After announcing its intention to make newsroom buyouts in the wake of a projected $15 million drop in member station fees, NPR is cutting roughly 36 content division positions, as the network works to mitigate Congress’s elimination of federal public media subsidies.
As reported by NPR, the 10 layoffs, at least 18 voluntary buyouts, and eight positions left unfilled amount to 4% of the division, which covers the newsroom and podcasts. No staff members of news programs or podcasts were affected.
Among those departing through buyouts are National Political Correspondent Don Gonyea, Managing Editor Vickie Walton-James, and Investigations Correspondent Joe Shapiro, who joined the network in 2001. Science Correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce, an NPR reporter since 2005, was reportedly among those laid off.
Editor-in-Chief Thomas Evans said in a note to staff, “Today has been incredibly heavy, and I want to acknowledge how difficult it is to say goodbye to our colleagues.” NPR directly relied on federal funds for roughly 1% of its own budget, but says the damage to the affiliate stations that license its programming has been far more harmful.
NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher commented, “The extraordinary generosity of donors across the nation has really mitigated some of the hardest impacts of the loss of federal funding. I am relieved that that is the case. And now it is our responsibility to ensure that we take that gift that they have given us and use this time to get to a place where we are sustainable for the future.”
