NPR to lay off 7% of its staff and the elimination of two programs
Posted by
Brian (aka trav007)
Dec 10 '08, 12:53
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Hit by Recession, NPR to Lay Off Seven Percent of Staff
By Paul Farhi
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, December 10, 2008; 2:44 PM
Faced with a sharp decline in revenue, National Public Radio said today it will pare back its once-flourishing operations, and institute its first organization-wide layoffs in 25 years.
Washington-based NPR said it would lay off about 7 percent of workforce and eliminate two daily programs produced out of its facilities in Culver City, Cal. The shows include "Day to Day," which was aimed at younger listeners, and the newsmaker-interview program "News & Notes," which NPR hoped would attract African Americans.
The layoffs of 64 of NPR's 889 employees is designed to close a $23 million shortfall in NPR's current fiscal year, said Dennis Haarsager, NPR's interim president and chief executive in an interview. The cutback will affect all departments, including reporters, producers, researchers and digital media employees.
Until very recently, NPR has bucked the consequences of the shrinking economy, finishing its last fiscal year in September on budget, with operating revenues of about $158 million. Its programs, especially the daily news shows "Morning Edition" and "All Things Considered," have remained popular, reaching some 26 million listeners per week. In July, its executives were projecting revenue growth in the new fiscal year, and additions to the organization's staff.
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