Remembering John Lansing

• Former NPR CEO John Lansing died Wednesday, August 14 at his lakeside home in Wisconsin, just six months after leaving the network and just two weeks after turning 67 years old. His cause of death was not immediately disclosed.

Lansing retired from NPR this past spring after a turbulent four-and-a-half year stint, where he guided the company through a global pandemic, navigated intense social headwinds, oversaw an ambitious expansion of digital ambitions and steered NPR through what he defined as an “existential” financial crisis. “John was a true friend who led a life of integrity and love,” said Keith Woods, NPR’s Chief Diversity Officer. “He made me want to match his conviction and his special ability to keep the things that truly mattered — his family, his friends, the people he served as a journalist and a leader — at the center of his universe.”

Prior to joining NPR in 2019, 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 17 as a studio tech and cameraman at WPSD-TV/Paducah, KY and went on to spend two decades with Scripps Networks, rising to President of Scripps’ cable networks company from 2005 to 2013.

In a note to staffers, Lansing’s successor, NPR CEO Katherine Maher said she had only met Lansing once. “We broke bread together and I pestered him with my rudimentary questions,” she said. “He was generous with his insight and optimistic about our future. Later when things were difficult at the start of my tenure, he made a point of reaching out to cheer me on. It meant a lot to hear from someone who had sat in the chair before, and I wish we’d had more time together.”

Lansing is survived by his wife Jean, and their children Alex, Jackson, Nicholas, and Jennifer. NPR has more details about Lansing’s life and career.