NPR mourns the sudden and unexpected death of John Lansing, the public broadcaster’s former CEO, who died at the age of 67. Lansing had only resigned from his post in March after nearly four and a half years at the helm.
During his tenure, Lansing steered NPR through a global pandemic, intense societal change and a financial crisis.
Lansing’s career as a journalist began at age 17. Before joining NPR, he held various positions in broadcast and cable television, including at the U.S. Agency for Global Media and as president of Scripps Networks.
He sought to make NPR’s staff, programming and audience more diverse to reflect American audiences. Keith Woods, NPR’s chief diversity officer, noted, “John was a true friend who lived a life of integrity and love. He instilled in me a desire to share his beliefs and his special ability to put the things that really mattered – his family, his friends, the people he served as a journalist and a leader – at the center of his universe.”
Lansing’s tenure was also marked by a conflict with Elon Musk, which led to NPR moving away from X but the company still managed to expand its digital footprint. Isabel Lara, NPR’s chief communications officer, commented, “I learned so much about leadership from him. He just instilled in you a desire to do your best. He loved journalism and was proud to defend our editorial independence when it was under attack.”
Katherine Maher, NPR’s current CEO, said, “John had a tremendous impact on the culture at NPR and led the organization through some of its most difficult times. His commitment to improving audience and employee diversity at NPR has left an indelible positive impression. Diversity and inclusion were very important to him; he lived his values every day, resulting in a significantly more diverse staff and leadership team than when he took office.”
“John understood the importance of NPR’s mission to support democracy by informing the American public and led the organization to meet the challenge of an unprecedented global pandemic. His speed and decisiveness during this difficult time enabled NPR to maintain uninterrupted, high-quality programming at a moment when trusted news was a lifeline for Americans. He inspired those around him with his integrity and compassion, and his loss is deeply regretted by our staff and across the public broadcasting system.”
Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, said, “The Corporation for Public Broadcasting mourns the passing of John Lansing. His contributions to public broadcasting were immense, and his leadership during difficult times left a lasting impression. John led NPR through a turbulent period that included a rapidly changing news environment. His steady leadership ensured that NPR’s coverage stayed on the air even during the early days of the pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“John was driven by his mission and proud of what public media and NPR did for the American people. His commitment to journalistic excellence will continue to inspire future generations. May his memory be a blessing to his family and all who knew him.”
The cause of death was not disclosed. Lansing leaves behind his wife and their four children.
