[Karah Rucker]
TENS OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS LISTEN TO NPR WEEKLY –
BUT THE FUTURE OF ITS SYNDICATION COULD BE IN JEOPARDY UNDER A TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
ELON MUSK IS RENEWING CALLS TO DEFUND THE MEDIA PLATFORM –
AFTER SHARING THIS CONTROVERSIAL VIDEO OF NPR’S CEO – KATHERINE MAHER – WHO IS LESS THAN A YEAR INTO THE POSITION.
“I think our reverence for the truth might have become a bit of a distraction that is preventing us from finding consensus and getting important things done.”
ELON MUSK CAPTIONED THE VIDEO WITH THIS QUESTION:
Should your tax dollars really be paying for an organization run by people who think the truth is a “distraction”?
IT’S NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR THERE’S BEEN CALLS TO DEFUND NPR.
THE CEO WAS ASKED TO TESTIFY ON CAPITOL HILL OVER NPR’S POLITICAL BIASES – BUT MAHER DECLINED DUE TO A SCHEDULING CONFLICT.
CONTROVERSY HIT THE OUTLET EARLIER THIS YEAR WHEN VETERAN NPR EDITOR “URI BERLINER” TOOK AIM AT THE OUTLET FOR WHAT HE CALLED A BLATANT LEFT-WING BIAS –
THEN BLASTED MAHER AS HAVING “DIVISIVE VIEWS” –
AND RESIGNED AFTER A 25 YEAR TENURE.
BERLINER’S GRIEVANCES AGAINST NPR STIRRED UP THE NEWS CYCLE IN APRIL –
WITH TRUMP CHIMING IN THEN – DEMANDING FOR NPR TO BE DEFUNDED –
QUOTE “NOT ONE DOLLAR.”
FAST-FORWARD SIX MONTHS –
AND THE FORMER PRESIDENT IS ONCE AGAIN PRESIDENT-ELECT –
RAISING THE QUESTION OF WHETHER THE SENTIMENT TO DEFUND NPR STANDS.
ELON MUSK IS ONE OF MULTIPLE TRUMP ALLIES RECENTLY QUESTIONING IF NPR SHOULD CONTINUE RECEIVING FEDERAL FUNDS.
NEW YORK CONGRESSWOMAN ELISE STEFANIK – WHOM TRUMP IS TAPPING FOR HIS SECOND ADMINISTRATION –
ALSO SHARED HER GRIEVANCES WITH THE OUTLET THIS ELECTION CYCLE.
STEFANIK POSTED ON X ABOUT AN NPR REPORTER –
WHO STEFANIK SAYS MISLED VOTERS IN HER DISTRICT.
SHE BEGINS THE POST ACCUSING THE NEW YORK NPR AFFILIATE OF QUOTE “ELECTION INTERFERENCE”
ENDING THE POST WITH “I WILL DEFUND NPR”.
NPR RECEIVES FUNDING FROM DONORS AND SPONSORS –
AND RECEIVES FEDERAL FUNDS THROUGH A GRANT ESTABLISHED BY CONGRESS IN 1967.
NPR’S WEBSITE SAYS THE ELIMINATION OF FEDERAL FUNDING WOULD IMMEDIATELY RESULT IN “FEWER PROGRAMS AND LESS JOURNALISM.”
“AND EVENTUALLY THE LOSS OF PUBLIC RADIO STATIONS.”
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