The House Energy & Commerce Committee is calling on NPR CEO Katherine Maher to publicly testify before Congress in response to accusations of left-wing bias at the outlet despite receiving federal funds. Lawmakers expressed concerns about the direction of NPR under past and present leadership, urging the organization to focus on fair and objective news reporting that reflects the views of a broader audience. GOP Senators have also raised issues regarding political diversity in NPR’s newsroom and have accused the outlet of reporting with a left-leaning bias on major news stories such as the Mueller report, Hunter Biden’s laptop, and the origins of COVID-19.
Conservatives have long criticized NPR for its alleged left-wing bias, especially as the outlet receives funding from federal grants and government-backed sources. Former NPR editor Uri Berliner recently claimed that NPR mishandled critical stories related to Hunter Biden’s laptop and COVID-19 lab leak theories, and highlighted a lack of political diversity in the newsroom. Lawmakers also questioned Maher’s past statements, including her views on the First Amendment and her criticism of The New York Times for publishing an op-ed by a Republican Senator Tom Cotton, which she labeled as containing racist dog whistles.
The committee has requested Maher to appear before a hearing next week to address the allegations of political and ideological bias at NPR, and to provide answers to a list of questions regarding the political affiliations of NPR’s newsroom staff and any internal documents pertaining to viewpoint diversity within the organization. Maher criticized the backlash against NPR in response, accusing her detractors of distorting her views and statements in bad faith. NPR has yet to comment on the letter from the committee.
Lawmakers have emphasized the importance of NPR remaining unbiased and reflecting the diverse viewpoints of the American population as a taxpayer-funded public radio organization. The accusations of left-wing bias have heightened concerns over the outlet’s coverage of major news stories and calls for a course correction in its reporting practices. Maher’s past statements and actions have also come under scrutiny, with lawmakers questioning her views on free speech and her criticism of conservative perspectives in the media.
The controversy surrounding NPR’s alleged bias has reignited calls to defund the outlet and has prompted lawmakers to seek transparency and accountability from its leadership. NPR’s handling of sensitive news stories and its lack of political diversity in the newsroom have raised questions about the organization’s commitment to objective reporting. Maher’s upcoming testimony before Congress will provide an opportunity for lawmakers to address these concerns and to ensure that NPR upholds the principles of fairness, balance, and impartiality in its news coverage.
