Uri Berliner, NPR’s senior business editor, has resigned following a suspension for criticizing the outlet’s liberal leanings in an essay published at The Free Press.
Berliner announced his resignation on X, stating that he cannot work in a newsroom where he is disparaged by the new CEO, Katherine Maher, whose divisive views he believes confirm the problems he cited in his essay.
Berliner, who spent 25 years at NPR, called the outlet a “great American institution” and rejected calls to defund it. His essay, published on April 9, criticized NPR for losing the nation’s trust with its progressive worldview.
Uri Berliner (Credits: Los Angeles Times)
NPR suspended Berliner for five days without pay for not securing approval before publishing the essay. The suspension was considered a final warning, with termination threatened for any future violations of company policy.
Katherine Maher, who became CEO of NPR in January, faced scrutiny after social media posts criticizing former President Donald Trump were uncovered.
In response to Berliner’s essay, revelations about Maher’s controversial posts, including calling Trump a racist and expressing support for Joe Biden’s campaign, were published by The New York Times.
CEO Katherine Maher (Credits: NPR)
Berliner, commenting on Maher’s posts, stated that they indicate she may not be the best person for her job, emphasizing the need for a unifying leader with a broader perspective on America.
Several NPR journalists expressed concerns about working with Berliner, believing he would not keep their conversations private.
In response to criticism, NPR spokeswoman Isabel Lara stated that Maher’s posts were made when she was not working in journalism and were protected by her First Amendment rights. Maher defended herself against Berliner’s claims in a memo to NPR staffers, calling them disrespectful and hurtful.
