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“This is NPR.” That tagline has long been used for National Public Radio, but what it is remains remarkably in doubt. NPR remains something of a curiosity. It is a state-subsidized media outlet in a country that rejects state media. It is a site that routinely pitches for its sponsors while insisting that it does not have commercials.
Even after a respected editor, Uri Berliner, wrote a scathing account of the political bias at NPR, the outlet has doubled down on its one-sided coverage and commentary. Indeed, while tacking aggressively to the left and openly supporting narratives (including some false stories) from Democratic sources, NPR has dismissed the criticism. When many of us called on NPR to pick a more politically neutral CEO, it instead chose Katherine Maher, who was previously criticized for her strident political views.
Many have long questioned the federal government’s subsidization of a media organization. NPR itself continues to maintain that “federal funding is essential” to its work. However, this country has long rejected state media models as undermining democratic values. NPR’s audience has been declining for years, and it has been forced to make deep staff cuts. It has one of the least diverse audiences in media, but it still expects most of the country to subsidize its programming.
NPR is facing a reckoning, particularly with FCC Chair Brendan Carr inquiring about NPR’s claim that it does not do commercial advertising. The outlet has been criticized for pitching to sponsors under the guise of public service announcements. Carr has stated that NPR’s sponsor messages “could be violating federal law” by crossing the line into prohibited commercial advertisements.
It is hard to see the sponsor acknowledgments as anything other than commercial advertising. Many believe that NPR and PBS are simply trying to spin their commercials under a different label. In its sponsor guidelines, NPR notes that its way is actually a better method to reach consumers. “Across platforms, NPR sponsor messages are governed by slightly different regulations, but the guiding spirit is the same: guidelines are less about what’s ‘allowed’ and more about the approach that works best for brands to craft sponsor recognition messages that connect with people in ‘the NPR way.'”
Many liberal outlets, such as The Washington Post and The LA Times, continue to maintain their biased coverage despite falling ratings and revenues. They believe they have every right to offer their own slanted viewpoints or coverage, but not a federal subsidy to insulate them from the response of consumers. It is time to establish a bright-line rule against government subsidies for favored media outlets.
“This is NPR” but it is not who we should be as a nation. It is time for a reckoning.