John Lansing will begin his term as President and CEO of NPR in October, 2019. 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. He guided the organization in becoming a leading developer of unique content across television, digital, mobile and radio platforms. And how's that being measured and accounted for? But second, we're mission-driven, and I think everybody in the organization lives and breathes that mission. America needs public radio more than ever. Lansing, who is 62, is. Bellarmine alumnus and former trustee John Lansing, a veteran cable television and government broadcast executive, is the new CEO of NPR. Podtrac, which measures the audiences of podcast publishers, has consistently placed NPR at the top of its monthly rankings. And weve seen that really help them grow. . National Public Radio will reduce its workforce by 10 percent as it grapples with what CEO John Lansing says is a "sharp . Yet the tech and media industries' prospects stand at odds with a tight labor market and low unemployment more broadly. 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. The second pillar is to transform our workplace culture. In 2019, Joshua Johnson left 1A, a nationally syndicated public affairs show produced by WAMU in Washington, D.C., and distributed by NPR, for MSNBC. Current: How have your priorities for NPR changed since you became CEO? Lansing: We hope to have that completed within about eight to 10 weeks. "We were doing everything we could against the tide and couldn't keep clipping our costs as the revenue kept slipping," Lansing says. There were about 20, 25 different meetings in the course of about 45 days. 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. NPR's total workforce has grown by about 50 percent since before that crisis. During the Donald Trump administration, he held roles in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and was acting Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for Community Planning and Development. Mr. Mohn led the push into podcasting and helped stabilize the organization after years of management turnover and budget deficits. This is an edited transcript of the conversation among Lansing, Current Reporter Tyler Falk and Digital Editor Mike Janssen. Will there be another stimulus? (Former long time member). But an example of that one that weve already created is the Consider This podcast, which is just a terrific example of taking the national-local partnership into the on-demand future. LANSING, John, Jr. | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives NPR's programming division, which produces its industry-leading podcasts, has more than doubled since 2019. He won praise for doing so and says he informed leaders of SAG-AFTRA on Tuesday about the impending job cuts. Current: What are some of the highlights of that strategic plan? And as the year unfolded, we began to develop our three-year strategic plan. Current: What challenges have you faced in implementing your DEI plans? Copyright 2023. In recent remarks online, Johnson, who is Black, focused on a more competitive landscape for NPR journalists, including people of color. Lansing 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. Weve seen significant growth in Code Switch, in Louder Than a Riot, in Sam Sanders podcast [Its Been a Minute], in part because for the first time in a while, were really investing in marketing support for those podcasts. Last fall, when announcing the earlier cuts, Lansing said the network would have to make tough choices - and to "do less with less." NPR Start Date: Mid October, 2020 John Lansing is taking over for outgoing CEO Jarl Mohn, who has led the organization for . The ratings for our weekend magazine shows are actually slightly greater than they were a year ago pre-pandemic, so thats a bright spot. NPR has a new CEO. Mike Morgan/Mike Morgan When you first got to NPR, what did you think? Built with the Largo WordPress Theme from the Institute for Nonprofit News. At a young age, my biggest goal at the time was to someday be a news director for a local TV station. Live from. But here, Lansing basically jumps over those disclaimers using the lame attribution of private citizen.. CEO John Lansing cited the erosion of advertising dollars, particularly for NPR podcasts, and the tough financial outlook for the media industry more generally. Lansing: Its on social media platforms or YouTube or through media partnerships. In a large part, the digital teams and the divisions will work together to reach a final model. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images President Biden will allow Congress to overturn new D.C. crime law 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. John Lansing Email & Phone Number - National Pu.. | ZoomInfo 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. Fear drives their path. You can't escape that. NPR faces financial pressures from two fronts. Its a real business with real market dynamics.. Lansing describes himself as a citizen watching from the outside A private citizen? 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 As we got to April of last spring, we saw a massive deficit develop for NPR on the order of about $25 million. "Jarl would be the first to say that it is the area where he feels that his work was not complete," Sheikholeslami said. Last summer, we definitely had a racial reckoning. You'll find out about what they do and what they're inspired by on the daily. A later report commissioned by the NPR board found that questions had been raised about Oreskes' behavior even before his hiring and that concerns were raised throughout his tenure; the repeated and formal warnings by top executives (including Mohn) to Oreskes to stop the unwanted attention he paid to female colleagues proved ineffective. 