7 ms·

Is it unusual for an executive order to claim something like this without any citation or reference? > The CPB fails to abide by these principles to the extent

Is it unusual for an executive order to claim something like this without any citation or reference? > The CPB fails to abide by these principles to the extent it subsidizes NPR and PBS. > Which viewpoints NPR and PBS promote does not matter. > What does matter is that neither entity presents a fair, accurate, or unbiased portrayal of current events to taxpaying citizens.

beardedwizard 1y ago
I'm a big supporter of NPR but you don't need to look hard to see their progressive bias.
- testing22321 1y ago
  It’s utterly mind blowing how facts and the truth are now labeled a “progressive bias” in the US. It’s like you have to cover stuff up, deny and lie to be a conservative.
  - bigyabai 1y ago
    > It’s like you have to cover stuff up, deny and lie to be a conservative. Depends which conservative is the president, now.
- cyberlurker 1y ago
  I listen to planet money and a few other podcasts. They seem pretty fair to me. The only way I could maybe see a progressive bias is that they have representation in their staff of racial and sexual minorities. I see no issue with that. Honest question, does NPR have any token conservative pundits or voices on their broadcasts or shows? I know they have a lot of minority representation. As usual, Trumps proposed solution is idiotic. But maybe there could be an unofficial settlement to make sure all perspectives are heard? Assuming this is even a problem… The attack on PBS seems ridiculous.
  - TimorousBestie 1y ago
    > does NPR have any token conservative pundits or voices on their broadcasts or shows? They used to (e.g., Bob Edwards, who founded Morning Edition) but the Overton Window shifted out from under them. Steve Inskeep today lies somewhere in the center-right (a fiscally conservative Never-Trumper is my brief take on him) but that’s not right enough to count as a conservative these days.
    - mjevans 1y ago
      It's shifted so far right that looking at news headlines gives me anxiety that we're in a bad enough time / timeline that modern events will be chapters in future history books; assuming we still have books (in any form).
  - bluGill 1y ago
    It is important not to just have someone to represent a viewpoint, but also that they are equally "good" at it (I'm not sure what that means!). One way to be biased is to have someone incompetent represent a viewpoint - creating a strawman that is easy to knock down.
  - dfxm12 1y ago
    does NPR have any token conservative pundits or voices on their broadcasts or shows? They do the same format almost all news shows do where they introduce an issue and have two people with opposing views discuss it (there was a recent one about fossil fuels and renewables which I can't find...). This format doesn't always fall along "conservative vs other" lines though, because issues aren't necessarily that simple. They also have one on one interview with Republican lawmakers as well. This one is from today's Morning Edition: https://www.npr.org/2025/05/02/nx-s1-5383297/rep-jeff-hurd-discusses-movement-by-some-republicans-to-reject-deep-medicaid-cuts https://www.npr.org/2025/05/02/nx-s1-5383297/rep-jeff-hurd-d...
  - void-star 1y ago
    There have been loads of others but here is a prominent and slightly ironic example of what you are asking about: Tucker Carlson built his early TV career in large part as a conservative pundit on PBS.
- throw0101a 1y ago
  > I'm a big supporter of NPR but you don't need to look hard to see their progressive bias. "Reality has a well known liberal bias." — Stephen Colbert, 2006 White House Correspondents' Dinner, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ-a2KeyCAY&t=4m11s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ-a2KeyCAY&t=4m11s
  - xienze 1y ago
    Well the comedian said it, case closed.
    - const_cast 1y ago
      What he's alluding to is that currently conservative voices seem utterly incapable of just not lying. Fox has progressed from a bias, to misinformation, to now just straight up disinformation. When that is the other "side", then honesty will seem biased. The middle is would be something like lying 25% of the time.
