for changes in its workplace culture and a hit to broadcast listening. The network's fight for listeners' time has become more feverish. But after the pandemic hit in mid-March, we got together with our cohort and said, Why wait 18 months? What was it like for you to watch that happen? hide caption. Within a few weeks, Lansing became convinced that projection would be unreachable. That content executive position has not yet been filled; its creation led to the departure of then-NPR chief news executive Nancy Barnes. It shouldn't be on any journalists of color, or anybody of color, to have to go and 'solve this problem' in somebody's company. Last year, the network booked $134 million in such corporate underwriting, a record built on strong growth in podcasting revenue in recent years. NPR's chief executive announced the network would lay off roughly 10% of its current workforce - at least 100 people - and eliminate most vacant positions. And theyre all expected to articulate a DEI goal thats measurable, actionable, and that they can be held accountable for and will be. Lansing blamed a slowdown in advertising dollars. Or 'How are we doing on the North Star?' When will that freeze be lifted? John Lansing, a veteran government broadcast and cable television executive, has been selected by NPR's corporate board to succeed its current chief, Jarl Mohn. Current: Do you have any examples of how digital operations would be integrated into divisions throughout the organization? The title of your piece, "Now Is A Time For Truth Telling, For Listening, And For Action," takes a bold stand in defending the urgent work of journalists during this . "The challenges he will face at NPR are not dissimilar to challenges across the media landscape as a whole," said Sheikholeslami, who will soon take up the CEO job at New York Public Radio. John Lansing is taking over for outgoing CEO Jarl Mohn, who has led the organization for . It is our work our North Star and our work are the same thing. Lansing, who is 62, is. Lansing, 62, who is currently chief executive officer of the government agency that oversees Voice of America, Radio and Television Mart and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, among others . Let's say, I was walking out of high school into college, I had no idea what I was going to do. NPR - Wikipedia Certainly in the aftermath of the George Floyd murder on Memorial Day weekend, our efforts accelerated and we doubled down on communication, training and listening. The union represents 570 people at NPR. Diversity is the North Star of a newly implemented strategic plan, Lansing said, because it filters through everything that we do with all of our work.. NPR, the public radio and podcasting giant, has a new leader after years of growth and internal turmoil. Lansing: Thats a great question. So we were pleased to see SAG-AFTRA join our efforts. For the year that ended last September, NPR reported $241 million in expenses. We'd like to revisit a story that first broke yesterday and . Lansing says even that proved overly optimistic. Reliable Sources: NPR names new chief executive | CNN Business "What you really want to do is be connected to people that are consuming content on something they're holding in their hand, and aren't necessarily tied to a TV set on a wall or a radio in a living room," Lansing said. "When I think of NPR and I think of the member stations collectively, I think really of journalism as a public service, not tied to a profit motive," Lansing told NPR News. What we now call the North Star of our strategic plan is our DEI efforts as it filters through everything that we do with all of our work. And so I had a very visceral reaction to that happening in my hometown, and that it was so egregious the murder of an innocent person captured on video, on a phone. Its not a sidebar. But now we're seeing authoritarian regimes expanding around the globe, with media repression in places like Turkey and Venezuela, Cambodia and Vietnam.". Lansing describes himself as a citizen watching from the outside A private citizen? Instead, Whitney really helped us to buckle down with discipline, understand what's going on, and meet with women of color [in the organization], as we're doing tonight in our executive committee meeting, which we do regularly now. John Lansing, a veteran government broadcast and cable television executive, has been selected by NPR's corporate board to succeed its current chief, Jarl Mohn. NPR strives to create a more informed publicone challenged and invigorated by a deeper understanding and appreciation of events, ideas, and cultures. David Westin speaks with top names in finance about the week's biggest issues on Wall Street. The ratings have tanked because all they talk about is race. In May 2020, four NPR female hosts of color Garcia-Navarro, King, All Things Considered host Ailsa Chang and Weekend All Things Considered host Michel Martin sent a letter to Lansing . "And I want to look for areas that I can provide leadership to bring resources together as needed strategically to find the right priorities that make the most sense for growing NPR this year and then into the future.". Now Lansing says he wants to draw on the intellectual and creative impulses of his new staffers as he leads a domestic journalistic powerhouse with an international reputation and reach. The various challenges everybody's having from working at home, for example, you realize that everybody's situation is different when you're working. But my goals also go to all of my direct reports. He promises NPR will build on its mission and values but adds, ""This will be a major loss." My story: npr.org NPR says it's cutting jobs by 10% as ad revenue drops