NPR Names New President - SCPR's Jarl Mohn

NPR today announced Jarl Mohn is its new president and chief executive officer. He is the chairman of Southern California Public Radio and a member of its board for 12 years, and begins at NPR July 1.

A memo from NPR Board Chair Kit Jensen said:

"I am delighted to announce that following a comprehensive search, our Board has selected Jarl Mohn to serve as our next President and Chief Executive Officer. Among the many candidates we considered for the position, Jarl has a deep commitment to the public radio system, love of radio, passion for quality journalism and strong track record on diversity and fairness. With his keen ability to identify media and consumer trends, we have great confidence he will lead us on our continuing path of sustained achievement and growth.

"Jarl has had a lifelong career in media. He has been a board member of Southern California Public Radio for the past 12 years and is its chairman. He was the founding President and Chief Executive Officer of Liberty Digital, a public company that invested in interactive television, cable networks and internet enterprises. Prior to Liberty Digital, he created E! Entertainment Television and served as President and Chief Executive Officer from January 1990 to December 1998. He was Executive Vice President and General Manager of MTV and VH1, from 1986 to 1990. He began his career as a disc jockey in 1967 and on the air at WNBC-AM in New York in the 1970s. Most recently he has divided his time between being a corporate director and advisor to a number of media companies, making direct early stage angel and seed investments in digital media/technology ventures.

"Jarl has also been on the Board of Councilors of the USC Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism for nine years. He has been a generous philanthropist throughout the years and he and his wife Pamela created The Mohn Family Foundation in 2000.

"Jarl will begin on July 1. We expect the transition of responsibilities to be seamless, owing largely to the continuing robust leadership of Acting President and CEO Paul Haaga and NPR’s senior team. The Board is grateful to Paul for his careful stewardship of NPR over these last few months and for his willingness to be available to provide his insights and guidance through the upcoming transition. It is my hope that he will return to the Board at the appropriate time.

"While other outlets in our line of work have been retrenching, NPR has remained a preeminent source of news and programming – a leading force in American journalism and a unique national asset. I am proud of where the organization is and the progress that has been made possible by NPR’s staff, Member Stations, listeners and supporters. Thank you for your individual and collective efforts that have contributed to our many successes.

"Over the coming weeks I look forward to your help in supporting Jarl as he leads us into the next phase of our remarkable history as a beacon of news and culture for millions of listeners every day."