Why should American taxpayers be on the hook to pay for a highly partisan and ideological media outlet?
That’s an important discussion to be had after Twitter last week slapped a “state affiliated media” tag on National Public Radio’s Twitter profile. The move was met with much anger and frothing.
“NPR and our member stations are supported by millions of listeners who depend on us for the independent, fact-based journalism we provide,” John Lansing, NPR’s president and CEO, said in a statement. “NPR stands for freedom of speech and holding the powerful accountable.”
Uh huh. So, what do the powerful have to say about this situation?
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierredefended NPR, saying that while she wouldn’t comment on the specific policy, “there’s no doubt of the independence of NPR’s journalists.”
“NPR journalists work digitally to hold public officials accountable and inform the American people,” she continued.
A government official gushing about a media outlet is such an excellent way to disabuse people of the notion that it’s connected to the state.
NPR literally said “Federal funding is essential to public radio” on their own website (now taken down).
What hypocrites! pic.twitter.com/kYAXW0zpyl
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 12, 2023