Maria Cantwell - Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation | Official U.S. Senate headshot
Maria Cantwell - Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation | Official U.S. Senate headshot
U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has requested National Public Radio (NPR) to disclose documents and information regarding its funding sources, including substantial donations from liberal mega-donors. This inquiry stems from concerns that these contributions may be influencing NPR's news coverage.
NPR is legally required to maintain objectivity and balance in all controversial programs as a condition of receiving federal funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). However, recent reports suggest NPR might be selectively reporting news to align with its liberal viewpoints.
In a letter addressed to NPR President and Chief Executive Officer Katherine Mayer, Sen. Cruz expressed concerns about the influence of private left-wing donors on NPR’s editorial decisions: “As it turns out, NPR’s selective reporting may be driven not only by preexisting political bias within the organization but also by its private donors.”
Sen. Cruz highlighted that U.S. taxpayers contribute millions of dollars in direct and indirect funding to NPR. Despite concealing the total amount received through taxpayer funds to local stations, NPR acknowledges this funding comprises a significant portion of its largest revenue source.
Additionally, NPR receives substantial support from left-wing mega-donors like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. According to Sen. Cruz’s letter and an accompanying memo, donations from such organizations have resulted in content that aligns closely with their agendas.
The memo details several instances where donations preceded specific news coverage:
- In November 2023, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation donated $4 million for global health and development issues coverage. Two months later, NPR published an article quoting Bill Gates on climate change.
- In January 2023, Carnegie Corporation of New York donated $1 million focused on election-related issues.
- In 2022, Rockefeller Foundation contributed $500,000 towards energy and climate change news.
- The Catena Foundation provided $600,000 in 2022 for immigration coverage.
- MacArthur Foundation's $500,000 donation in 2022 supported race and identity topics.
- Jacob & Valeria Langeloth Foundation donated $100,000 in 2023 for criminal justice reform reporting.
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's $2.75 million donation aimed at health inequities led to coverage on racism in medicine.
- Melville Charitable Trust’s $250,000 contribution focused on poverty and homelessness issues.
“These examples show that NPR has strayed far from its ethos of ‘independent journalism in the public interest’ by allowing its liberal donors to buy desired ‘news’ coverage,” wrote Sen. Cruz.
Sen. Cruz has asked NPR to provide documents regarding both public and private funding sources by July 26, 2024.
In December 2023, Sen. Cruz initiated an investigation into CPB’s mandate requiring radio and television stations to engage in affirmative action for grant eligibility. This followed a Supreme Court ruling declaring affirmative action violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
To read the full letter or memo outlining these concerns click here [links].
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