Mohn fired head of news Michael Oreskes on Halloween 2017. NPR will cut 10% of its workforce, CEO John Lansing said Wednesday. So we took that very, very seriously. Its something that we certainly support. I just think that somebody's truth is the truth. When will that freeze be lifted? It has become enshrined in our three-year strategic plan as the centerpiece of all of our work. As we moved through the summer, that deficit remained at about $25 million. He made his mark in his current job with stirring defenses of journalism, free from government interference. Current: Do you have any examples of how digital operations would be integrated into divisions throughout the organization? Lansing, who is 62, is currently CEO of the government agency that oversees Voice of America, Radio and Television Marti, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, among others. John Lansing will begin his term as President and CEO of NPR in October, 2019. He will be the 11th permanent president or chief executive in the radio network's nearly 50-year history. And Im holding myself accountable with my board and Ive been and am holding my direct reports accountable to me. 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. Lansing: Back in May and June, it was an alarming decline in radio ratings. Lansing: They were for general. In recent remarks online, Johnson, who is Black, focused on a more competitive landscape for NPR journalists, including people of color. Experts say the behavior could have constituted insider trading. And as the year unfolded, we began to develop our three-year strategic plan. Well, I like NPR Politics a lot. 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. Sign up here and we will see you in the morning! And be a good listener. 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. Leading the organization through it all is CEO John Lansing, a longtime media executive who has been on the job since October 2019. 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. Lansing says the agency referred Haroon Ullahs expenditures to auditors and investigators after travel assistants flagged them; according to the Justice Department statement, Ullah admitted submitting fraudulent receipts for hotel room reimbursements and fake medical claims to get government payments of upgrades in airline seat assignments, among other offenses. Sept. 6, 2019. The network has won acclaim for its coverage of wars and disasters, yet suffered its own crisis and tragedy in 2016 when its David Gilkey and Zabihullah Tamanna were killed while on assignment in southern Afghanistan. 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. 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. In what ways do you think NPR has forced you to grow, and in what areas are you growing that you weren't before NPR? The streaming platform Spotify paid nearly a quarter-billion dollars to buy the podcast producer Gimlet, founded by former staffers of NPR and other public radio outlets. Required fields are marked *. Last year, however, the U.S. Agency for Global Media came under fire when it emerged that it had bought Facebook ads targeting American citizens, in violation of laws meant to protect Americans from domestic propaganda. Obviously, this job that you have as a CEO of NPR is a really huge responsibility. Courtesy of Allison Shelley for NPR. 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. There were three of them, each for $1 million. Did you plan for this or did it kind of just happen? The streaming platform Spotify paid nearly a quarter-billion dollars to buy the podcast producer Gimlet, founded by former staffers of NPR and other public radio outlets. Prior to joining USAGM, he served for two years as the President and CEO of the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM), an organization that facilitates collaborative marketing initiatives for its members. 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. Last summer, we definitely had a racial reckoning. John Lansing, a media executive with government broadcast and cable television experience, has been named by NPR's board to succeed its current chief, Jarl Mohn who announced the plan to step down after his 5-Year term ended. Age: 62, Born on July 31, 1957, in Minneapolis Were working with them to create regional newsrooms in Texas and California and the Midwest and in the Gulf. According to Nielsen data supplied by NPR, its programs and newscasts had an overall audience of 27.4 million in spring 2019. Hes credited with restoring morale, in part by naming a noted journalist as head of the Voice of America: Amanda Bennett is a former top news executive at the Philadelphia Inquirer, who previously held senior newsroom jobs at Bloomberg News and The Wall Street Journal. At the center of a graphic is our commitment to DEI, and all of our work in that circle is surrounded by four pillars. Lansing: We hope to have that completed within about eight to 10 weeks. We have many miles to go. This is simply disingenuous. During the Donald Trump administration, he held roles in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and was acting Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for Community Planning and Development. While member stations on average receive about 10 percent of their funding from the federal government, fees from the stations make up a significant part of the NPR budget. I was very pleased to see Code Switch named as Apples top podcast of the year. But second, we're mission-driven, and I think everybody in the organization lives and breathes that mission. Lansing also spent almost 20 years working at Scripps, including eight years as President of Scripps Networks. You have stated that DEI is your top priority at NPR. NPR takes only a few million dollars a year from federal sources for its programs. It puts a filter on that helps us explain even unpopular decisions, how they link to our mission. Their editorial independence is enshrined in federal law, though it sometimes came under attack. 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. And were pleased to work with them. So I wouldn't create a politics podcast because there are too many, and we have the best one of many already. 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. 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 . From John Lansing: Now Is A Time For Truth Telling, For Listening, And For Action. Current: When was the climate survey conducted? Essentially, the success of the company falls in your hands. "I want to hear the ideas that are bubbling underneath right now and what people are excited about, what they're looking forward to developing," Lansing said Thursday. 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. 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. From 2015 to 2019, Lansing served as the CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the independent federal agency whose programming reaches an average weekly audience of 345 million people in 62 languages. All Rights Reserved. Will there be another stimulus? Lansing: SAG-AFTRA came out with their letter around our September board meeting in 2020. When that happened, it energized us to really double down on understanding where our weak spots were, what we needed to work on. Built with the Largo WordPress Theme from the Institute for Nonprofit News. The roots of the VOA involved providing truthful reports to people under Nazi and Axis power rule during World War Two. He took over a troubled organization beset by infighting and bureaucratic inefficiency. When you first got to NPR, what did you think? Lansing said he took pride in maintaining conventional broadcasts while appealing to new audiences, reaching about 25% more people each week. He is. Lansing has earned an advanced degree in political agility. Its my expectation that that will expand throughout the organization, so that everybody understands its everybodys job, and the accountability is going to be something that we measure and transparently report back out. NPR's search for a new CEO is finally over! A graduate of Bellarmine University, he was named to the Bellarmine University Gallery of Distinguished Graduates in 2010. Apple is reportedly building a podcast subscription service. Sometimes you have to hear other people's truth and accept it for what it is, not translate it into your truth, therefore it's no longer what it is. Lansing also elevated a former U.S. State Department staffer to be chief strategy officer who recently pleaded guilty to having defrauded the U.S. Agency for Global Media of more than $40,000 in government money in 2018, according to federal prosecutors. Current: NPR has helped stations during the pandemic by delaying planned changes to the dues they pay. 