Latest news with #defunding
Fox News
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Fox News
NPR whistleblower says embrace of 'fringe progressivism' led to defunding
The NPR whistleblower that exposed the news outlet for liberal bias last year says its embrace of "fringe progressivism" was the reason for its defunding that became official this week. "It's a self-inflicted wound, a product of how NPR embraced a fringe progressivism that cost it any legitimate claim to stand as an impartial provider of news, much less one deserving of government support," Uri Berliner wrote in a Thursday op-ed entitled "Happy Independence Day, NPR." Berliner resigned from NPR last April after he was suspended for not getting approval to do work for other outlets following an essay he wrote in The Free Press. The bombshell piece lambasted his former employer's coverage of contentious topics like Russiagate, Hunter Biden's laptop, and the COVID lab leak theory. He said that his decision to leave was due in part to "absence of viewpoint diversity" at the outlet. Republicans in the Senate and House narrowly passed the rescissions package this week that yanked over $1 billion in federal broadcast funding for the fiscal year. "I witnessed that change firsthand in my 25 years at the network—and I tried to do something about it," he said. "I was a senior business editor at NPR when, a little more than a year ago, I published my account in The Free Press of how the network had lost touch with the country, and, like the legacy media everywhere, forfeited the trust of the public." He said that the outlet eventually "became a boutique product for a well-heeled audience clustered around coastal cities and college towns" and "shed moderate and conservative listeners." "Once fairly evenly divided between liberals, moderates, and conservatives, NPR's news audience shifted sharply to the left," Berliner wrote. The former NPR editor, who is now a contributing editor at The Free Press, said that NPR eroded the trust of its readers through slanted coverage of the COVID "lab leak" theory, as well as not covering the Hunter Biden laptop scandal. The outlet instead became part of what Berliner called the "Great Awokening," publishing headlines like "Which Skin Color Emoji Should You Use? The Answer Can Be More Complex than You Think," "Bringing Diversity to Maine's Nearly All-White Lobster Fleet," and "These Drag Artists Know How to Turn Climate Activism into a Joyful Blowout." "We were told to avoid the term biological sex, warned not to say illegal immigrant (a hurtful label)," Berliner wrote. He said his hope for NPR is it will return to its founding principles. "Now NPR will be like any other media organization, free to be as partisan as it chooses, stripped of its unique claim to taxpayer support, still protected by the First Amendment, but subject to the same financial and competitive pressures as everyone else," Berliner wrote. Fox News Digital reached out to NPR for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
Forbes
a day ago
- Politics
- Forbes
Why Congress Defunding NPR And PBS Isn't As Misguided As You Think
The CEO and President of National Public Radio (NPR), Katherine Maher, testifies during a House ... More committee hearing in Washington, DC, on March 26, 2025. (Photo by DREW ANGERER/AFP via Getty Images) The House's vote to claw back more than $1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting has sparked the kind of uproar you'd expect: Outrage from public media defenders, laments about the death of educational programming, and dire predictions for civic discourse generally. But here's the thing no one wants to say out loud — there's actually a rational case one can make as to why defunding NPR and PBS isn't nearly as unreasonable as critics suggest. This post will attempt to separate the fundamentals of what just happened to NPR and PBS from the noise and the chaotic politics of the moment that led to the defunding — bearing in mind that there have been plenty of specious arguments and claims on both sides of the issue. The contrarian position here, in support of defunding, is certainly not a broadly popular one; that said, there is, in fact, a world where it can lead to a better outcome for all involved. Incidentally, a recent Pew Research Center survey found that more than half of the U.S. adults who responded said they were either in favor of the defunding (24%) or that they weren't sure (33%), compared to 43% who said the funding should continue. The arguments against taxpayers funding NPR and PBS To start, we can probably agree on some basic facts about public broadcasting. Like the fact that NPR and PBS were created in an era of media scarcity — that is, when Americans had a handful of TV channels, and news options were limited. That's no longer the case today. You and I live in a golden age of content abundance, where thousands of media outlets compete for attention across every imaginable platform. And that fact, in and of itself, automatically weakens the justification for taxpayer-funded programming, especially when there's no shortage of high-quality reporting, children's content, and arts programming already available. Which brings us to a second point that weakens the case further still: For those of you against these cuts — are each and every single one of you currently directly contributing any money to public media in the form of a donation? If not, why should taxpayers be forced to step up and do the thing that you think is necessary but won't do yourself? One could argue that there's also a First Amendment-adjacent argument to be had here. Setting aside the fact that citizens expect the press to hold power to account (rather than to regularly take its money), forcing taxpayers to financially support certain 'speech' sure seems like a clear violation of individual rights. People also shouldn't be compelled to subsidize viewpoints they may oppose, even indirectly. Else, why doesn't Newsmax or Breitbart get to likewise come before the federal government with outstretched hands? Of course, critics of the defunding will argue that NPR and PBS still serve a vital public interest. But that argument starts to fall