He’s been at NPR since 2024, when he was named Managing Editor, Editorial Review and established an internal review process that added independent oversight to every story. Before that, he spent nearly eight years at CNN. Now, he is succeeding Edith Chapin at the nation’s main secular noncommercial audio content creator and producer.
Earning the role of Editor-in-Chief at NPR is Thomas Evans. He takes a post held by Chapin, who announced in July she’d be stepping down after more than a decade. The EIC change comes as NPR CEO Katherine Maher has come under scrutiny from conservatives and Capitol Hill Republicans for perceived liberal and progressive bias in NPR’s news reporting and political commentary. On the morning of Sept. 11, a Morning Edition report took note of the late Charlie Kirk’s more controversial statements, noting how he labeled former Vice President Kamala Harris a “DEI hire,” as part of its coverage of the Turning Point USA founder and Salem Media Network talk host’s assassination on Wednesday.
As such, Evans is likely to be placed in a strong-lensed spotlight as he takes oversight of NPR’s broadcast, digital, and emerging platforms. His prior experience, at CNN, includes serving as a London Bureau Chief, directing operations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. This involved managing 17 bureaus and 500 staff. He also served as a field producer in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
Evans commented, “NPR’s mission is as important today as it ever has been. Its value is built on the finest journalists in the nation, and I am proud to have been asked to lead this newsroom at this crucial time as we continue to serve our listeners and the pursuit of truth.”
In related news, Marta McLellan Ross will be charged with supporting Maher and senior NPR leadership in her new role as Chief of Staff. Since 2021, Ross has led NPR’s Policy and Representation team, advocating for public media before Congress, state, and local lawmakers. Her prior experience includes senior legislative roles at the Defense Logistics Agency, US Agency for Global Media, and on Capitol Hill.
— Reporting by Cameron Coats, in New York, and Adam R Jacobson, in Boca Raton, Fla.
