NPR Troubles Extend Beyond Reporting Bias

NPR President/CEO Katherine Maher has defended the organization following the controversy stirred up by former Business Editor Uri Berliner’s essay that appeared in The Free Press, in which he accused the network of biased reporting. However, NPR continues to grapple with a multifaceted crisis. The challenges it faces span layoffs, financial instability, and internal discord. 

Layoffs and Turbulence:

Context: NPR employees eagerly tuned in for a pivotal meeting last year, hoping for positive news about the network’s future.

Reality: Instead, they were met with a stark preview of ongoing challenges.

Impact: Layoffs have been a recurring theme, affecting the workforce and creating uncertainty.

Financial Struggles: Sponsorship revenue has dipped, impacting NPR’s financial stability as the network’s ability to make a significant impact on America is slipping, not only in traditional broadcast but also in the burgeoning realm of on-demand audio.

Internal Turmoil: While NPR has made efforts to promote diversity, these initiatives have generated internal strife.  Meanwhile, NPR grapples with profound shifts in the ever-changing media industry. Accusations, leveled in an essay published in an online publication, The Free Press, led to a deluge of criticism from conservatives, including former President Donald J. Trump, who called for the network’s public funding to be pulled. The essay also generated vociferous pushback internally, with many journalists defending their work and saying Uri Berliner’s essay distorted basic facts about NPR’s coverage.

But, The NY Times reports NPR’s troubles extend far beyond concerns about its journalism.  It is grappling with a declining audience and falling revenue — and internal conflict about how to fix it. NPR’s traditional broadcast audience, still the bulk of its listenership, is in long-term decline that accelerated when the pandemic interrupted long car commutes for millions of people. The network has begun to sign up digital subscribers who pay for ad-free podcasts, but that business has lagged far behind that of its competitors.