NPR Announces Layoffs, Job Cuts Amid Financial Challenges
By NPR announced today that it will lay off 10% of its workforce – at least 100 people – and eliminate most vacant positions due to the erosion of advertising dollars, particularly for NPR podcasts, and the tough financial outlook for the media industry more generally.
In a memo to staff, CEO John 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.”[0]
We anticipate rising expenses with no evidence of a fast income resurgence, as opposed to the economic issues we experienced at the peak of the pandemic,” Lansing stated.[1] We need to alter our expenses, as that is something we are able to manage.[1]
“At a time when we are doing some of our most ambitious and essential work, the global economy remains uncertain. As a result, the ad industry has weakened and we are grappling with a sharp decline in our revenues from corporate sponsors,” he said.[2]
With approximately 65% of its budget supporting personnel costs, NPR will need to reduce filled positions by 10%. Lansing said he hopes to have the final decisions on job cuts by the week of March 20.[3]
Last year, NPR declared a hiring freeze as part of a plan to reduce costs due to the $20 million decline in sponsorship income.[4] But for fiscal year 2023, that shortfall is now projected to be at least $30 million.[5]
Lansing said NPR’s executive committee is figuring out where it needs to continue investing, and where it should pull back.[6] “Guided by our strategic priorities, we must support NPR’s mission and future with the resources we have,” he wrote.[5]
No alterations to NPR's output are anticipated in the near future.[7] The syndication program is anticipated to keep producing and disseminating programs such as “Morning Edition,” “All Things Considered,” “Weekend Edition” and the daily podcast “Up First.”[7] Lansing also said he remains committed to podcasting “1000 percent.”[8]
Across the news industry, layoffs have been rampant, with companies such as CNN, NBC News, MSNBC, Vox Media, Gannett and others having cut their workforces in recent months.[9]
0. “NPR to cut 10% of workforce due to projected revenue drop” New York Daily News, 22 Feb. 2023, https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-npr-cuts-jobs-layoffs-national-public-radio-20230222-p3ehdfcnqfbbjabqcutsb4bjfq-story.html
1. “NPR to cut jobs by 10 percent” AOL, 22 Feb. 2023, https://www.aol.com/news/npr-cut-jobs-10-percent-190543855.html
2. “NPR to Cut 10% of Workforce as Ad Revenue Slumps” Variety, 23 Feb. 2023, https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/npr-layoffs-ad-revenue-decline-1235532956/
3. “With layoffs, NPR becomes latest media outlet to cut jobs” North Country Public Radio, 22 Feb. 2023, https://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/npr/1158710498/with-layoffs-npr-becomes-latest-media-outlet-to-cut-jobs
4. “Global media outlet NPR to lay off 100 employees” Newsroom Odisha, 23 Feb. 2023, https://newsroomodisha.com/global-media-outlet-npr-to-lay-off-100-employees
5. “NPR To Lay Off About 10% Of Current Staff As Financial Outlook Has “Darkened Considerably”” Deadline, 22 Feb. 2023, https://deadline.com/2023/02/npr-layoffs-10-of-staff-1235267818
6. “NPR to Cut Workforce by 10 Percent, as Advertising Slowdown Hits Public Media” Hollywood Reporter, 22 Feb. 2023, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/npr-layoffs-10-percent-job-cuts-john-lansing-1235331693/
7. “NPR to cut jobs amid drop in revenue” The Desk, 23 Feb. 2023, https://thedesk.net/2023/02/npr-cutting-jobs-reduce-vacancies-revenue-drop/
8. “NPR to Lay Off 10 Percent of Its Workforce” Los Angeles Magazine, 23 Feb. 2023, https://www.lamag.com/culturefiles/npr-to-lay-off-10-per-cent-of-its-workforce
9. “National Public Radio to cut 10% of its staff after budget shortfall, CEO says” CBS News, 22 Feb. 2023, https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/national-public-radio-to-cut-10-of-its-staff-after-budget-shortfall-ceo-says/
