A member of the Republican Party, Gibbs was a software engineer and missionary before entering politics. Lansing also elevated to chief strategy officer a former U.S. State Department staffer who recently pleaded guilty to having defrauded the U.S. Agency for Global Media out of more than $40,000 in government money in 2018, according to federal prosecutors. "We managed to get through that year, tough as it was, and to end the year break even," Mr. Lansing said. NPRs search for a new CEO is finally over! Listeners consider public radio an enriching and enlightening companion; they trust NPR as a daily source of unbiased independent news, and inspiring insights on life and the arts. NPR is funded by the CPB/PBS which are funded in part by the U.S. government. NPR Selects Voice of America Boss as Its New Leader, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/06/business/media/npr-john-lansing.html. John Lansing, the chief executive officer and director of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, will become NPR's CEO in mid-October. Our DEI efforts at the beginning of 2020 were not a project or an extracurricular activity; it really became our work. 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. 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 cut short the unwanted attention he paid to female colleagues proved ineffective. I had been gone for the better part of a year or so. It was a reckoning for all of us together collectively at NPR. It is our work our North Star and our work are the same thing. Podtrac, which measures the audiences of podcast publishers, has consistently placed NPR at the top of its monthly rankings. In 2017, Michael Oreskes, NPRs senior vice president for news, left after two women accused him of unwanted physical advances in the 1990s, when he was the Washington bureau chief of The New York Times. Lansing: Back in May and June, it was an alarming decline in radio ratings. 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: Can you be more specific about what that looks like in terms of how you reach people who may not already know about NPRs podcasts? Mr. Mohn was pressed about his leadership in a tense NPR interview and later apologized to employees for not taking action sooner. Mohn will continue on as President Emeritus & Co-Chair of the 50th Anniversary Campaign. 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. 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. [1] [2] Born and raised in Albany, New York, Lansing was trained as a lawyer, and was long involved in politics and government. I'm sure that's true even today. 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 . But my goals also go to all of my direct reports. It's not just what happened this week on the Hill, although that's important. For two years, he served as the president and CEO of a cable trade group called the Cable and Telecommunications Association for Marketing. Just be tuned into our folks. In an email to the staff on Friday, John Lansing, who joined the nonprofit as chief executive in September, projected that NPR would fall $12 million to $15 million short of the amount it had . Current (https://current.org/2021/02/ceo-john-lansing-discusses-nprs-diversity-efforts-budget-deficit-and-growing-podcast-competition/). I hear that all the time. NPR Start Date: Mid October, 2020 If we don't get this right, then our audience of the next 50 years will lack the diversity that would give it the ability to grow and thrive and prosper and even survive. 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. Colorado Postcards are snapshots of our colorful state in sound. Both Lansing and Sheikholeslami say he is adamant about pressing forward with reforms to the workplace culture at NPR that Mayor has already started to put in place. Current: Is there a timeline for that process? Live from. So were now into the new fiscal year. Current: Companies like Spotify and Amazon have been pouring big money into podcasting. Current: NPR and a group of stations started a pilot project around collaborative fundraising in 2019. U.S. Agency for Global Media NPR stands stronger than it did at the outset of Mohn's five-year term in 2014. 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. "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. Considering the demise of local newspapers around the country and the growth of our member stations newsrooms around the country, were really working hard to support their local journalism, because its so important to us. At the U.S. Agency for Global Media known until last year as the Broadcasting Board of Governors he presided over 53 percent growth in the weekly audience for the agencys networks over the last three years, to 345 million. It really stretched me to understand that flexibility is a good thing. 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. While member stations on average receive about 10% of their funding from the federal government, fees from the stations make up a significant part of the NPR budget. Well, what we're doing right now, I think communication. Lansing has earned an advanced degree in political agility. Lansing blamed a slowdown in advertising dollars. department of treasury austin texas 73301 phone number; wii sports club unable to acquire data; randolph high school track and field; huntley ritter parents Obviously, this job that you have as a CEO of NPR is a really huge responsibility. For the year that ended last September, NPR reported $241 million in expenses. NPR Facebook Post with Comments. Prior to that, Lansing was VP and GM of Scripps ABC affiliates. 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. But also, what are the larger things that are happening? Colorados largest compost processor will no longer accept packaging and paper products, Small liquor stores pivot to more food and delivery as Colorado grocers roll out wine sales, Peloton for horses: Colorado sisters launch equestrian coaching app, The Local 303: Colorado artists were featuring for March 2023. 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? Their editorial independence is enshrined in federal law, though it sometimes came under attack. Lansing has earned an advanced degree in political agility. This is simply disingenuous. It has become enshrined in our three-year strategic plan as the centerpiece of all of our work. I had no idea what was out there. Lansing is a media executive with a deep understanding of journalism, having spent two decades as an award-winning journalist, successful newsroom leader and major market local media executive before becoming a global chief executive officer. Current: How else might NPR assist stations in the coming year? And so that was the way I looked at the future for me. 