Nancy Barnes Named NPR's Top News Executive

Nancy Barnes

NPR CEO Jarl Mohn has named Nancy Barnes, a veteran newspaper editor, as the network's permanent chief news executive. Barnes fills a nearly yearlong vacancy that was triggered by the firing of Michael Oreskes, NPR's former news head, over allegations of sexual harassment.

Barnes is currently the executive editor at the Houston Chronicle and also leads newsrooms at the Hearst Corp.'s other Texas newspapers. She will take over as NPR's senior vice president for news and editorial director on Nov. 28. She previously led the Minneapolis Star Tribune, earning acclaim and national awards for and at each paper.

According to NPR, the 57-year-old Barnes will fill the job once held by Oreskes, the former New York Times and Associated Press newsroom executive whom Mohn ousted in November 2017 after accusations surfaced against Oreskes of past sexual harassment.

In an interview, Mohn described Barnes as a proven leader with sound editorial judgment and an equally skilled management style. He said Barnes had elevated both papers she led, raising the journalistic bar in Houston and rebuilding the newsroom in Minneapolis after the Star Tribune went bankrupt nine years ago. The Star Tribune emerged under new ownership and won two Pulitzer Prizes with a much smaller staff.

"I think one of the things we need is great newsroom leadership, and I think she's demonstrated that in the past two places she's worked," Mohn said. "She's hopeful, ambitious. I'm very excited. I can't wait for her to start."

NPR employs nearly 400 journalists and maintains 17 bureaus around the nation and another 17 international bureaus around the world.