National Public Radio (NPR) quit Twitter because the platform labeled the tax-payer funded outlet state-affiliated media:
“The downside, whatever the downside, doesn’t change that fact,” NPR CEO John Lansing said in an interview. “I would never have our content go anywhere that would risk our credibility.”—In an email to staff explaining the decision, Lansing wrote, “It would be a disservice to the serious work you all do here to continue to share it on a platform that is associating the federal charter for public media with an abandoning of editorial independence or standards.”
Um. You are state-affiliated media since you get money from the government, NPR. Even if it’s a small amount, you receive money from the government.
Under the About tab, NPR’s website says: “Federal funding is essential to public radio’s service to the American public and its continuation is critical for both stations and program producers, including NPR.”
NPR literally says it’s important to get federal funding.
NPR tries to brag about its nonprofit and private status. How does that work when you get money from governments on all levels? It’s disgusting:
From the late 1980s, NPR generated increasing amounts of its revenue from charitable donations and licensing fees, though a significant portion of the fees come from private local stations which receive funding from CPB and state and local governments. Presently, NPR receives funding for less than 1% of its budget directly from the federal government, but receives almost 10% of its budget from federal, state, and local governments indirectly.
NPR even tries to justify the federal money and why it shouldn’t go away:
These station programming fees comprise a significant portion of NPR’s largest source of revenue. The loss of federal funding would undermine the stations’ ability to pay NPR for programming, thereby weakening the institution.Elimination of federal funding would result in fewer programs, less journalism—especially local journalism—and eventually the loss of public radio stations, particularly in rural and economically distressed communities.
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