NPR, PBS Chiefs Respond to GOP Allegations of Bias in House Hearing

The heads of National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) responded to Republican allegations of liberal bias during a March 26 hearing by the House Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency.

The hearing occurred a day after President Donald Trump, echoing other Republicans, said that NPR and PBS should be defunded.

“I would love to do that. I think it’s very unfair. It’s been very biased,” he told reporters at the White House during a Cabinet meeting.

In her opening statement, NPR CEO and President Katherine Maher said her outlet is committed to serving all audiences.

“We have a responsibility to serve Americans across the full political spectrum in a trustworthy, nonpartisan fashion,” she said.

Maher said that NPR has processes to ensure its content is “fair and comprehensive” and that diverse issues and viewpoints are aired.

Related Stories

She also said that NPR’s digital audience reflects “the makeup of the country across the ideological spectrum.”

Meanwhile, PBS CEO and President Paula Kerger said in her opening statement that her station looks to appeal to all Americans, though she did not go into depth about allegations of bias.

“Our stations pool resources to invest in programming that will benefit all Americans, ranging from history and science to art and music,” she said. She cited “Firing Line with Margaret Hoover” as a program where people with diverse political views are interviewed.

Kerger said the primetime programming is for adults.

However, Greene fired back.

“Parents and adults don’t trust that type of programming,” she said.

“We don’t want to waste our time on stories that are not really stories, and we don’t want to waste the listeners’ and readers’ time on stories that are just pure distractions,” said NPR managing editor Terence Samuel at the time.

At the hearing, however, Maher said NPR’s attitude over the laptop story was a “mistake.”

Democrats on the subcommittee came to the defense of NPR and PBS.

Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), who served as the ranking member for the hearing in the place of Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), asked Kerger and Maher to explain how their outlets provide educational programming for children of low-income families. He also asked Maher to talk about her outlet providing crucial information during emergencies such as natural disasters.

Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) praised NPR’s Washington affiliate, WAMU, for airing programming including the latest news and cultural stories related to the nation’s capital.