After charges of political bias at NPR were brought forth by now-former editor Uri Berliner last month, a group of House Republicans want to investigate the matter further.
In a letter to NPR CEO Katherine Maher, Reps. Bob Latta (R-OH), Morgan Griffith (R-VA), and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) shared that the recent reports were troubling because of the outlet’s lack of representation of one side of the political aisle.
“The Committee has concerns about the direction in which NPR may be headed under past and present leadership,” the Representatives wrote. “As a taxpayer-funded, public radio organization, NPR should focus on fair and objective news reporting that both considers and reflects the views of the larger U.S. population and not just a niche audience.”
“it is incomprehensible that the nation’s public radio — supported by taxpayer funding — would choose to allow political ideologies to override journalistic principles of truth, accuracy, and objectivity.”
The group is also asking the organization to provide Congress with details on the political affiliation of its news staff. It has also requested information on how many registered Republicans have served on its board of directors in the last half-decade.
After Berliner’s op-ed, NPR colleagues pushed back against the insinuation that the organization was rife with political bias. Maher admitted that the allegation was a distraction, but added that she was committed to serving the American public as a whole, and not just overtly liberal listeners.
