NPR Offering Newsroom Buyouts to Meet Budget Goals

NPR is reporting that it is “restructuring its newsroom, including cutting some reporting and editing jobs, as it attempts to keep pace with changing audience habits while adjusting to an era without federal subsidies.” NPR president and CEO Katherine Maher says the organization has to find $8 million dollars to hit its $300-million annual budget. This is due in large part to the loss of federal subsidies to member stations who pay to air NPR programming.  NPR says it is offering buyouts to approximately 300 employees in newsroom positions (not including the staff or hosts on NPR’s news programs, who are not eligible), but that “the actual number of departing journalists will be far smaller.” NPR will accept up to 30 buyouts and adds that targeted layoffs would happen if not enough employees accept buyouts by May 26.