NPR and PBS Executives Face Intense Scrutiny in Partisan House Hearing on Bias
NPR and PBS presidents defended their organizations amid accusations of bias during a heated House Oversight subcommittee hearing on public broadcasting funding.
This is not about saving taxpayer dollars or based on any genuine concern about whether there's too much bias on public media.
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Republicans said the two media organizations were out of touch with large swaths of Americans, while grilling the executives over their outlets’ funding and editorial objectivity.
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The nation’s public broadcasting system is facing perhaps the biggest threat to its existence since it was first established in 1967.
Funding for PBS, NPR under fire
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The Republicans chastised the media executives over their lack of coverage of Hunter Biden’s laptop during the 2020 presidential campaign and reports that the COVID-19 virus could have originated in a Chinese lab.
Republicans grill PBS, NPR chiefs as Democrats mock proceedings
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The hearings on behalf of the new administration are one of multiple front on which Trump and his allies are aggressively challenging and in some cases sanctioning the American media, which the president has been sharply critical of for years.
Congressional Republicans target PBS, NPR funding in contentious hearing
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The hearing occurred a day after President Donald Trump, echoing other Republicans, said NPR and PBS should be defunded.
NPR, PBS Chiefs Respond to GOP Allegations of Bias in House Hearing
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Democrats characterized the hearing as a distraction from more important issues, like this week's revelation that a journalist from the Atlantic was included in a text chain of Trump administration officials detailing a U.S. military strike in Yemen.
Congressional Republicans target PBS, NPR funding in contentious hearing
ABC News·24d·ReliableThis source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.CenterThis outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.The hearings on behalf of the new administration are one of multiple front on which Trump and his allies are aggressively challenging and in some cases sanctioning the American media, which the president has been sharply critical of for years.
Congressional Republicans target PBS, NPR funding in contentious hearing
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NPR’s "absence of viewpoint diversity" plagued the company and the claims sparked calls from the right to defund NPR.
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The subcommittee hearing on Wednesday is part of a longstanding rightwing campaign against public broadcasters, whom conservatives accuse of using government funding to produce liberally biased reports.
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In a desperate bid to defeat efforts to defund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, National Public Radio, and Public Broadcasting Service, the executives appearing before the House DOGE subcommittee on Wednesday also plan to reject conservative claims of leftist bias.
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Wednesday's hearing is part of a larger Republican-led effort to defund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), established by Congress in 1967 as a private, non-profit corporation to distribute federal money to NPR, PBS and other public broadcasting entities.
WATCH LIVE: , PBS heads answer lawmakers' allegations of bias
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On one level, today’s hearing is a theatrical performance.
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Summary
During a contentious House Oversight subcommittee hearing, NPR and PBS executives defended against Republican accusations of bias, emphasizing their commitment to journalistic standards. Chair Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene argued that the organizations cater to a liberal audience, while Democrats criticized the session as an attack on public media and a distraction from pressing issues. NPR's Katherine Maher acknowledged mistakes regarding the Hunter Biden laptop story but maintained the outlet's dedication to diverse viewpoints. PBS's Paula Kerger stressed the importance of public broadcasting in rural areas. The hearing raises concerns about potential funding cuts under GOP initiatives.
Perspectives
Public broadcasting executives are appearing before Congress to respond to accusations of bias and defend the importance of federal funding for NPR and PBS, particularly in light of allegations made by Republicans.
The hearing, titled 'Anti-American Airwaves: Holding the Heads of NPR and PBS Accountable', exemplifies ongoing Republican scrutiny over perceived liberal bias in public media, with GOP lawmakers emphasizing the importance of maintaining public media for rural communities.
Both NPR and PBS executives reiterated that their programming serves diverse audiences across the political spectrum, and that federal funding plays a crucial role in delivering essential services, particularly in underserved areas.
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