Edith Chapin, editor in chief and acting chief content officer for NPR, informed her colleagues on Tuesday that she is resigning.
Chapin’s decision comes a few days after Congress voted on July 18 to cut $1.1 billion in funding over the next two years for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which will have a “severe” financial effect on NPR and PBS, among other public media outlets. She said she will stay on until September or October.
Chapin claims her choice to resign was not influenced by the recent vote. “I have had two big executive jobs for two years, and I want to take a break,” Chapin told NPR in an interview. “I want to make sure my performance is always top-notch for the company.”
In a note to staff, NPR CEO Katherine Maher thanked Chapin for her work, praising Chapin as an “indispensable partner” during Maher’s first year at NPR and a “steady leader” for the organization.
Chapin joined NPR in 2012 after spending more than 20 years at CNN. Starting as chief international editor, Chapin became vice president and executive editor by 2015. She became senior vice president on an interim basis in 2022 before earning the position permanently in 2023. At the same time, she accepted her current position as editor in chief, according to Chapin’s LinkedIn profile.
Given Congress’s recent vote, Chapin recognizes the timing of her exit isn’t the best. “It’s not a good time to do it, but it’s never a good time,” said Chapin. “I needed to pick a date and share my decision.”
NPR AND PBS BROUGHT DEFUNDING ON THEMSELVES
While the cut in funding would significantly affect the news outlet, it wouldn’t necessarily be a fatal blow. NPR only receives 15% of its funding from CPB, though it does get funding from roughly 1,000 other smaller news stations also funded through CPB.
While the cuts could prompt layoffs at news stations in major cities and complete shutdowns at smaller, more rural stations, former NPR editor Uri Berliner sees the cuts as an opportunity for NPR to “be like any other media organization” that is “subject to the same financial and competitive pressures as everyone else.”