The staff of North State Public Radio were given a 60-day notice last week that they’ll be laid off from their jobs at CapRadio but have been encouraged to reapply under Chico State. The layoffs will be in effect on Nov. 30.
The layoffs are the by-product of a transfer in ownership of NSPR from CapRadio to Chico State.
It will be official on Dec. 1, when Chico State Enterprises (CSE) wholly takes over operations. CSE is a non-profit corporation that raises funds for the university, among other things.
“We are committed to continuing NSPR’s legacy of independent news and storytelling.”— Leslie Cornick, Chico State Provost
CSE has posted listings for every existing job at the station and has added the role of General Manager. Chico State said that these changes won’t impact the community.
“We are committed to continuing NSPR’s legacy of independent news and storytelling,” said Chico State Provost Leslie Cornick in a statement to the campus community.
Cornick said jobs listings are open to the public, and all current employees have been encouraged to apply. The deadline to submit applications is Oct. 12.
“As an equal opportunity employer, we can’t guarantee positions for current employees because the postings are open for others to apply,” Cornick wrote in an email to NSPR. “However, the knowledge and experience of existing staff will make them highly competitive for these roles.”
Union response
The lay-offs came as a surprise to most NSPR employees. With the exception of the Director of Content Sarah Bohannon, “Cultivating Place” Host Jennifer Jewell and Reporter Claudia Brancart, 11 employees are represented by NABET-CWA Local 51.
Carrie Biggs-Adams, the president of Local 51, says the union was requesting a bargaining session with Chico State when they got the news.
“The next thing we heard was the layoff notice,” she said.
Biggs-Adams hoped the union could be more involved in the management transition. She said the union plans to meet with its lawyers to discuss the legalities of the layoff and the hiring process.
“If everybody gets picked up, then we don't have a problem,” Biggs-Adams said. “If, on the other hand, someone is left out, or there are other problems from that job posting process, then we'll cross those issues when we get there.”
The decision has caused some anxiety among the NSPR staff. Some like Sarah Downs, NSPR’s Studio Operations Technician, said that she’s “cautiously optimistic.”
“I don't know what things will look like a year from now but I’m just kind of hanging on to my little, tiny string of hope,” Downs said.
“I see this moment as a real opportunity to build on the station’s journalism and programming in a way that further reflects what the people in this region need and deserve.”— Sarah Bohannon, North State Public Radio director of content
In the meantime, Downs is continuing to work with Chico State to get existing vendors paid once the transfer is official.
“All Things Considered” Anchor Ken Devol says the station couldn’t operate if it didn’t rehire key staff. But he understands why some staff members are worried about reapplying for their jobs.
"Chico State doesn’t want to take over an operation that is struggling because they don't have experienced people in place,” Devol said.
Digital Projects Editor Angel Huracha said he has mixed feelings about the transition. On one hand, it “feels like a breakup with CapRadio,” but it also “feels like a return home” to Chico State.
“I hope to continue my journey with them, but that's ultimately up to them and the transition,” he said.
Bohannon says there could be a silver lining in returning back home to Chico State. She’s been working at the station for over a decade.
“I see this moment as a real opportunity to build on the station’s journalism and programming in a way that further reflects what the people in this region need and deserve,” Bohannon said.
Bohannon also said that during this period, she plans to focus on partnering the station with community members, university students, faculty, and other local news outlets to “deepen storytelling across the North State.”
“Strong, independent, local journalism is needed now more than ever, and that’s what we’re working to sustain,” said Bohannon.
Other plans for transition
Chico State is making the pitch that the transition could bring in more funding for NSPR. CapRadio has been plagued with mismanagement.
The station filed a civil lawsuit against Former General Manager Jun Reina last December, accusing him of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from its funding. Because of their financial problems and other events, CapRadio decided to transfer management back to Chico State.
Ashley Gebb, a spokesperson for Chico State, said that the university can leverage its vast resources to fundraise and plan for long-term sustainability.
“It's really just an opportunity for us to be focused on a station that is literally here in our community,” Gebb said.
Cornick said that CSE is still working on creating a budget for NSPR, but will plan on taking advantage of all funding resources. And Cornick said that the university is planning to bring in all the stakeholders into this transition process.
“We want to do this thoughtfully and intentionally and with all of the necessary feedback from our listeners, our donors, our staff,” Cornick told NSPR.
The University plans to make all its hires before Nov. 30.
And following NPR’s protocol for reporting on itself, no NSPR or Cap Radio management reviewed this story before it was broadcast. NSPR's broadcast licenses are owned by Chico State. It does not oversee our news production or programming.
