NPR's newsroom shrinks through buyouts and layoffs

Media NPR's newsroom shrinks through buyouts and layoffs May 27, 20264:02 PM ET David Folkenflik NPR Investigations Correspondent Joe Shapiro is among the network journalists who accepted buyouts. Wanyu Zhang/NPR hide caption toggle caption Wanyu Zhang/NPR NPR has laid off 10 journalists, including some veteran reporters, in an attempt to save money and reorganize the newsroom. It also is buying out at least 18 news staffers who voluntarily accepted offers to depart, according to three people with direct knowledge. (The people spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of speaking publicly about internal network matters) The network intends to leave eight empty positions unfilled. NPR Editor-in-Chief Thomas Evans expressed regret 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," Evans wrote. Sponsor Message He said the total reductions amounted to 4% of NPR's content division, which includes the newsroom and podcasts, and pledged that the network would maintain high standards. No staff of news programs or podcasts were affected. The moves are part of NPR's effort to grapple with the economic consequences of Congress' vote last summer to eliminate federal subsidies for public media. While NPR relied directly on federal funds for about 1% of its budget, the cuts deeply hurt public radio stations who pay for the radio giant's programs like Morning Edition and All Things Considered. Politics Community radio stations are collateral damage as Congress cuts NPR funding NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher and Evans announced the cuts last week, describing them as targeted and necessary to save $8 million when the network anticipates a drop of $15 million in member station fees. Waves of layoffs have hit public radio and television stations across the country, along with PBS, since Congress clawed back the funding. Yet in the past year, donors have stepped up to support public...