NPR’s Lansing Announces Retirement
• NPR President & CEO John Lansing announced that he will retire at the end of the year. The NPR Board of Directors will commence a national search for a successor. Lansing, who has served in this role since Oct. 2019, has agreed to remain as long as necessary to ensure a smooth transition.
“We have been through a lot together over the past four years, and you have made me proud every day. During the pandemic, we were there when America needed us most, reporting truthful life-saving information when disinformation was rampant. And we were there when America went through an overdue racial reckoning,” Lansing said in a note to staff. “Our journalists did remarkable work covering the efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and when Russia launched its war against Ukraine. We were also there when our audiences needed joy, laughter and connection in those moments that felt so bleak. All of you — and I mean every person working in every role at every level of this company — played a role in serving our audiences and the public interest at a time of incredible need. You should all stand proud, and it has been the honor of my career to have you as colleagues.”
NPR Board Chair Jeff Sine said, “We are all immensely grateful to John for his principled and tenacious leadership through a turbulent time for NPR, our system and our nation. From developing pandemic protocols to sitting alongside President Biden at this year’s White House Press Dinner, John has faced the highs and lows with grace and equanimity. He will remain in his leadership role throughout the upcoming search process as we find a worthy successor, so no time for goodbyes yet!”
Prior to joining NPR, Lansing was CEO of United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) overseeing several global networks, including Voice of America. He started his news industry career at the age of 17 as a studio tech and cameraman at WPSD-TV/Paducah, KY and went on to spend two decades with Scripps Networks, starting as a station manager in the Detroit affiliate, and eventually rising to President of Scripps’ cable networks company from 2005 to 2013. [Photo credit: Mike Morgan]