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. I would enjoy being on a podcast talking about politics. Lansing says he remains committed to podcasting "1,000 percent," as well as the network's hallmark news magazines, such as Morning Edition and All Things Considered. 2016 John Lansing leading a moderated a discussion with the members of the International Media Coordinating Council (ICC) about a unified strategy for the future. That was revised as a result. And probably the most important accountability is that, first of all, I hold myself accountable with my goals that I report to the board. "Governments around the world are increasingly cracking down on the free flow of information; silencing dialogue and dissent; and distorting reality," Lansing said in a speech he delivered in May to the Media for Democracy Forum. Lansing: Lets go back in time. Were finishing up in the next two to three weeks the specific lists of actions and activities under these pillars. President Joe Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer speak to reporters as they depart the Senate Democrat policy luncheon at the Capitol on March 2. Discovery, CNN cut hundreds of jobs and killed off its brand-new streaming service, CNN+. Its something that we certainly support. 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. The last time NPR faced such stark choices, it was 2008. It was hard for everyone. Pompeo Interview Dispute With NPR Sends Conflicting Message on - VOA At the center of a graphic is our commitment to DEI, and all of our work in that circle is surrounded by four pillars. He was previously head of cable TV company Scripps Networks, where he sold $10 million in stock after the company became the target of an SEC probe that was not known to the public. Lansing blamed a slowdown in advertising dollars. Mohn had promised to attract major contributions to NPR before the end of his tenure; to date he has not landed the major eight- and nine-figure donations his stated aspirations suggested. This is just dishonest, especially since NPR became what amounted to a voice of the opposition in its coverage of this dysfunctional federal agency. So it's kind of inseparable, that coming in as CEO of NPR, and then six months in having the coronavirus, followed by a major economic downturn in the country and for NPR, and then the reckoning that summer. NPR has also been the nation's leading producer of podcasts since Podtrac started measuring audiences. Mohn placed an emphasis on fostering a more collaborative dynamic with the public radio stations that NPR serves and was given credit for making progress on that score. No. So sad to lose an American institution to propaganda. At the U.S. Agency for Global Media, Lansing championed a free press even as leaders of many nations move against it. Current: Do you have any examples of how digital operations would be integrated into divisions throughout the organization? They lost their objectivity and are now just pushing leftist ideology. So at the end of the day, its a commitment, but this also has to be accountability. NPR Announces Layoffs In 'Major Loss' For Network Lansing, who is 62, is. Unlike some predecessors, Lansing doesn't face a particularly fraught political landscape. There was one the year before I was here, then this was the follow-up. A member of the Republican Party, Gibbs was a software engineer and missionary before entering politics. Did you plan for this or did it kind of just happen? Lansing blamed a slowdown in advertising dollars. "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. I remember we had several all-staff discussions about a variety of issues that branched off of that, including the Code of Conduct, for example, as it relates to NPR employees at public demonstrations. How are you working to shore up NPRs place in the podcasting landscape and compete with deep-pocketed tech companies? Apple is reportedly building a podcast subscription service. He is a member of the Quinnipiac University School of Communications Advisory Board and the National Board of Advisors of George Washington University's School of Media & Public Affairs. Lansing: Were still working on it right now. Lansing: I guess my head turns first to the journalism of our member stations. There are over 1000 NPR Member Station signals broadcasting across the United States 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. NPR's chief executive announced the network would lay off roughly 10% of its . He began his career in media at age 17 when he was hired as a studio technician and cameraman for WPSD TV in Kentucky. I got this part time job at a TV station to make a little money while I was going to college. hide caption. I think that's where we all wind up. There were three of them, each for $1 million. Now, he says, it must drum up more creative income sources, like the licensing of the popular show How I Built This to Amazon's streaming services, which he says generates $8 million annually. ", "It's always difficult in these situations, and I don't want to minimize the impact that it will have on our colleagues and in some cases, you know, our ability to do what we do," Lee says. hide caption. Lansing is a veteran