NPR's Interim News Chief Looks Ahead At 2018

NPR's news operation is a team effort. But a newsroom can't abruptly lose its leader — as NPR did in November when Michael Oreskes resigned under pressure amid allegations of sexual harassment — and expect to bounce back quickly or easily. More disruption could be on the way, as well, given that NPR has announced internally that it will search for a new newsroom head, who — unless she or he is already at NPR — will likely come with his or her own priorities and vision.

Christopher Turpin is in the challenging position of overseeing this interlude period. A 17-year NPR veteran, he has been there before, as interim head of NPR's newsroom for a stint in 2014-15. When Oreskes, formerly of The Associated Press, was named to the top post, Turpin was named his deputy. He took the top spot again after Oreskes was pushed out. I have been impressed at how quickly he and his colleagues have moved to regroup, even as uncertainty looms.

I asked Turpin to walk me