Media Outlet Employees Respond To Essay
Veteran NPR editor Uri Berliner's recent essay has sparked controversy and turmoil within the news organization. Published earlier this week, the bombshell piece called out the liberal groupthink that Berliner claims has plagued NPR's newsroom. He points to their coverage of events such as Russiagate, the Hunter Biden laptop scandal, the COVID lab leak theory, and the Israel-Hamas conflict as examples of the outlet's left-leaning bias.
According to an article published in The New York Times on Thursday, Berliner's essay has caused internal tumult among his colleagues and NPR leadership. During a scheduled meet-and-greet with the hosts of NPR's top shows on Wednesday, editor-in-chief Edith Chapin reportedly expressed concerns about Berliner becoming a "martyr." In addition, the essay has sparked critical conversations in staff affinity groups focused on issues of racial and sexual identity, a topic that Berliner specifically mentioned in his piece.
Some NPR employees have pushed back against Berliner's assertions, with one "Morning Edition" producer claiming that a variety of factors have contributed to the decline in NPR's audience. Others have taken to social media to express their views, with NPR correspondent Brian Mann stating that he has "felt welcome, supported, heard and respected" by his colleagues, contradicting Berliner's criticism of the push for racial diversity within NPR.
However, there has also been support for Berliner's essay. Former NPR ombudsman Jeffrey Dvorkin stated that while Berliner may not be entirely right, he is "not wrong." Similarly, former NPR managing editor Chuck Holmes commended Berliner's "brave" essay on Facebook.
Berliner's essay, titled "The Big Lie: How The American Press Failed In 2020," makes bold claims about NPR's reporting and editorial decisions in recent years. Berliner asserts that the outlet's coverage of the 2016 and 2020 elections was heavily influenced by a deep-seated anti-Trump bias that led to a shift from "tough, straightforward coverage" to "efforts to damage or topple" the former president's administration.
The editor also takes aim at how NPR has made diversity its "North Star," stating that the issue has become a higher priority than ideological diversity within the newsroom. Berliner notes that while diversity is important, the outlet's focus on it has overshadowed its commitment to political diversity. According to his research, 87 of NPR's editors are registered Democrats, while none are registered Republicans.
NPR has responded to Berliner's essay, with Chapin sending a memo to staff expressing her and her team's strong disagreement with its claims. The memo also states that NPR is "proud to stand behind the exceptional work" of its journalists. NPR managing editor of standards and practices Tony Cavin also disputes Berliner's assertions, stating that the essay may make it more difficult for NPR journalists to do their jobs, as it could negatively impact their credibility with sources, particularly those on the political right.
Berliner has not been disciplined by NPR for publishing the essay but received a reminder from his supervisor that employees are required to clear speaking appearances and media requests with standards and media relations. It should be noted that Berliner did not run his comments by NPR before speaking with The New York Times.
Berliner's essay has sparked a crucial conversation about bias within the media, particularly within NPR's newsroom. While there may be differing opinions on the validity of his claims, it is evident that the essay has caused significant upheaval within the organization. It remains to be seen how NPR will address and handle the fallout from Berliner's thought-provoking piece.