executive and journalist who has spent decades leading complex media companies in growing their relevance and reach, while strengthening their business operations. Again, I think it's about getting it intertwined into everything we do. We need help now. So we began an intensive set of Zoom meetings that I attended, each one with a member station and a qualified potential donor. Scripps Networks September 5, 2019; Washington, D.C. - The NPR Board of Directors announced today that it. He made his mark in his current job with stirring defenses of journalism, free from government interference. NPR NPR's John Lansing Discusses the Importance of Integrity in Journalism By Nicole Jones - October 30, 2020 0 463 NPR National President and CEO John Lansing joined the Belmont community for a conversation about integrity in journalism, highlighting its importance especially during an election year. We can share resources and story ideas, and we can help organize and support those efforts. He took over a troubled organization beset by infighting and bureaucratic inefficiency. John Lansing is a former Obama appointee who was named president and CEO of NPR on Thursday. NPR hosts' departures fuel questions over race. The full story is Well, I'm fortunate that we have a terrific executive committee and leadership team, so we all share the daily ins and outs of managing a big organization. "When we say we are eliminating filled positions, we are talking about our colleagues - people whose skills, spirit and talents help make NPR what it is today," Lansing wrote in a memo to staff today. 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. That's something that perceptive journalists should be able to pick up pretty quickly. Current: With broadcast listening declining during the pandemic, what is NPR doing to address and adjust to those trends? Your email address will not be published. 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Talk about a force of nature. Being selective, having mentors both white and people of color mentors that you can have confidential conversations with and gain some thoughts to help you develop your strategy, standing up for yourself which essentially is what happened at NPR through the climate survey and holding leaders accountable for everything. We did a climate survey of our employees, and we learned about a particular weak spot for us with women of color at NPR who didn't feel it was a place to grow their career, a place to be their whole selves, a place where they are seen and respected. Lansing: That was conducted back in September. Oh wait. So were now into the new fiscal year. Were certainly not over, were not at a finish line. "Management is about committing to strategy, making tough decisions.". After becoming part of Warner Bros. And I still think we have a long way to go. 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. Sometimes you have to hear other people's truth and accept it for what it is, not translate it into your truth, therefore it's no longer what it is. But also, what are the larger things that are happening? NPR plans to lay off about 10% of its current staff due to the soft ad market and a drop in revenue from corporate sponsors, as well as uncertainties in the global economy overall. John Lansing, the chief executive officer and director of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, will become NPR's CEO in mid-October. NPR - Wikipedia I just think we have a special and unique thing as a company. We are different from other federal agencies, said Grant K. Turner, the agencys chief financial officer. NPR undertook a strategic reorganization last fall, reinstating the position of a chief content officer overseeing both the newsroom and the programming division. The ratings for our weekend magazine shows are actually slightly greater than they were a year ago pre-pandemic, so thats a bright spot.. Reliable Sources: NPR names new chief executive | CNN Business This time, Lansing says he is not confident the money will return anytime soon, so the network and its board have to plan more strategically. John Lansing Jr. - Wikipedia That content executive position has not yet been filled; its creation led to the departure of then-NPR chief news executive Nancy Barnes. For several years, it eliminated salary increases and suspended retirement contributions. So I would tell my younger self to be confident, calm down, it's all gonna work out. NPR's chief news executive, Nancy Barnes, said Friday she would be leaving the network, prompted by NPR CEO John Lansing's decision to create a new executive role above her. Trump has notably praised authoritarian figures, including the leaders of North Korea, the Philippines, Russia and Turkey and has waged his own fight against journalists. You have stated that DEI is your top priority at NPR. Lansing: They were for general. In a private meeting on Thursday President Biden informed Senate Democrats that he will not use his veto power to block a GOP-led effort to repeal D.C.'s new crime law. He will now lead the nation's top audio producer and broadcaster. You have shows like All Things Considered and Morning Edition, which will continue to be broadcasting tent poles, Mr. Lansing said. "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. My top goal is to support the women of color at NPR so that they feel like they have more upward mobility.. Vox Media cut jobs by 7%; Gannett and Spotify by 6%. 