NPR EDITOR URI BERLINER SUSPENDED AMID CONTROVERSY OVER 'LIBERAL BIAS' AND CEO EDITH CHAPIN'S TWEETS ON TRUMP

Non-profit media organisation National Public Radio (NPR) suspended senior business editor Uri Berliner for five days for violating the network's policy. His suspension will start on Friday (April 19) and will continue till April 23.

Berliner had broken the ranks and published an essay in The Free Press - operated by former New York Times editor Bari Weiss - where he criticized the NPR's coveragae of a number of issues, including the Hunter Biden laptop controversy and allegations against Donald Trump that he colluded with Russia during the 2016 US elections. He accused NPR of a lack of viewpoint diversity.

According to the Associated Press, NPR suspended Berliner for his failure to seek approval before seeking work outside the organisation. The also accused the senior journalist of releasing confidential information about the demography of the network's audience in his essay.

Recently appointed NPR CEO, Edith Chapin, defended the network against the allegations brought in by Uri, saying that the senior leadership at the network "strongly disagree with Uri’s assessment of the quality of our journalism and the integrity of our newsroom processes."

NPR's 'Morning Edition' co-host Steve Inskeep also criticized Berliner for the allegations brought against the network, saying that his essay was filled with errors and assumptions.

“If Uri’s ‘larger point’ is that journalists should seek wider perspectives, and not just write stories that confirm their prior opinions, his article is useful as an example of what to avoid,” Inskeep wrote.

In his essay, Berliner also criticized NPR’s coverage of several other topics, including the COVID-19 pandemic, trans rights and the Israel-Hamas war.

2024-04-17T01:41:46Z dg43tfdfdgfd