NPR Mourns the Loss of Former CEO John Lansing at 67

NPR is mourning the sudden and unexpected passing of John Lansing, the public broadcaster’s immediate past CEO, at the age of 67. Lansing had only retired from his position in March after nearly four and a half years of leadership.

During his leadership, Lansing navigated NPR through a global pandemic, intense social changes, and a financial crisis.

Lansing’s career in journalism began at the age of 17, holding roles in broadcasting and cable television, including the US Agency for Global Media and as president of Scripps Networks, before joining NPR.

He was committed to diversifying NPR’s staff, programming, and audience to mirror American audiences. NPR Chief Diversity Officer Keith Woods remarked, “John was a true friend who led a life of integrity and love. 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.”

Lansing’s tenure was also marked by a conflict with Elon Musk, which led NPR to move away from X, managing to grow the company’s digital footprint, regardless. NPR Chief Communications Officer Isabel Lara commented, “I learned so much about leadership from him; he just made you want to do your best. He loved journalism and was proud to defend our editorial independence when it was attacked.”

NPR’s current CEO Katherine Maher stated, “John had a tremendous impact on NPR’s workplace culture and led the organization through some of its most difficult times. His commitment to improving NPR’s audience and staff diversity has left an indelible positive impact. He cared deeply about diversity and inclusion; he lived by his values every day, resulting in a staff and leadership team markedly more diverse than when he arrived.”

“John understood the importance of NPR’s mission to support democracy by informing the American public, and led the organization to rise to the challenge of an unprecedented global pandemic. His speed and decisiveness during that difficult period enabled NPR to maintain uninterrupted, high-quality programming at a moment when trustworthy news was a lifeline to Americans. He inspired those around him with his integrity and compassion, and his loss will be felt deeply by our staff and across the public radio system.”

Corporation for Public Broadcasting President and CEO Patricia Harrison said, “The Corporation for Public Broadcasting mourns the death of John Lansing. His contributions to public radio were immense, and his leadership during challenging times left a lasting impact. John led NPR through a tumultuous period, which included a rapidly changing news environment. His steady leadership kept NPR’s reporting on the air during the early days of the pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“John was mission driven and was proud of public media’s and NPR’s service to the American people. His commitment to journalistic excellence will continue to inspire generations to come. May his memory be a blessing to his family and all who knew him.”

No cause of death has been revealed. Lansing is survived by his wife and their four children.