NPR’s Revolving Door of Chief Executives
May 9, 2014 | Read Time: 2 minutes
One of Jarl Mohn’s most difficult tasks as the new head of NPR will be navigating relations with 264 members that operate about 850 local public radio stations nationwide. Members pay dues, buy NPR programs, and control its board.
Mr. Mohn is NPR’s fifth permanent chief executive in less than eight years. He takes the reins from Paul Haaga, a board member who has been serving as acting chief executive since 2013.
Mr. Mohn says that he pledged to the board he would stay in the position for at least five years.
His predecessors include:
Gary Knell (2011 to 2013)
Previous job: chief executive of Sesame Workshop, the educational media group
Why he left NPR: to become chief executive of the National Geographic Society
Vivian Schiller (2009 to 2011)
Previous job: senior vice president and general manager, The New York Times Web site.
Why she left NPR: The board asked her to leave following two high-profile controversies: a video sting that caught NPR’s top fundraiser making disparaging comments about the Tea Party and the firing of news analyst Juan Williams after he made controversial comments about Muslims on a TV program.
Ken Stern (2006 to 2008)
Previous job: chief operating officer, NPR, from 1999
Why he left NPR: As chief operating officer, Mr. Stern helped steer NPR’s dramatic growth and move into digital platforms. But as the chief executive, according to news reports, he clashed with member stations over how to chart the organization’s future, and the board forced him out. (Mr. Stern declined to comment on his departure.)
Kevin Klose (1998 to 2006)
Previous job: president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
Why he left NPR: He stayed on as NPR president until 2008 and as president emeritus until 2013, when he returned to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty as acting president.
Editor’s note: This story was corrected from the original to show that Ms. Schiller was general manager of The New York Times website, not the newspaper, and that Mr. Klose became NPR’s president emeritus in 2008.
