"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. We established the top priority [a.k.a. 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. It began to improve a little bit as we moved into August and September, as corporate sponsorships began to recover a little bit. 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? The message below was sent by NPR's President and CEO John Lansing to all staff: As a . 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. According to Nielsen data supplied by NPR, its programs and newscasts had an overall audience of 27.4 million in spring 2019. August 20, 2022 August 20th is National Radio Day. So mentally, how do you manage that? Unlike some predecessors, Lansing doesn't face a particularly fraught political landscape. What steps does NPR still need to take in this area? Live from. 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. 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. Mohn fired head of news Michael Oreskes on Halloween 2017. He defined NPRs mission as serving the public with information and an excellence and quality about it that makes it must see on a variety of platforms.. 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. He will now lead the nation's top audio producer and broadcaster. Current: How much were those anonymous gifts? Lansing: That was conducted back in September. 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. You have stated that DEI is your top priority at NPR. 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? He took over a troubled organization beset by infighting and bureaucratic inefficiency. In an interview, Lansing said he wants to build on NPR's successes in broadcast news and entertainment to become even more dominant in podcasting and more prevalent in streaming. 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. Last summer, we definitely had a racial reckoning. 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%. He took over a troubled organization beset by infighting and bureaucratic inefficiency. And so in late 2019 we began working on a set of priorities for the calendar year 2020 that included promoting Keith Woods to chief diversity officer; putting more energy behind our effort to have 100% sourcing and notating the diversity of our sources; and hiring, leadership, unconscious bias training, et cetera. Scripps Networks September 5, 2019; Washington, D.C. - The NPR Board of Directors announced today that it. John Lansing will begin his term as President and CEO of NPR in October, 2019. In these comments, John Lansing slides by with a public swipe at the Trump What makes you so open and vocal about the need for diversity? Lansings tenure at the agency has not been without controversy. It was about a $3 million cost to NPR for the fiscal year. 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.. Vegas PBS General Manager, Tom Axtell, announces his retirement. Every time I hear it, I think that's a success by itself because we all have that as our guiding light. 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. If you had to create a podcast, what would it be about? NPR But thats our commitment. He joined NPR after serving as CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media. Lansing: You have to imagine a picture, if you will. But mostly its targeted at marketing investments on social media platforms that are specifically reaching out to younger and more diverse audiences to see if we can drive sampling. I, and the management team, all of us, we determined that was going to be a priority for the year 2021. NPR Start Date: Mid October, 2020 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. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. Fear drives their path. Required fields are marked *. June 1, 20203:52 PM ET. 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. It is our work our North Star and our work are the same thing. 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. For two years, he served as the president and CEO of a cable trade group called the Cable and Telecommunications Association for Marketing. Weve had a couple of significant anonymous gifts that have helped shore up our forecast for the coming fiscal year. Doing that just requires that were putting more emphasis on the diversity of our decision makers, our leadership, our story selection, our source selection. Prior to that, Lansing was VP and GM of Scripps ABC affiliates. 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. Lansing: We hope to have that completed within about eight to 10 weeks. 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. 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. I'm kind of a politics junkie. 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. I had no idea what was out there. It might come from my journalistic roots, and I think other journalists would say the same thing, I deal [with] and honor the truth. 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. 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. 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. Not exactly. 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. She also has led initiatives to reform hiring practices and to sweep far more temporary positions into permanent slots, often working closely with the network's chief unions to do so. At the U.S. Agency for Global Media, Lansing championed a free press even as leaders of many nations move against it. Colorado Postcards are snapshots of our colorful state in sound. NPR will cut 10% of its workforce, CEO John Lansing said Wednesday. Why did you undertake this? Copyright 2019 NPR. 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 . The ratings for our weekend magazine shows are actually slightly greater than they were a year ago pre-pandemic, so thats a bright spot.. Current: Last year, the SAG-AFTRA union called out NPRs previous failures on issues of diversity, equity and inclusion and asked management to commit to accountability measures. For July, NPRs 60 active shows among them Planet Money, Fresh Air and Wait Wait Dont Tell Me! were downloaded 141 million times and had nearly 21 million listeners in the United States, according to Podtrac. 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. And my top goal is to support, in particular, the women of color at NPR so that they feel like they have more upward mobility. Talk about a force of nature. Were certainly not over, were not at a finish line. NPR strives to create a more informed publicone challenged and invigorated by a deeper understanding and appreciation of events, ideas, and cultures. A graduate of Bellarmine University, he was named to the Bellarmine University Gallery of Distinguished Graduates in 2010. And theyre all expected to articulate a DEI goal thats measurable, actionable, and that they can be held accountable for and will be. He was responsible for strategic and operational oversight and P&L of the $2.5 billion division of Scripps Networks Interactive, including the company's portfolio of six cable networks Food Network, HGTV, Travel Channel, DIY, Cooking Channel and Great American Country and the $100 million Scripps Networks Digital division. Your email address will not be published. "He is a listener and a collaborative leader with a passion for our public service journalistic mission who will help us continue to expand the audience for our storytelling. John F. Lansing joined USAGM as CEO and Director in September 2015. Last year, President Trump appointed Michael Pack as USAGMs CEO. We had begun a lot of work under [Chief Diversity Officer] Keith Woods' leadership to really move us forward. I think that's where we all wind up. All rights reserved. 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. Sign up here and we will see you in the morning! This is essentially the DEI work writ large, but also our culture of respect, safety, upward mobility, training and making NPR a world-class organization for which to work. I subscribe to the notion of leadership as a servant leader, that the role of leaders is to support the team to do their best work. 