- Capricorn2481 1y ago
  While I don't watch NBC or CNN (they talk about 5 minute topics for 2 weeks), I notice often that a progressive bias, as far as I understand, is not immediately bending the knee to any rightwing pushback. It shouldn't be biased to say climate change is real, for instance, but that has been politicized so much that it's seen as a progressive bias. It's only in recent years that Republicans have switched from "It's not real" to "well doing something about it is too hard." A better example of a bias would be texts from Fox news anchors privately trashing Sidney Powell as a lying hack while they, simultaneously, plan to boost her appearances to make election interference seem more plausible [1]. Or saying they can't fact check Trump anymore [2]. [1] https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/05/all-the-texts-fox-news-didnt-want-you-to-read.html https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/05/all-the-texts-fox-ne... [2] https://www.mediaite.com/news/this-has-to-stop-now-new-bombshell-emails-show-fox-news-ceo-warning-fact-checking-trump-is-bad-business/ https://www.mediaite.com/news/this-has-to-stop-now-new-bombs...
- dfxm12 1y ago
  I don't think bias is the right word. It's more that a station not bound by corporate sponsors better has the ability to reflect the voice of the people, and Americans generally lean progressive when you ask them directly about policy. Most Americans wanting to tax the rich/large corporations: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/03/19/most-americans-continue-to-favor-raising-taxes-on-corporations-higher-income-households/ https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/03/19/most-amer... Wanting to legalize marijuana: https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2024/03/26/most-americans-favor-legalizing-marijuana-for-medical-recreational-use/ https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2024/03/26/most-america... The government should supply universal healthcare to Americans: https://news.gallup.com/poll/468401/majority-say-gov-ensure-healthcare.aspx https://news.gallup.com/poll/468401/majority-say-gov-ensure-...
- dboreham 1y ago
  > their progressive bias Is this what we're calling "truth" now?
next_xibalba 1y ago
To wit, during the BLM riots of 2020, NPR published a piece on how looting was a legitimate form of protest. I mark that as the moment they lost both my trust and my attention. A very sad, eye opening moment for me.
- cyberlurker 1y ago
  If true, that is insane and if presented as factual those involved should be fired. But throwing the baby out with the bath water is not sensible. Oh and to my original point, why is this not cited or linked to in the executive order? I think it would strengthen it if anything.
  - TimorousBestie 1y ago
    I can’t be sure but I assume they’re talking about this: https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2020/08/27/906642178/one-authors-argument-in-defense-of-looting https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2020/08/27/906642178... This is an interview with an author that NPR acknowledges as controversial, not NPR presenting the author’s opinions as fact. But I doubt the distinction matters in the current rhetorical environment.
    - next_xibalba 1y ago
      That acknowledgement was tacked on well after publication. Even interviewing this person was an absurdity and revelatory of the kind of bias at npr. Truly insane.
      - TimorousBestie 1y ago
        > revelatory of the kind of bias at NPR I could happily cherry-pick any of the multiple times they’ve interviewed controversial, evangelical Christian leaders and come to the opposite “revelation.” > That acknowledgement was tacked on well after publication. Retractions and postscripts are an accepted feature of journalism.
      - 1y ago
pjc50 1y ago
No, all of the Trump EOs are like this. It's basically a Twitter rant on better letterhead, but with guns behind it.
JeremyNT 1y ago
It is not at all unusual for a Trump EO to look like this. Almost all of them really do read like propaganda. Most other administrations were more... considered in their choice of language.