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. "Jarl would be the first to say that it is the area where he feels that his work was not complete," Sheikholeslami said. It's not an extracurricular activity; it's fundamental to our business. Lansing: When I came in in 2019, my earliest observation was that our biggest issue was the lack of diversity in our audience, and I felt that we needed to double down our efforts in DEI throughout our organization in order to fulfill the promise to reflect the entire American public in terms of what America looks like. Others have waded into the podcast fray with a vengeance. NPR has a new CEO. "The combination of his health issues plus the situation with Mike Oreskes did derail his plans.". 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 . While they do not broadcast within the U.S., the Voice of America and the other media outfits Lansing has overseen typically adhere to traditional concepts of factual, nonideological journalism, with the frequent exception of Radio Mart historically an anti-Castro and anti-Cuban communist outlet. He defined NPR's mission as "serving the public with information and an excellence and quality about it that makes it 'must see' on a variety of platforms.". All Rights Reserved. The ratings for our weekend magazine shows are actually slightly greater than they were a year ago pre-pandemic, so thats a bright spot.. Yet Lansing also takes over an institution riven by a scandal that hit its top reaches, with a chief news executive toppled over #MeToo complaints of inappropriate conduct toward female subordinates and colleagues. I am still morning the loss of an objective NPR. America needs public radio more than ever. John Lansing will begin his term as President and CEO of NPR in October, 2019. That said, Mohn set higher annual expectations for the network in fund-raising and agreed to be co-chairman of its 50th anniversary capital campaign. Were working with them to do joint investigative reporting. But we made a firm commitment, as you know, to freeze station dues and fees. 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. 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. It puts a filter on that helps us explain even unpopular decisions, how they link to our mission. 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. All of those underlying effects generally lead to whatever effects were going to have in corporate sponsorship. 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 networks newsroom. 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. Lansing: Were still working on it right now. So its an ongoing effort. 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. And now in our budgeting were shifting some revenue for Michael to use that to promote and support our podcasts as they compete, as you note, with other large commercial businesses. Apple is reportedly building a podcast subscription service. Unlike some predecessors, Lansing doesn't face a particularly fraught political landscape. Others have waded into the podcast fray with a vengeance. Current: With broadcast listening declining during the pandemic, what is NPR doing to address and adjust to those trends? "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. NPR, the public radio and podcasting giant, has a new leader after years of growth and internal turmoil. 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. 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. They lost their objectivity and are now just pushing leftist ideology. What was it like for you to watch that happen? And I still think we have a long way to go. While they do not broadcast within the U.S., the Voice of America and the other media outfits Lansing has overseen typically adhere to traditional concepts of factual, non-ideological journalism, with the frequent exception of Radio Marti historically an anti-Castro and anti-Cuban communist outlet. Video Snippet He served for four years as the SVP, Television for the E.W. Listen now. He took over a troubled organization beset by infighting and bureaucratic inefficiency. NPR has also been the nation's leading producer of podcasts since Podtrac started measuring audiences. administration regarding the now former managers of his former place of employment (USAGM) but claims the mantle of private citizen to do so. So those are the four pillars that rotate around the centerpiece, we call it the North Star, of our commitment to DEI. In an interview, Lansing said he wants to build on NPRs successes in broadcast news and entertainment to become even more dominant in podcasting and more prevalent in streaming. 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. So Im pleased to see that that short era is over. 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 can't speak for other people, CEOs. I'm kind of a politics junkie. Its pretty clear to me that the ratings decline in radio is driven by commuting patterns. What you really want to do is be connected to people that are consuming content on something theyre holding in their hand, and arent necessarily tied to a TV set on a wall or a radio in a living room, Lansing said. So its a constant commitment to communication, to training, to accountability. That survey happened in the fall of 2020. I think we're moving forward. She also has led initiatives to reform hiring practices and to sweep far more temporary positions into permanent slots, often working closely with the networks chief unions to do so. Lansing will start in his new position in mid-October. Why? He soon made DEI the top priority at NPR. John Lansing is taking over for outgoing CEO. 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. Anyone can read what you share. 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. The network had run deficits in six of the seven previous years; under Mohn, it has achieved a slight surplus for each year during his tenure, even as the annual budget grew by more than 40%. And what a breath of fresh air Whitney brings into the organization. Talk about a force of nature. Sign up here and we will see you in the morning! 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. Were working with them to create regional newsrooms in Texas and California and the Midwest and in the Gulf. Were working with member stations on topic teams for, say, political reporting or criminal justice reporting across the system. Chief Executive Officer and Director of the, Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing, Florangela Davila to Become KNKX News Director, NPR Hires Noelle LaCharite As VP Digital Technology. Lansing: We hope to have that completed within about eight to 10 weeks. 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. Its not something weve baked and were just going to hand it down. 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. Mike Morgan/Mike Morgan 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. Required fields are marked *. 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. NPR maintains 17 national bureaus and 17 bureaus abroad. And the pandemic hit six months later in March of '20. 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. If it's not being solved from the top down, it shouldn't be a burden for people just trying to build their career. 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