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. As we got to April of last spring, we saw a massive deficit develop for NPR on the order of about $25 million. Lansing blamed a slowdown in advertising dollars. CEO John Lansing cited the erosion. Our third pillar is to optimize content and meet audiences where they are. Yet the tech and media industries' prospects stand at odds with a tight labor market and low unemployment more broadly. NPR, the public radio giant that employs hundreds of journalists, is about to get a new chief executive. In recent remarks online, Johnson, who is Black, focused on a more competitive landscape for NPR journalists, including people of color. We went from about 900 people a day at headquarters down to about 80 and were virtually broadcasting from peoples homes and offices, in terms of the hosts, almost exclusively beginning in April. Lansing: That was conducted back in September. 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. First of all, as a white man, my first reaction is that it's important for white people in general to understand the inherent biases that we have, even when we think we don't, unconsciously. CEO John Lansing cited the erosion of advertising dollars, particularly for NPR podcasts, and the tough financial outlook for the media industry more generally. Or persons of color who are in our organization that are hearing [about] a lot of activity but arent experiencing what they believe they should be experiencing in terms of a workplace where they feel like they can grow and improve their work and improve their careers. John Lansing is a former Obama appointee who was named president and CEO of NPR on Thursday. That said, Mohn set higher annual expectations for the network in fundraising and agreed to be co-chairman of its 50th-anniversary capital campaign. After Lansing hopped over to NPR from USAGM in 2019, NPR had to be prompted by outside critics to include disclaimers on its USAGM/VOA stories to note Lansings past USAGM role. So were now into the new fiscal year. Share Your Design Ideas, New JerseysMurphy Defends $10 Billion Rainy Day Fund as States Economy Slows, What Led to Europes Deadliest Train Crash in a Decade, This Week in Crypto: Ukraine War, Marathon Digital, FTX. So hes doubling down on lack of diversity, does that mean he wants his audience to reflect the other half of the country, the conservatives in flyover country? We couldnt be more proud of the quality and the depth of the journalism thats coming from the member stations, and it really has strengthened the entire system enormously. He is. 2017-2022. It didnt begin in the summer it accelerated in the summer. There are over 1000 NPR Member Station signals broadcasting across the United States We saw a lot of companies react to the [murder of] George Floyd and we did too. Age: 62, Born on July 31, 1957, in Minneapolis I think you have to be willing to take hard questions. Every time I hear it, I think that's a success by itself because we all have that as our guiding light. hide caption. John Lansing is taking over for outgoing CEO Jarl Mohn, who has led the organization for . It has become enshrined in our three-year strategic plan as the centerpiece of all of our work. Podtrac, which measures the audiences of podcast publishers, has consistently placed NPR at the top of its monthly rankings. The work of those pillars will be done through the lens of improving our efforts on DEI. 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. Lansing has also put significant stock into what he calls the NPR Network, which calls for greater unity of coverage and digital initiatives, such as newsletters, streaming, podcasts and more. Lansing also spoke to Current about the challenges of implementing his DEI plans, the organizations financial outlook and his thoughts about the recent controversies at USAGM. This documentary-style series follows investigative journalists as they uncover the truth. 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. Its an inclusive process. Harvard Kennedy School. NPR was seen to align itself with federal workers at VOA who essentially conducted an internal uprising on government time, while NPR made quite clear in its coverage where it stood. John Lansing, a media executive with government broadcast and cable television experience, has been named by NPRs board to succeed its current chief, Jarl Mohn who announced the plan to step down after his 5-Year term ended. How does the economy react to all of that? 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 . Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images Mayor is said to be staying on at the network as a top executive and deputy to Lansing, retaining the enhanced portfolio she took on after Mohn's health crises. 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. Lansing: I guess my head turns first to the journalism of our member stations. administration regarding the now former managers of his former place of employment (USAGM) but claims the mantle of private citizen to do so. I think leaders are accountable for walking the walk, for doing what they say they're going to do. I thought, wow. Networks like Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty are meant to counter disinformation from foreign governments by broadcasting objective reports, although they have always been dogged by an accusation that they are a form of American propaganda. Experts say the behavior could have constituted insider trading. David Westin speaks with top names in finance about the week's biggest issues on Wall Street. Because when you're all at work, you're all at work, and you go home to your individual situations. After becoming part of Warner Bros. In what ways do you think NPR has forced you to grow, and in what areas are you growing that you weren't before NPR? 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. Then I moved on to manage TV stations and cable networks. NPR Start Date: Mid October, 2020 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. Lansing has earned an advanced degree in political agility. 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. 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. So if you have leaders talking about DEI as a priority, well, then, show me. If it's not being solved from the top down, it shouldn't be a burden for people just trying to build their career. The roots of the VOA involved providing truthful reports to people under Nazi and Axis power rule during World War II. Will there be another stimulus? This is simply disingenuous. Current: NPRs budget also took a hit because of the pandemic. Your email address will not be published. It's not just what happened this week on the Hill, although that's important. hide caption. One thing I would say is, research the places you're looking at to either begin your career or advance your career and understand where they are on these issues. We've made some good forward progress around hiring, with requiring that our hiring panels be diverse, requiring that our finalists have diverse representation at a minimum, but of course there's no maximum, in terms of a list of finalists. Last summer, we definitely had a racial reckoning. But my goals also go to all of my direct reports. The other is the fight for donors. Mohn led NPR through five consecutive years of audience growth and budget surplus. 