National Public Radio’s Editor-in-Chief and acting Chief Content Officer, Edith Chapin, announced she will step down from her leadership roles later this year. This announcement comes shortly after Congress approved President Donald Trump’s initiative to cut federal funding for public broadcasting.
Chapin, who has been with NPR in senior executive positions for 13 years, informed her colleagues of her decision on July 22, 2025. She noted that she had communicated her intention to leave to CEO Katherine Maher about two weeks before the congressional vote on the funding cuts.
Chapin’s departure follows Congress’s approval of a bill on Friday that rescinded $1.1 billion in federal funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. This organization supports NPR, PBS, and local stations across the country. Chapin clarified that her decision was made before this congressional action and was not influenced by the funding reductions.
Chapin cited her desire to take a break after holding “two big executive jobs for two years” as her reason for leaving, aiming to maintain high performance standards. Since August 2023, she has been overseeing NPR’s newsroom operations as Editor-in-Chief while also serving as acting Chief Content Officer, which includes managing news, entertainment, podcasts, and visual content.
Joining NPR in 2012 after 25 years at CNN, Chapin became Senior Vice President and Editor-in-Chief in 2015. She assumed additional programming responsibilities two years ago following the departure of longtime NPR programmer Anya Grundmann.
During her tenure, Chapin led NPR’s coverage of major events, including global conflicts, U.S. elections, and the COVID-19 pandemic. She expanded NPR’s investigative reporting and enhanced both international and national news coverage.
Chapin also focused on fostering collaborations among public media newsrooms to improve reporting quality for both NPR and its affiliated stations. This effort sought to assist local stations in delivering comprehensive coverage that captures the diversity of American life.
NPR CEO Katherine Maher praised Chapin’s contributions in a staff memo, calling her an “indispensable partner” during Maher’s first year of leadership. Maher highlighted Chapin as a leader in journalistic integrity, who addressed challenges with clarity and compassion, always prioritizing public interest.
The funding cuts present significant challenges for public broadcasting. Currently, direct federal funding accounts for less than 1% of NPR’s budget, while nearly 10% is derived indirectly from government sources.
Local stations are more severely impacted, with radio stations typically receiving 8-10% and PBS stations approximately 15% of their revenue from government funding.
Rural stations, those serving Native American tribal communities, and those in smaller markets face particularly acute challenges. Some may struggle to meet payroll obligations or maintain operations starting October 1, when the funding reductions take effect for the next two federal fiscal years.
In response, Maher announced NPR will reduce charges to affiliated stations by $8 million, focusing relief on those experiencing the greatest financial distress. The network is considering additional measures to support struggling stations, such as encouraging collaboration or consolidation, or preparing for potential closures.
PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger criticized the congressional decision, stating it contradicts public sentiment. She warned that the cuts could have a severe impact on smaller stations and those in rural areas, leading to difficult decisions in the near future.
Chapin plans to remain in her roles through September or October to aid the transition process. NPR will conduct a national search for new editorial leadership while she continues to manage newsroom operations during this interim period.