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. As we got to April of last spring, we saw a massive deficit develop for NPR on the order of about $25 million. Every time I hear it, I think that's a success by itself because we all have that as our guiding light. But it was not from a standing start. The title of your piece, "Now Is A Time For Truth Telling, For Listening, And For Action," takes a bold stand in defending the urgent work of journalists during this . Ever since I've started, I've noticed that you've been very vocal about the need for diversity. So mentally, how do you manage that? I think there are interesting trends to follow and try to understand. But were going to continue to follow up on that going into this year. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Current is an editorially independent, nonprofit service of the American University School of Communication. Mr. Lansing rejected that accusation, saying that the agency was independent by law. Fear drives their path. You hear me say fairly often it's not a thing that's going to end; it's really a new way of operating with an awareness of this weakness that we need to address and build upon and ensure that it lives on and continues to improve. Lansing, who is 62, is. He is credited with restoring morale, in part by naming a noted journalist as head of the Voice of America: Amanda Bennett is a former top news executive at the Philadelphia Inquirer who previously held senior newsroom jobs at Bloomberg News and The Wall Street Journal. That survey happened in the fall of 2020. 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. 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At the U.S. Agency for Global Media, Lansing championed a free press even as leaders of many nations move against it. The budget for the new fiscal year is set below last years actual based on our forecasts on continued downward pressure on corporate sponsorship. And I was very proud of the progress we were making. You can't escape that. 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. But an example of that one that weve already created is the Consider This podcast, which is just a terrific example of taking the national-local partnership into the on-demand future. Mr. Lansing, who began his career as a teenage cameraman at a television station in Kentucky, spent two decades at Scripps Networks. There are over 1000 NPR Member Station signals broadcasting across the United States CEO John Lansing cited the erosion. If you had to create a podcast, what would it be about? 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 Foundation. First, we're a nonprofit. I can't speak for other people, CEOs. Current: What challenges have you faced in implementing your DEI plans? I just think we have a special and unique thing as a company. 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. Lansing's tenure at the agency has not been without controversy. He took over a troubled organization beset by infighting and bureaucratic inefficiency. Scripps Company, where he managed the company's portfolio of ten broadcast television stations across the country. I think leaders are accountable for walking the walk, for doing what they say they're going to do. 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. 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.. Lansing: You have to imagine a picture, if you will. Government support for the public radio system isn't in any immediate jeopardy. And as a CEO, and also as a white man, I want to know, how did you handle it when all eyes were on you? Why? And so that was the way I looked at the future for me. So those are the four pillars that rotate around the centerpiece, we call it the North Star, of our commitment to DEI. Unlike some predecessors, Lansing doesnt face a particularly fraught political landscape. September 6, 2019. Lansing: Its on social media platforms or YouTube or through media partnerships. Copyright 2023. John Lansing, the chief executive officer and director of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, will become NPR's CEO in mid-October. That was revised as a result. 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. 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. NPR Facebook Post with Comments. Others have waded into the podcast fray with a vengeance. How is it a priority? It is our work. 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. So its a constant commitment to communication, to training, to accountability. Unlike some predecessors, Lansing doesn't face a particularly fraught political landscape. Current: Why are NPR and its partners looking to sell the Pocket Casts podcast app? Way back when, I was a news cameraman. But also, what are the larger things that are happening? What would you go back and tell your younger self? I'm from Minneapolis, and my parents are buried about six blocks from where George Floyd was killed. 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. Diversity is the North Star of a newly implemented strategic plan, Lansing said, because it filters through everything that we do with all of our work.. Were finishing up in the next two to three weeks the specific lists of actions and activities under these pillars. Were certainly not over, were not at a finish line. There was one the year before I was here, then this was the follow-up. (Podcast). 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. "And I want to look for areas that I can provide leadership to bring resources together as needed strategically to find the right priorities that make the most sense for growing NPR this year and then into the future.". Scripps Networks Instead, Whitney really helped us to buckle down with discipline, understand what's going on, and meet with women of color [in the organization], as we're doing tonight in our executive committee meeting, which we do regularly now. We established the top priority [a.k.a. I think you have to be willing to take hard questions. It goes on to say that Mr. Lansing, 62, is currently the chief executive of the government agency, The U.S. Agency for Global Media, that oversees Voice of America, Radio and Television Marti, and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, among others. Follow Bloomberg reporters as they uncover some of the biggest financial crimes of the modern era. Let's say, I was walking out of high school into college, I had no idea what I was going to do. Our DEI efforts at the beginning of 2020 were not a project or an extracurricular activity; it really became our work. What advice would you give to young journalists of color when navigating these white spaces, but attempting to make a change? How cool is it to be at NPR? Lansing said in an interview with Current Thursday that one of his first observations upon joining NPR was that we needed to double down our efforts in diversity, equity and inclusion. 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? So Im pleased to see that that short era is over. A member of the Republican Party, Gibbs was a software engineer and missionary before entering politics. Lansing will start in his new position in mid-October. Your email address will not be published. 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. Time for truth Telling, for doing what they say they 're going to continue follow. 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