NPR Chief Jarl Mohn to Step Down in June, Will Transition to Fundraising

YouTube

National Public Radio CEO Jarl Mohn will step down in June at the conclusion of his five-year term leading the company, NPR revealed in a press release Tuesday. Mohn plans to move on to the newly created position of “president emeritus” and lead NPR’s fundraising efforts in advance of the 50th anniversary of its launch in 2020.

In a note to staff, Mohn said that he and his wife plan to make a $10 million contribution to that effort themselves.

“My wife Pam and I are more committed than ever to helping NPR and public radio achieve long-term financial stability, particularly at a time when journalism is under economic and political pressures,” he said.

Also Read: NPR Fires David Edelstein Over 'Last Tango in Paris' Butter-Rape Joke

“We are so confident in the future of this organization that we are announcing our personal donation of $10 million to NPR as well as our long-term personal commitment to the organization,” Mohn added. “We invite others who care about quality journalism and public service to join us in investing in this remarkable institution and its journalists.”

As his donation suggests, Mohn has had a long and successful career. Before taking the top job at NPR, he was most well known for creating E! Entertainment Television and serving as president and CEO there from 1990 to 1998.

Before that, he spent four years as a senior executive at VH1 and MTV.

Also Read: Nancy Barnes Named NPR's Top News Executive

Mohn’s tenure at NPR has been a mostly smooth one, but he was faced with some internal unpleasantness last November after NPR’s top editor, Michael Oreskes, was accused of sexual misconduct by two women who said he made unwelcome advances toward them while he worked at the New York Times 20 years earlier.

Mohn forced the editor out just hours after the story was published by the Washington Post.

The Evolution of Roger Ailes, From 'The Mike Douglas Show' to Fox News Innovator (Photos)

The television executive has evolved from producing a talk-variety show to running one of the biggest satellite news television channel in the U.S.
Fox News
Born and raised in Ohio, Roger Ailes attended Ohio University as a young man, majoring in radio and television. During his time there, he served as station manager for the university's WOUB radio for two years.
Ohio University
Ailes worked his way up to executive producer on the syndicated daytime talk show "The Mike Douglas Show," which began as a local program in Cleveland before expanding nationwide.
Westinghouse Broadcasting Company
In 1968, Ailes got an Emmy nod when "The Mike Douglas Show" was nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Daytime Programming, ultimately losing to NBC's "Today" show.
After first meeting Richard Nixon on the set of "The Mike Douglas Show," Ailes was hired by the then-presidential candidate to be his media advisor during the campaign, which marked his first professional foray into politics.
Ailes continued consulting on presidential campaigns, serving as media consultant for three successful Republicans: Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.
Ailes produced the famous "revolving door" ad for Bush, which painted Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis as soft on crime. The piece was widely regarded as the most influential ad of the political cycle.
In 1988, Ailes co-authored a self-help book with Jon Kraushar. "You Are the Message" shared Ailes' tips for effective communication and public performances.
Simon and Schuster
In 1992, Ailes served as executive producer on a syndicated late-night talk show hosted by right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh, which ran for four years before coming to an end in 1996.
Ailes Productions
Ailes was named president of CNBC in 1993, where he launched the new cable network America's Talking, which was shut down and replaced with future Fox News competitor MSNBC.
America's Talking
Media mogul Rupert Murdoch hired Ailes to serve as founding CEO and Chariman of the Fox News Channel in 1996, which soon grew to become the most popular cable news network in the country.
Getty Images
In 2016, Ailes was accused of sexual harassment by ousted Fox News host Gretchen Carlson. In July, Carlson filed a lawsuit against Ailes, claiming years of inappropriate behavior and sexual advances.
Getty Images
On July 20, 2016, Ailes was forced to resign from Fox News amid the growing outcry over the sexual harassment allegations.
Getty Images
Ailes died on May 18, 2017 at age 77.