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. Current: You came to NPR after serving as CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media. In a large part, the digital teams and the divisions will work together to reach a final model. We can share resources and story ideas, and we can help organize and support those efforts. ", "I am thrilled to work with NPR's exceptional management team, staff and journalists," said Lansing. Vox Media cut jobs by 7%; Gannett and Spotify by 6%. 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. 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 . Lansing served for ten years as a visiting faculty member at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies. 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. 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. He guided the organization in becoming a leading developer of unique content across television, digital, mobile and radio platforms. Anyone can read what you share. A number of executives will report directly to Lansing, including Nancy Barnes, senior vice president for news and editorial director, who joined NPR last November and oversees the network's newsroom. 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 "The result, I believe, is a war on truth. 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. He also vowed to make sure job cuts do not fall disproportionately on employees of color. "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. Mr. Mohn was pressed about his leadership in a tense NPR interview and later apologized to employees for not taking action sooner. I'm from Minneapolis, and my parents are buried about six blocks from where George Floyd was killed. NPR maintains 17 national bureaus and 17 bureaus abroad. promoting Keith Woods to chief diversity officer, regional newsrooms in Texas and California and the Midwest and in the Gulf, I brought in Michael Smith as our new chief marketing officer, looking to sell the Pocket Casts podcast app, Suspension of NPRs Kroc fellowships disrupts talent development, career plans of student journalists. Within a few weeks, Lansing became convinced that projection would be unreachable. You have shows like All Things Considered and Morning Edition, which will continue to be broadcasting tent poles, Mr. Lansing said. Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information, news and insight around the world. And were pleased to work with them. Lansing: They were for general. But were going to continue to follow up on that going into this year. It is our work. "Bloomberg Opinion" columnists offer their opinions on issues in the news. 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. And its where our focus needs to be right now. Lansing: I guess I would comment just as a citizen watching from outside. I hear that all the time. Now with the magazine shows on weekdays were about 20% behind last year, which is a significant improvement over where we were about eight months ago. 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. Board Memberships & Affiliations. I, and the management team, all of us, we determined that was going to be a priority for the year 2021. It really stretched me to understand that flexibility is a good thing. And were happy to see SAG-AFTRA agree with us and to join up. Twitter: https://twitter.com/johnlansing. You'll find out about what they do and what they're inspired by on the daily. Today, we feature John Lansing, CEO of NPR. In these comments, John Lansing slides by with a public swipe at the Trump 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. What is the outlook for the rest of the fiscal year? 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 you first got to NPR, what did you think? All rights reserved. Were still looking at a deficit, but were hopeful that by the time we get into March, well have a pretty clear-eyed view of how the year is going to end up. Selected by the NPR board of directors, Lansing will start in October, succeeding outgoing head Jarl Mohn, Lansing has won plaudits from journalists for his rousing defense of a free press even while serving in the Trump administration, which has been notably hostile to traditional notions of the role of journalism in civic life. NPR has a new CEO. "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. Lansing was most recently the CEO of USAGM, a $800 million dollar independent federal agency that operates on multiple platforms reaching an average weekly audience of 345 million in 61 languages. And be a good listener. In Mr. Mohns first full year on the job, NPR operated in the black after having run a deficit for five of the six preceding years. Live from. In late November, the network announced $20 million in cuts, including a near-freeze on hiring, elimination of most travel, and suspension of internships. And its tied to the same variables you would know yourselves, which is, how fast can the vaccines be deployed? Current (https://current.org/2021/02/ceo-john-lansing-discusses-nprs-diversity-efforts-budget-deficit-and-growing-podcast-competition/). "We were doing everything we could against the tide and couldn't keep clipping our costs as the revenue kept slipping," Lansing says. And weve seen some significant success with that. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Public Media Now was created to be a centralized source of information and resources to help professional within Public Media be more successful. The various challenges everybody's having from working at home, for example, you realize that everybody's situation is different when you're working. Being a changemaker is awesome, but can have its own challenges as you're just trying to improve your career. Dear NPR President John Lansing, I want to express my heartfelt appreciation for the powerful letter you wrote to NPR staff and the public about the horrific extrajudicial killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. 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. Well, what we're doing right now, I think communication. And its something that I think will strengthen the ability for news programming, marketing and member services to be more responsive and to offer greater service to audiences in a more agile way. Not exactly. Theres no question about it. So I would tell my younger self to be confident, calm down, it's all gonna work out. Everybody at NPR knows exactly what you mean when you say, 'What's our North Star?' What advice would you give to young journalists of color when navigating these white spaces, but attempting to make a change? 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.