Last week, NPR shared it was offering buyouts to employees. If not enough were accepted, a round of layoffs would begin. Those layoffs began on Wednesday.
What We Know: 10 newsroom employees were laid off on Wednesday. That round of layoffs came after the network offered buyouts to 300 employees. After stating that it needed 30 employees to accept the buyouts to avoid layoffs, 18 staffers took the offer. The deadline to accept the buyout offer was Tuesday. NPR stated that it was looking to cut $8 million from its annual budget following federal funding cuts.
What They Said: “Today has been incredibly heavy, and I want to acknowledge how difficult it is to say goodbye to our colleagues.” -NPR Editor-in-Chief Thomas Evans
What Remains Unclear: Names of those whose positions were eliminated have not been released publicly. NPR Science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce has shared that she has exited after more than 20 years. A report from NPR’s David Folkenflik shared the names of some longtime staffers who accepted buyouts. They include National Political Correspondent Don Gonyea, Managing Editor Vickie Walton-James, and Investigations Correspondent Joe Shapiro.
What It Means: The network wasn’t bluffing when it said it was looking to slash millions from its budget. It was also clear about the size and scale of the cuts, depending on the number of accepted buyouts. It expects a $15 million drop in member station fees, only exacerbating the budget problems.
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Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
