NPR to Reduce Workforce by 10% as Ad Revenue Drops

RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, February 22, 2023

NPR

NPR plans to reduce its workforce by 10%, while eliminating open positions -- at least 100 people. The announcement was made by CEO John Lansing, citing "the erosion of advertising dollars, particularly for NPR podcasts, and the tough financial outlook for the media industry more generally." In a memo to the staff, Lansing wrote, "When we say we are eliminating filled positions, we are talking about our colleagues - people whose skills, spirit and talents help make NPR what it is today. This will be a major loss."

On an annual budget of roughly $300 million, Lansing wrote, revenues are likely to fall short by close to $30 million, although that gap could reach $32 million.

NPR's programming division, which produces its podcasts, has more than doubled since 2019. Lansing says he remains committed to podcasting "1,000 percent," as well as the network's hallmark news magazines, such as Morning Edition and All Things Considered.

"I don't anticipate that it would be like a haircut across every division, because that's just not management," said Lansing. "Management is about committing to strategy, making tough decisions."

An NPR spokeswoman said final decisions on which jobs will be eliminated should occur by the week of March 20.