NPR is set to make one of the largest staff reductions in its history in efforts to close a persistent deficit of $6.1 million.
NPR, formerly known as National Public Radio, “disclosed a buyout plan Friday that it hopes will reduce its 840-member payroll by about 10 percent over the next year,” the Washington Post reported.
The nonprofit also announced that Paul Haaga Jr., a board member since 2011, will take over as acting president and CEO while a search committee looks for a permanent replacement, The Associated Press reported.
“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead one of the world’s leading providers of news, music and cultural programming on an interim basis and I look forward to working with my colleagues on the board and senior leadership team to help this great organization build on its success,” Mr. Haaga said in a statement.
The public broadcaster separately disclosed in a tax filing Friday that it had paid former CEO Vivian Schiller nearly $679,000 in salary and severance in 2011 after she resigned, The Post reported.
Ms. Schiller was forced to resign the day after a video surfaced in which a former NPR fundraising executive derided the tea party as a collection of “gun-toting” racists and “fundamentalist Christians.” He also was quoted as saying NPR could survive without government help, the Los Angeles Times reported at the time.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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