Former NPR editor Uri Berliner has accused CEO Katherine Maher of violating the organization's "firewall" between journalism and business by publicly criticizing his essay alleging political bias within the newsroom. Berliner's comments come as the House holds a hearing to investigate alleged bias at NPR.
National Public Radio (NPR) President and CEO Katherine Maher and other top executives declined to testify before a House hearing on alleged bias at the tax-payer-funded public news outlet on Friday. The hearing was called in response to a bombshell essay by veteran NPR editor Uri Berliner, who alleged that the newsroom had been taken over by the left-wing, which had impacted coverage during the Trump era.
Berliner, who spoke at the Dissident Dialogues festival on Saturday, revealed that Maher's arrival as CEO in March 2021 was a "big factor" in his decision to go public with his concerns. He had hoped that she would "turn a new leaf" for the outlet. However, Berliner said he was disappointed when Maher publicly rebuked his essay, which questioned whether NPR journalists were serving the organization's mission with integrity based on their political identities.
Berliner asserted that Maher's memo crossed the "firewall" that separates NPR's journalism from its business side. He accused her of criticizing him as a journalist, which he found troubling given her views on the First Amendment and free expression.
NPR has not responded to Fox News Digital's request for comment on Berliner's allegations. However, Maher has previously denied any editorial control over NPR's news coverage and has said that she had not met Berliner before his departure.
The House hearing on NPR's alleged bias was met with mixed reactions. Some Republican members expressed concern about political bias within the organization, while Democrats defended NPR's journalistic integrity. The hearing concluded without any concrete action being taken.
After his essay was published, Berliner was placed on a five-day unpaid suspension for violating NPR's policy of seeking permission before appearing on another news platform. He ultimately resigned from the organization.
Maher has also faced scrutiny for her social media posts featuring pro-Democrat activism and woke ideologies. A group of 50 NPR employees signed a letter calling on Maher and NPR's chief content officer to publicly rebuke "factual inaccuracies" in Berliner's essay.
Berliner raised concerns in his essay about the lack of viewpoint diversity in the NPR newsroom. However, Maher has sidestepped questions about whether she would prioritize viewpoint diversity in the newsroom.
The controversy surrounding NPR's alleged bias has raised questions about the organization's journalistic integrity and the role of CEO Katherine Maher in shaping the newsroom's culture. The House hearing concluded without any clear outcome, but the allegations of political bias and the crossing of the news-business firewall remain a concern for some.
