Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, has raised concerns about National Public Radio (NPR) and its departure from its mission of creating a more informed public. In a letter to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), Cruz criticized NPR for what he sees as a culture of political bias and partisanship that contradicts its role as a taxpayer-funded media organization.
The letter highlighted findings from an essay by ousted NPR editor Uri Berliner, which exposed what Cruz described as a far-left ideological takeover of NPR's newsroom. Cruz emphasized NPR's refusal to acknowledge journalistic errors and its lack of viewpoint diversity, which he believes undermines the public broadcaster's integrity.
Cruz specifically targeted NPR's new CEO, Katherine Maher, for her history of Democratic activism and promotion of woke ideologies. He questioned why taxpayer funds should support what he perceives as partisan propaganda.
The senator posed a series of questions to CPB, inquiring about the justification for continued funding to NPR despite evidence of partisanship, the ratio of Republicans to Democrats among NPR editors, and steps taken to audit NPR's adherence to journalistic standards.
Cruz urged CPB to implement corrective measures or reconsider NPR's funding, threatening further action if the issues remain unaddressed. He called for Maher's termination as CEO due to her partisan bias.
CPB, which distributes federal funding to NPR and PBS, received $525 million in advanced funding for 2024. While NPR claims to receive less than 1% of its annual budget from CPB, the funding indirectly supports NPR through smaller stations.
Berliner, a veteran NPR editor, shed light on what he perceived as left-wing influence on NPR's coverage during the Trump era. He faced disciplinary action for violating NPR's policies and ultimately resigned.