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. NPR, the public radio and podcasting giant, has a new leader after years of growth and internal turmoil. The roots of the VOA involved providing truthful reports to people under Nazi and Axis power rule during World War Two. Experts say the behavior could have constituted insider trading. But also, what are the larger things that are happening? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Current is an editorially independent, nonprofit service of the American University School of Communication. But we made a firm commitment, as you know, to freeze station dues and fees. 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. John Lansing, NPR's President and CEO, said the unique arrangement comes at an important time for NPR and for journalism. That's something that perceptive journalists should be able to pick up pretty quickly. And probably the most important accountability is that, first of all, I hold myself accountable with my goals that I report to the board. Twitter: https://twitter.com/johnlansing. Lansing describes himself as a citizen watching from the outside A private citizen? So were now into the new fiscal year. Its new president and chief executive is John Lansing, a former cable . 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. He made his mark in his current job with stirring defenses of journalism, free from government interference. First, we're a nonprofit. Age: 62, Born on July 31, 1957, in Minneapolis 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. 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. So sad to me. I just think we have a special and unique thing as a company. But here, Lansing basically jumps over those disclaimers using the lame attribution of private citizen.. NPR joins a number of top media companies, including The Washington Post as well as CNN, that have been slashing their workforces amid economic woes and financial uncertainty. How does the economy react to all of that? 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. Yet Mr. Mohns tenure was also marked by a sexual harassment scandal involving a senior news executive whom he had hired and a labor clash with hundreds of union workers. But now were seeing authoritarian regimes expanding around the globe, with media repression in places like Turkey and Venezuela, Cambodia and Vietnam.. Lansing served for ten years as a visiting faculty member at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies. The only route to a successful engagement on this issue is to deal with it, to talk about it, and to take action. 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. CEO John Lansing cited the erosion. I am still morning the loss of an objective NPR. 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. Current: Did anything else stand out to you in that survey that you believe needed attention and needs attention? 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. 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. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Government support for the public radio system isnt in any immediate jeopardy. How are you working to shore up NPRs place in the podcasting landscape and compete with deep-pocketed tech companies? Lansing: We arent in a position to answer that until we know for sure when the pandemic is going to subside. Were finishing up in the next two to three weeks the specific lists of actions and activities under these pillars. "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: 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. Were working with them to create regional newsrooms in Texas and California and the Midwest and in the Gulf. My top goal is to support the women of color at NPR so that they feel like they have more upward mobility.. 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. Lansing's tenure at the agency has not been without controversy. And weve seen some significant success with that. NPR stands stronger than it did at the outset of Mohn's five-year term in 2014. So I would tell my younger self to be confident, calm down, it's all gonna work out. Podcasting in particular allows NPR to reach audiences that are not necessarily tied to a radio., Paul Haaga, the chairman of NPRs board, said in a statement that Mr. Lansing was a listener and a collaborative leader with a passion for our public service journalistic mission who will help us continue to expand the audience for our storytelling.. So I wouldn't create a politics podcast because there are too many, and we have the best one of many already. Again, I think it's about getting it intertwined into everything we do. Scripps Networks Four years ago, Lansing was named by President Barack Obama to be the first chief executive of the broadcasting outfit that was renamed the U.S. Agency for Global Media. Sept. 6, 2019. NPR's president of operations, Loren Mayor, was the leading internal candidate for the chief executive position. Ever since I've started, I've noticed that you've been very vocal about the need for diversity. He guided the organization in becoming a leading developer of unique content across television, digital, mobile and radio platforms. So Im pleased to see that that short era is over. That's the way I think about leadership here. "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. 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. Listen now. "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. He spent two decades at Scripps Networks, starting as a station manager in the Detroit, MI affiliate; eventually becoming President of Scripps cable networks company from 2005 to 2013. 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. It's interesting. "Jarl would be the first to say that it is the area where he feels that his work was not complete," Sheikholeslami said. MICHEL MARTIN, HOST: We'd like to revisit a story. And its where our focus needs to be right now. 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. 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. And were happy to see SAG-AFTRA agree with us and to join up. John Lansing will begin his term as President and CEO of NPR in October, 2019. It did not drive a lot of immediate donations, but there were some. All Rights Reserved. What would you go back and tell your younger self? Lansing: Were still working on it right now. 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. I think you have to be transparent and be able to explain what you're doing, even if it's unpopular. Under standard procedures for reporting on NPR matters, NPRs corporate and news executives were not allowed to review what they reported until it was posted. Current: NPR and a group of stations started a pilot project around collaborative fundraising in 2019. People, given the opportunity, will do the right thing in a way that hopefully makes them want to be here for a long time. Were working with them to do joint investigative reporting. Its not a sidebar. With a nationwide network of award-winning journalists and 17 international bureaus, NPR and its Member Stations are never far from where a story is unfolding. You have shows like All Things Considered and Morning Edition, which will continue to be broadcasting tent poles, Mr. Lansing said. And so that was the way I looked at the future for me. Or 'How are we doing on the North Star?' Not at a finish line its where our focus needs to be broadcasting tent poles Mr.. According to Podtrac Lansing describes himself as a my younger self about leadership here time I hear it I. Have john lansing npr political party special and unique thing as a citizen watching from the a. 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