The House Energy & Commerce Committee has summoned NPR CEO Katherine Maher to testify before Congress on allegations of liberal bias within the publicly funded radio organization. Former NPR editor Uri Berliner has accused the outlet of mishandling stories related to Hunter Biden’s laptop and COVID-19 lab leak theories, while also claiming that registered Democrats vastly outnumber Republicans in the newsroom.
The recent allegations of liberal bias at National Public Radio (NPR) have reignited calls to defund the organization. However, experts believe that such efforts are unlikely to succeed and may even backfire, making NPR more liberal and less accountable. Defunding NPR, a non-profit entity, would require Congressional action and would not necessarily eliminate its tax-exempt status. Major left-liberal philanthropic organizations would likely step in to fill the funding gap, leading to further influence over NPR’s content. Moreover, over a thousand local public radio stations have tax-exempt status and receive funding from NPR, ensuring a continued flow of taxpayer dollars indirectly. Instead of defunding, Congress should focus on increasing oversight of NPR’s public broadcasting appropriations, including hearings on geographic and demographic diversity and program grants.
