NPR Reporters Scoff At Claims Of Bias

 Several prominent NPR journalists have been countering conservatives’ criticism of the outlet’s bias after it was sparked by NPR former senior business editor Uri Berliner in a piece pointing out NPR’s “liberal bent.” 

In a new piece last week describing NPR as being “targeted by conservatives,” The Washington Post spoke to NPR employees who insist that there is diversity of thought in their newsroom and dismissed this criticism as the perpetual struggle a “free independent press” has to endure. 

Uri Berliner

The report followed weeks of NPR being in the hot seat after Berliner’s essay in “The Free Press,” which accused the outlet of liberal bias in its coverage of Russiagate, the COVID lab leak theory, Hunter Biden’s laptop, and other major political topics.

The NPR reporters countered Berliner and other critics’ appraisal of their outlet, with NPR’s "Morning Edition" host Leila Fadel telling The Post about how there is diversity of thought at the outlet.

"We have strong, heated editorial debates every day to try and get the most appropriate language and nuanced reporting in a landscape that is divisive and difficult to work in as a journalist," she insisted. 

In addition to calling Berliner’s essay a "bad-faith effort" and "factually inaccurate take on our work," she couched the criticism as typical for people trying to pursue truth in reporting.

"Media and free independent press are often under attack for the fact-based reporting that we do," she declared.