NPR’s CEO, Katherine Maher, has faced intense criticism from conservatives over social media posts she published before taking the top job at the public broadcaster. However, Maher has dismissed this criticism, calling it a distraction from the organization’s focus on transformation.
Maher, who took over as NPR’s CEO this spring, has faced backlash from the right following an op-ed published by a former top editor at NPR accusing the outlet of liberal bias. Conservatives have used Uri Berliner’s essay to highlight social media posts from Maher, some of which date back years, where she praised Democrats and promoted progressive ideas.
Maher has also faced pressure internally from NPR staffers to more forcefully condemn Berliner’s assertions about the outlet. However, Maher has said she has had productive conversations across the newsroom about editorial strategy, including Berliner’s op-ed.
Berliner eventually resigned after being briefly suspended, citing what he characterized as Maher’s hostility toward him and the claims he was making about the outlet. The episode has renewed calls from many Republican lawmakers and conservative pundits to pull funding from NPR, which draws a portion of its underwriting from the federal government.
Despite these attacks, Maher insists that her personal political opinions do not affect her work. She maintains that it is common in public service roles to set aside personal perspectives in order to lead effectively.
