At least 28 employees exit D.C.-based NPR

D.C.-based NPR has laid off 10 journalists and secured at least 18 voluntary buyouts from newsroom employees as the network restructures operations to offset financial pressures linked to the elimination of federal public media subsidies, reports Inside Radio.

The staffing reductions affect approximately 4% of NPR’s content division, which includes its newsroom and podcast operations. NPR also plans to leave eight vacant positions unfilled as part of an effort to trim $8 million from the budget.

In a note to employees, NPR Editor-in-Chief Thomas Evans acknowledged the emotional toll of the cuts. “I want to acknowledge how difficult it is to say goodbye to our colleagues,” Evans wrote.

The layoffs, states Inside Radio, “follow Congress’ decision last summer to eliminate federal subsidies for public media, a move that has sharply affected local public radio stations that pay NPR licensing and carriage fees for flagship programming including “Morning Edition” and “All Things Considered.” While direct federal funding represented only about 1% of NPR’s budget, executives say the ripple effects on member stations are expected to reduce station payments to the network by roughly $15 million.”

Inside Radio reports that among the veteran journalists accepting buyouts are “National Political Correspondent Don Gonyea, Managing Editor Vickie Walton-James and Investigations Correspondent Joe Shapiro. NPR has not publicly released a full list of departing employees.

Shapiro, who joined NPR in 2001, reflected on his departure in a Facebook post.

“Proud of my stories, their impact. Grateful for the best audience,” he wrote. “Talented journalists will lose jobs. But fewer laid off, we’re told, for each who takes buyout.”

Science Correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce, who has been reporting for NPR since 2005, was also laid off.