Former USAGM chief John Lansing, credited with modernizing agency, dies at 67

John Lansing, who served as chief executive of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, died Wednesday at his lakeside home in Wisconsin at the age of 67. His cause of death was not immediately announced.
Lansing became the chief of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, known as USAGM, in 2015. The USAGM is the parent organization that oversees outlets including Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia.
In a written statement, USAGM CEO Amanda Bennett called Lansing “a relentless advocate for press freedom, journalist safety, and connecting people around the world in support of freedom and democracy.”
While CEO of USAGM, Lansing created a committee made up of the heads of each of the agency’s networks “so we could regularly talk through the state of the world together,” Bennett said.
“John did a lot to modernize this agency,” said Bennett. “From adopting a digital-first content strategy, to enhancing internet freedom initiatives, to renaming the agency USAGM from BBG — his vision was transformative.”
While leading USAGM, Lansing stood up for press freedom.
“Despite some very dark moments, we have not been silenced,” he said on World Press Freedom Day in 2019. “We will continue to report the truth. We will continue to find new ways to get independent reporting and programming to global audiences who rely on it.”
Under Lansing’s leadership, USAGM networks increased their global weekly audience by more than 100 million. He also expanded the agency’s use of platforms ranging from encrypted live broadcasting to shortwave radio in order to push content into countries that jam or ban American programming.
While Lansing led USAGM, the agency in 2017 launched Current Time TV, a Russian-language TV and digital network led by RFE/RL in partnership with VOA.
Left ‘indelible positive impact’ at NPR
Lansing stepped down from his role at USAGM in 2019. After leaving USAGM, he joined National Public Radio, where he served as chief executive until stepping down early this year.
In a statement, Lansing’s successor at NPR, CEO Katherine Maher, lauded how he understood the importance of NPR’s role in supporting American democracy.
“John had a tremendous impact on NPR’s workplace culture and led the organization through some of its most difficult times,” Maher said in the statement. “His commitment to improving NPR’s audience and staff diversity has left an indelible positive impact.”
Maher said Lansing “inspired those around him with his integrity and compassion, and his loss will be felt deeply by our staff and across the public radio system.”
Lansing led NPR throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which began just months into his start at the news outlet. During his tenure at NPR, the outlet won more than 90 awards for its reporting, including its first Pulitzer in 2021.
Career included leading Scripps
Lansing started in journalism when he was 17 years old at a local television station in Kentucky. Later in his career, he served for nine years as president of the Scripps Networks, which oversees stations such as the Food Network and the Travel Channel.
He also served as CEO of Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing, a marketing association comprised of 90 of the top U.S. and Canadian cable companies and television programmers.
Lansing is survived by his wife Jean, and their four children, Alex, Jackson, Nicholas and Jennifer.