NPR editor who alleged left-wing bias at network resigns

Uri Berliner, a senior editor at NPR who penned an op-ed last week accusing the broadcaster of liberal bias, has resigned from the company.

In social media post Wednesday, Berliner published his resignation letter to NPR leadership in which he called the network “a great American institution” and distanced himself from recent calls to “defund” the outlet.

“I respect the integrity of my colleagues and wish for NPR to thrive and do important journalism,” Berliner wrote. “But I cannot work in a newsroom where I am disparaged by a new CEO whose divisive views confirm the very problems at NPR I cite in my Free Press essay.”

In his essay, Berliner wrote NPR had strayed too far left politically and was increasingly only presenting “the distilled worldview of a very small segment of the U.S. population.”

The essay sparked widespread outrage throughout the company, with many leading hosts and reporters blasting Berliner, questioning his motives and pushing back on his assertions about the way the company operates editorially.

NPR suspended Berliner last week after the piece was published, saying he did not secure approval for outside work for other news outlets, as is required of journalists at the outlet.

The episode has provided fodder for Republicans and conservative critics of the network, who have long alleged bias against them at the public broadcaster.

Some conservative activists have highlighted social media posts from Katherine Maher, NPR’s CEO, before she took over at the company this year espousing progressive ideas.

In a statement to The Hill on Tuesday in regard to Berliner’s reported suspension, NPR said it “does not comment on individual personnel matters, including discipline.”