NPR Cutbacks Include 13 Layoffs

National Public Radio said yesterday it will lay off 13 employees and furlough all of its employees for five days over the next five months in the latest round of belt-tightening by the Washington-based organization. The cuts are part of a series of measures that will help NPR close a projected $8 million budget gap during its current fiscal year, and $15 million over the next two years. In addition to the furloughs, employees also will not be paid for three holidays (Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day) this year, and three more when its new fiscal year begins on Oct. 1. Like many news-media organizations, NPR has been grappling with reduced revenue; in December, as its fiscal crisis deepened, it laid off 64 employees, or 7 percent of the staff, and eliminated two daily radio programs. It was NPR's first layoff in 25 years. The latest job cuts were in the information technology, legal services and communications departments and won't affect programming, NPR said.