When asked about his priorities, Lansing invoked what he has called the network's "North Star'' since his arrival in the fall of 2019: a push to ensure the network has a bigger and broader audience base, rooted in younger and more diverse listeners, readers and consumers. Their editorial independence is enshrined in federal law, though it sometimes came under attack. That's the way I think about leadership here. Lansing: About 11 months ago, in February, a pilot group of 15 stations got together and put together an 18-month plan to begin the process. Born and raised in Albany, New York, Lansing was trained as a lawyer, and was long involved in politics and government.During the American Revolution he was military secretary to General Philip Schuyler. Who is the NPR CEO? John Lansing Profile - Public Media Now At the same time, we have to think creatively. Mr. Mohn was pressed about his leadership in a tense NPR interview and later apologized to employees for not taking action sooner. Vegas PBS General Manager, Tom Axtell, announces his retirement. They lost their objectivity and are now just pushing leftist ideology. After becoming part of Warner Bros. He is. And I had a lot of interest in how my former team was being treated, but more importantly, just as an American citizen, how the work of USAGM through VOA [Voice of America] and RFE/RL [Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty] was threatening to undermine the interests of the United States government by politicizing journalism that was meant by law to be free of political interference. National Public Radio will reduce its workforce by 10 percent as it grapples with what CEO John Lansing says is a "sharp . The agency has an annual budget of $808 million. CEO John Lansing cited the erosion of advertising dollars, particularly for NPR podcasts, and the tough financial outlook for the media industry more generally. We're funded by your subscriptions, your donations, advertising, and a generous grant from the Wyncote Foundation. Lansing started his news industry career at age 17 as a studio technician and cameraman at WPSD TV, Paducah, KY, where he was promoted to news photographer after two years. Scripps Networks September 5, 2019; Washington, D.C. - The NPR Board of Directors announced today that it. I have a negative reaction to what is fundamentally unfair in life, whether it be pay equity, promotions and advancement, training and hiring, or making sure leadership represents people of color and our staff. NPR will cut 10% of its workforce, CEO John Lansing said Wednesday. The ratings for our weekend magazine shows are actually slightly greater than they were a year ago pre-pandemic, so thats a bright spot. He is credited with restoring morale, in part by naming a noted journalist as head of the Voice of America: Amanda Bennett is a former top news executive at the Philadelphia Inquirer who previously held senior newsroom jobs at Bloomberg News and The Wall Street Journal. Its a real business with real market dynamics.. Anyone can read what you share. As we moved through the summer, that deficit remained at about $25 million. NPR's rigorous reporting and unsurpassed storytelling connect with millions of Americans everydayon the air, online, and in person. He is passionate about NPR's public service mission and the role of a free and independent media in a strong democracy. So its a constant commitment to communication, to training, to accountability. At Colorado Public Radio, I think there was a $300,000 donation that came out of that. Mohn fired head of news Michael Oreskes on Halloween 2017. John F Lansing, National Public Radio Inc: Profile and Biography Lansing, who is 62, is. There were about 20, 25 different meetings in the course of about 45 days. John Lansing '09, former Scripps executive, is new CEO of NPR He served on the Bellarmine University Board of Trustees from 2010-2016 and was vice-chair 2014-2016. 5 takeaways from the massive layoffs hitting Big Tech right now, the network announced $20 million in cuts, NPR to impose near-freeze on hiring but avoids layoffs as budget cuts loom, NPR chief news executive Nancy Barnes to depart as network reshapes top ranks, January is often a big month for layoffs. You go to college and all the sudden you're like 'wait a minute, I've got to do something when this is over.' But were going to continue to follow up on that going into this year. I got this part time job at a TV station to make a little money while I was going to college. John Lansing will begin his term as President and CEO of NPR in October, 2019. Weve had a couple of significant anonymous gifts that have helped shore up our forecast for the coming fiscal year. He was promoted to news photographer after two years, then moved on to managing editor, news director, and leadership of commercial television affiliates around the country. And so that was the way I looked at the future for me. Our goal of developing our audience as a younger and more diverse audience requires that we invest in marketing, we invest in content, and we partner with platforms where those audiences can be found rather than expecting younger and more diverse audiences to come to our platforms, necessarily. NPR's John Lansing Discusses the Importance of Integrity in Journalism As I said, its hiring, its emphasis on diversity in leadership, diversity in sources, diversity in voices, diversity in the stories we tell, training around our organization. There were three of them, each for $1 million. From 2015 to 2019, Lansing served as the CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the independent federal agency whose programming reaches an average weekly audience of 345 million people in 62 languages.