NPR Editor Says Outlet's Biased Reporting Has 'Lost America’s Trust'

An editor at NPR (Lean Left bias) published an essay criticizing the journalistic practices of the outlet, alleging that NPR’s biased reporting has resulted in Americans losing trust in the outlet.

Key Quotes: In an article published in The Free Press (Center bias), Uri Berliner, a senior editor at NPR, described a cultural change at the outlet, arguing, “An open-minded spirit no longer exists within NPR, and now, predictably, we don’t have an audience that reflects America.” Berliner lists examples where he believes bias influenced reporting at NPR — the Donald Trump-Russia collusion allegations, the Hunter Biden laptop story, and COVID-19’s origins — concluding, “politics were blotting out the curiosity and independence that ought to have been driving our work.” Berliner concluded by defending NPR despite its flaws, writing, “As the country becomes more fractured, there’s still a need for a public institution where stories are told and viewpoints exchanged in good faith.”

NPR Response: NPR editor-in-chief Edith Chapin disagreed with Berliner’s assessment, defending the “exceptional work that our desks and shows do to cover a wide range of challenging stories.” Chapin added that the outlet is not “above scrutiny or critique. We must have vigorous discussions in the newsroom about how we serve the public as a whole, fostering a culture of conversation that breaks down the silos that we sometimes end up retreating to.”

How the Media Covered It: Right-rated outlets covered the story most frequently. The Daily Mail (Right bias) labeled Berliner a whistleblower. NPR did cover the story.