National Public Radio to lay off 10% of staff because of “sharp decline” in revenues from corporate sponsors
National Public Radio, based in D.C., will lay off 10% of its staff after projecting a $30 million budget shortfall, NPR’s chief executive John Lansing wrote in a memo to staff. It becomes just the latest media outlet to make painful cuts as a dramatic slowdown in the advertising market continues to send shockwaves through the industry, reports CNN.
“When we say we are eliminating filled positions, we are talking about our colleagues — people whose skills, spirit, and talents help make NPR what it is today,” Lansing wrote in the memo obtained by CNN. “This will be a major loss.”
The layoffs at the public broadcaster, home to the popular news programs “Morning Edition” and “All Things Considered,” will result in at least 100 positions being eliminated, an NPR spokesperson told CNN.
In his memo, Lansing said the network was grappling with a “sharp decline” in revenues from its corporate sponsors as a result of the uncertain economy. The organization, he said, had already cut $14 million in expenses, including freezing a majority of its vacant job postings, suspending paid internships, and restricting non-essential travel.
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PHOTO: Stephen Voss/NPR