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. NPR's John Lansing Discusses the Importance of Integrity in Journalism "North Star"] for NPR on my arrival as supporting the diversity, equity, and inclusion of our staff so that we could become more relevant to our audiences and grow the diversity of our audiences. Today, those individual situations are happening in the background when everybody's working, whether it's kids that are school age, or kids that are toddlers, or elder care, or spouses working in the same room or in the same apartment. That was due largely to reductions in corporate sponsorship and also additional expenses we were incurring in supporting our employees with paid time off, as we adjusted to the new working arrangements and the stresses that we were all under and also the additional expense of cleaning the headquarters multiple times a day on certain occasions. Harvard Kennedy School. The network's fight for listeners' time has become more feverish. 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. Michael was a senior marketing executive at Scripps for Food Network and HGTV and really brings a lot of media marketing expertise. For two years, he served as the president and CEO of a cable trade group called the Cable and Telecommunications Association for Marketing. John Lansing, CEO, photographed for NPR, 22 January 2020, in Washington DC. NPR headquarters in Washington, D.C. Weve had a couple of significant anonymous gifts that have helped shore up our forecast for the coming fiscal year. And were pleased to work with them. A review by the House Foreign Affairs Committee faulted the agency for insufficient oversight but noted that an internal task force was already having an impact. In an interview, Mr. Lansing called the ads a rogue incident and said it had been corrected. "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. 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. How has that effort been progressing? Well, I like NPR Politics a lot. Under standard procedures for reporting on NPR matters, NPR's corporate and news executives were not allowed to review the report until it was posted. ", He continued: "Citizens in countries from Russia to China, from Iran to North Korea, have been victimized for decades. Disclosure: This story was reported and written by NPR Media Correspondent David Folkenflik and edited by Acting Chief Business Editor Emily Kopp. And be a good listener. And The New York Times has won praise and new fans through its weekday podcast The Daily, with in-depth interviews of reporters and newsmakers. The streaming platform Spotify paid nearly a quarter-billion dollars to buy the podcast producer Gimlet, founded by former staffers of NPR and other public radio outlets. Lansing is a veteran executive and journalist who has spent decades leading complex media companies in growing their relevance and reach, while strengthening their business operations. hide caption. In a memo to. That's a big thing too: having a common understanding of what management's committed to, what the Board supports, the work that's in front of us to live up to it, and ultimately diversifying our audience which leads to the business purpose. Michael A. McCoy for NPR A federal inspector general's investigation has exonerated six government executives who were suspended last year after raising red flags about actions taken by. Mr. Lansing rejected that accusation, saying that the agency was independent by law. John Lansing will begin his term as President and CEO of NPR in October, 2019. In setting NPR's earlier rounds of budget cuts a couple months ago, Lansing consulted ahead of time with leaders of the unions representing workers at NPR with an eye to avoiding any layoffs. The first pillar is to expand the power of the national-local partnership into the on-demand future. NPR stands stronger than it did at the outset of Mohn's five-year term in 2014. "The result, I believe, is a war on truth. During the pandemic, NPR sidestepped layoffs through temporary cuts to pay and retirement contributions, distributed with an eye to shielding less well-paid employees, so they were most sharply felt by the most highly compensated staffers and executives. "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.". Its pretty clear to me that the ratings decline in radio is driven by commuting patterns. 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. I think you have to be in front of your teams. 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. "Nothing is nailed down yet except the principles and what we know we have to reach.". He will be the 11th permanent president or chief executive in the radio network's nearly 50-year history. 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. He soon made DEI the top priority at NPR. Lansing says he does not yet know who within NPR will be affected, but said the job cuts would not fall evenly across the organization. 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. 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. I thought, wow. NPR, the public radio giant that employs hundreds of journalists, is about to get a new chief executive. NPR has tapped longtime media executive John Lansing to become its next president and CEO. Mr. Mohn was pressed about his leadership in a tense NPR interview and later apologized to employees for not taking action sooner. If you had to create a podcast, what would it be about? Our DEI efforts at the beginning of 2020 were not a project or an extracurricular activity; it really became our work.