apart when we confront the elephant in the room: Bias. NPR CEO Katherine Maher (who in the past has called the idea of truth a 'distraction') has defended her newsroom against accusations of bias, saying she welcomes feedback and insists the organization is nonpartisan. But to say that NPR is free of bias is to misunderstand how journalism works — and how the people who produce it are wired. Bias doesn't have to embrace a particular ideology, nor does it even have to be overt (for that matter, it's also not something that will ever be identified uniformly). Bias can show up in what stories are covered, what angles are emphasized, and what's left out. No newsroom is immune — not NPR, not Fox News, not anyone. Bias, like beauty, is in the eye of those who behold it. One can also credibly argue that not all bias is de facto 'bad.' Most of us, I'm sure, are biased in favor of things like democracy and free and fair elections (as opposed to their alternatives). Before you insist that public broadcasters occupy the dead center of the ideological spectrum, though, it would probably be worth taking a second look at things like NPR's early dismissal of the COVID lab-leak theory (no longer regarded as fringe) and its past resistance to covering stories perceived as helpful to President Trump. This leads me to my final point. I alluded above to the idea of an outcome where all sides are better off after decoupling NPR and PBS from the federal government. That's because NPR and PBS have already built strong foundations through audience-supported models. Their most loyal listeners and viewers have proven they're willing to give — not because they're forced to, but because they believe in the mission. And that is a far more stable and principled source of support than relying on federal funding, which can evaporate with a change in administration or the whims of lawmakers whose priorities often shift with the political winds. If anything, public media outlets like NPR and PBS might actually be in a stronger position long-term by fully embracing the model they already depend on: Earning the public's trust, delivering value, and letting the audience decide if it's worth sustaining.
Forbes
07-07-2025
- Health
- Forbes
Judge Temporarily Blocks Government From ‘Defunding' Planned Parenthood
A federal judge temporarily blocked the government from enforcing a provision of President Donald Trump's megabill that would have prevented Medicaid from reimbursing Planned Parenthood—a move the reproductive health group said would amount to 'defunding.' Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit challenging the law in a Massachusetts federal court Monday. AFP via Getty Images
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Collins, Murkowski vote with Democrats on striking Planned Parenthood provision from GOP megabill
Republican Sens. Susan Collins (Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) on Monday sided with Democrats who were trying to strike a provision from the GOP's megabill that would bar Planned Parenthood health centers from receiving Medicaid funding for services provided to low-income women across the country. The two were the only Republicans to vote for a motion to waive a budget point of order against an amendment to remove the provision. It was sponsored by Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.), the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee. Murray hoped to offer an amendment to strip the Planned Parenthood-related provision from the bill, but she first needed to overcome a procedural objection to the bill. Republicans blocked her motion in a 51-49 vote. She needed 60 votes to overcome the objection. 'It will take another step toward enacting Republicans' plan for a backdoor nationwide abortion ban. How does it do this? By defunding Planned Parenthood,' Murray said. 'This is a long-sought goal of anti-choice extremists — no surprise, it is overwhelmingly unpopular with the American people,' she added. Live updates: Thune looks to nail down holdouts on Trump megabill Senate Republicans added the provision, Section 7115, back into the bill after the Senate parliamentarian initially ruled it violated the Senate's Byrd Rule, which determines what legislation is eligible to pass with a simple-majority vote under budget reconciliation. Republicans changed the timing of the 'defunding' from 10 years to one year to meet the parliamentarian's requirements. Nathan Weixel contributed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
07-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Miami gun violence prevention nonprofit protests federal funding cuts: "People over politics"
More than 100 supporters rallied in front of the Circle of Brotherhood nonprofit in Miami on Wednesday to protest what they said is the "defunding" of programs to curb gun violence. Last week, CBS News Miami reported that the U.S. Department of Justice notified the Circle that it was ending a $2 million grant program. The Circle has a group of workers called "peacemakers," who interact with children in local schools to prevent conflict. They serve as a neighborhood patrol, with boots on the ground to stop crime, gun violence and offering alternatives. Lyle Muhammad, the Circle's executive director, told CBS News Miami he was barely able to pay his 50 employees and would be running out of money. Moms Demand Action spoke out against the cuts, while other supporters called on the federal government to restore the funding. "They are not just numbers — they are saving lives," said one speaker at the podium. "We demand people over politics." "The school board was invited to be here and nobody showed," added Holly Zwerling, the president and CEO of Fatherhood Task Force South Florida, a nonprofit that increases the role of fathers in children's lives. In an email from the Justice Department, the Circle was told their funding was ending "because it no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities. Instead, they would focus on law enforcement protecting children and victims of trafficking and sexual assault. Speakers called on church groups and others to step up and raise money to keep the Circle work going.
