NPR's next news chief built an international career at CNN

NPR has named a new news chief at a moment of uncertainty for the network, when it must adjust to the end of federal funding for public media on Sept. 30 — a move brought on by the Trump administration and Republican allies in Congress.

NPR has tapped Thomas Evans — widely called Tommy — a veteran of CNN's international coverage who reported on conflicts for more than two decades. He arrived at NPR a year ago to launch its editorial review desk. The desk is charged with helping the newsroom ensure that its reporting is fair, accurate and contextual — in stories both on air and online, and in the full weight of NPR's coverage.

"I had a lot of respect from beforehand, but these are really the best journalists in the country, if not the world," Evans says in an interview. He says CEO Kather