beardedwizard 1y ago

I'm a big supporter of NPR but you don't need to look hard to see their progressive bias.

testing22321 1y ago
It’s utterly mind blowing how facts and the truth are now labeled a “progressive bias” in the US. It’s like you have to cover stuff up, deny and lie to be a conservative.
- bigyabai 1y ago
  > It’s like you have to cover stuff up, deny and lie to be a conservative. Depends which conservative is the president, now.
cyberlurker 1y ago
I listen to planet money and a few other podcasts. They seem pretty fair to me. The only way I could maybe see a progressive bias is that they have representation in their staff of racial and sexual minorities. I see no issue with that. Honest question, does NPR have any token conservative pundits or voices on their broadcasts or shows? I know they have a lot of minority representation. As usual, Trumps proposed solution is idiotic. But maybe there could be an unofficial settlement to make sure all perspectives are heard? Assuming this is even a problem… The attack on PBS seems ridiculous.
- TimorousBestie 1y ago
  > does NPR have any token conservative pundits or voices on their broadcasts or shows? They used to (e.g., Bob Edwards, who founded Morning Edition) but the Overton Window shifted out from under them. Steve Inskeep today lies somewhere in the center-right (a fiscally conservative Never-Trumper is my brief take on him) but that’s not right enough to count as a conservative these days.
  - mjevans 1y ago
    It's shifted so far right that looking at news headlines gives me anxiety that we're in a bad enough time / timeline that modern events will be chapters in future history books; assuming we still have books (in any form).
- bluGill 1y ago
  It is important not to just have someone to represent a viewpoint, but also that they are equally "good" at it (I'm not sure what that means!). One way to be biased is to have someone incompetent represent a viewpoint - creating a strawman that is easy to knock down.
- dfxm12 1y ago
  does NPR have any token conservative pundits or voices on their broadcasts or shows? They do the same format almost all news shows do where they introduce an issue and have two people with opposing views discuss it (there was a recent one about fossil fuels and renewables which I can't find...). This format doesn't always fall along "conservative vs other" lines though, because issues aren't necessarily that simple. They also have one on one interview with Republican lawmakers as well. This one is from today's Morning Edition: https://www.npr.org/2025/05/02/nx-s1-5383297/rep-jeff-hurd-discusses-movement-by-some-republicans-to-reject-deep-medicaid-cuts https://www.npr.org/2025/05/02/nx-s1-5383297/rep-jeff-hurd-d...
- void-star 1y ago
  There have been loads of others but here is a prominent and slightly ironic example of what you are asking about: Tucker Carlson built his early TV career in large part as a conservative pundit on PBS.
throw0101a 1y ago
> I'm a big supporter of NPR but you don't need to look hard to see their progressive bias. "Reality has a well known liberal bias." — Stephen Colbert, 2006 White House Correspondents' Dinner, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ-a2KeyCAY&t=4m11s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ-a2KeyCAY&t=4m11s
- xienze 1y ago
  Well the comedian said it, case closed.
  - const_cast 1y ago
    What he's alluding to is that currently conservative voices seem utterly incapable of just not lying. Fox has progressed from a bias, to misinformation, to now just straight up disinformation. When that is the other "side", then honesty will seem biased. The middle is would be something like lying 25% of the time.
Capricorn2481 1y ago
While I don't watch NBC or CNN (they talk about 5 minute topics for 2 weeks), I notice often that a progressive bias, as far as I understand, is not immediately bending the knee to any rightwing pushback. It shouldn't be biased to say climate change is real, for instance, but that has been politicized so much that it's seen as a progressive bias. It's only in recent years that Republicans have switched from "It's not real" to "well doing something about it is too hard." A better example of a bias would be texts from Fox news anchors privately trashing Sidney Powell as a lying hack while they, simultaneously, plan to boost her appearances to make election interference seem more plausible [1]. Or saying they can't fact check Trump anymore [2]. [1] https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/05/all-the-texts-fox-news-didnt-want-you-to-read.html https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/05/all-the-texts-fox-ne... [2] https://www.mediaite.com/news/this-has-to-stop-now-new-bombshell-emails-show-fox-news-ceo-warning-fact-checking-trump-is-bad-business/ https://www.mediaite.com/news/this-has-to-stop-now-new-bombs...
dfxm12 1y ago
I don't think bias is the right word. It's more that a station not bound by corporate sponsors better has the ability to reflect the voice of the people, and Americans generally lean progressive when you ask them directly about policy. Most Americans wanting to tax the rich/large corporations: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/03/19/most-americans-continue-to-favor-raising-taxes-on-corporations-higher-income-households/ https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/03/19/most-amer... Wanting to legalize marijuana: https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2024/03/26/most-americans-favor-legalizing-marijuana-for-medical-recreational-use/ https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2024/03/26/most-america... The government should supply universal healthcare to Americans: https://news.gallup.com/poll/468401/majority-say-gov-ensure-healthcare.aspx https://news.gallup.com/poll/468401/majority-say-gov-ensure-...
dboreham 1y ago
> their progressive bias Is this what we're calling "truth" now?

next_xibalba 1y ago

To wit, during the BLM riots of 2020, NPR published a piece on how looting was a legitimate form of protest. I mark that as the moment they lost both my trust and my attention. A very sad, eye opening moment for me.

cyberlurker 1y ago
If true, that is insane and if presented as factual those involved should be fired. But throwing the baby out with the bath water is not sensible. Oh and to my original point, why is this not cited or linked to in the executive order? I think it would strengthen it if anything.
- TimorousBestie 1y ago
  I can’t be sure but I assume they’re talking about this: https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2020/08/27/906642178/one-authors-argument-in-defense-of-looting https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2020/08/27/906642178... This is an interview with an author that NPR acknowledges as controversial, not NPR presenting the author’s opinions as fact. But I doubt the distinction matters in the current rhetorical environment.
  - next_xibalba 1y ago
    That acknowledgement was tacked on well after publication. Even interviewing this person was an absurdity and revelatory of the kind of bias at npr. Truly insane.
    - TimorousBestie 1y ago
      > revelatory of the kind of bias at NPR I could happily cherry-pick any of the multiple times they’ve interviewed controversial, evangelical Christian leaders and come to the opposite “revelation.” > That acknowledgement was tacked on well after publication. Retractions and postscripts are an accepted feature of journalism.
    - 1y ago

pjc50 1y ago

No, all of the Trump EOs are like this. It's basically a Twitter rant on better letterhead, but with guns behind it.

JeremyNT 1y ago

It is not at all unusual for a Trump EO to look like this. Almost all of them really do read like propaganda. Most other administrations were more... considered in their choice of language.