Ari Shapiro, a co-host of NPR’s “All Things Considered,” will leave the network next month amid the loss of federal funding for public broadcasters.
In a blog post on his Substack, Shapiro said the cuts weren’t the reason behind his departure.
“My decision to move on has nothing to do with the challenges facing public radio, the news media, or the country,” he wrote. “Those are real and profound, and I plan to continue engaging with them in meaningful ways. But they aren’t informing this transition.
“I have always thought that hosting ‘All Things Considered’ is like inheriting a family heirloom,” he continued. “The goal and responsibility is to keep it looking shiny and new without breaking it, until it’s time to hand it off to the next generation.”
NPR news chief Edith Chapin wrote in a memo to staff that Shapiro’s final broadcast of the flagship daily afternoon show will be September 26.
“We’ll toast him in the newsroom after the show wraps,” she wrote. “We’re excited to see what Ari does next as he embarks on creating more of his own work. We’ve also discussed keeping the door open for any opportunities to work together on specific projects in the future.”
Shapiro joined NPR as an intern in 2001 and has been host of “All Things Considered” for close to 10 years. He’s also covered international and justice news and been a White House correspondent.
Congress voted to yank back $1.1 billion in federal funding from public media in July.
Chapin announced she was leaving the network later that month.
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