John Lansing, NPR president and CEO, said Tuesday he plans to retire at the end of the year.
Lansing has agreed to stay on in his position “as necessary” for “a smooth transition,” according to an NPR press release. He became president and CEO of NPR in 2019.
“We have been through a lot together over the past four years, and you have made me proud every day,” Lansing said in a note to staff included in the release. “During the pandemic, we were there when America needed us most, reporting truthful life-saving information when disinformation was rampant. And we were there when America went through an overdue racial reckoning.”
“Our journalists did remarkable work covering the efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and when Russia launched its war against Ukraine,” Lansing continued. “We were also there when our audiences needed joy, laughter and connection in those moments that felt so bleak.”
Under Lansing’s leadership, the news organization’s executive team evolved to include more than 40 percent people of color, an increase from 9 percent in 2019, according to the release. A main goal of Lansing’s tenure was uniting NPR and its member stations “under the ‘North Star’ of diversifying the newsroom, content, and audiences.” The organization also received its first Pulitzer Prize under Lansing in 2021.
“Under Lansing’s leadership, NPR and Member stations strengthened their partnership through the NPR Network,” according to the release. “This collaborative initiative delivers journalism, music, and cultural content from stations across America, while growing digital audiences and membership.”