NPR has formally punished Uri Berliner, the senior editor who publicly argued a week ago that the network had “lost America’s trust” by approaching news stories with a rigidly progressive mindset. Berliner’s five-day suspension without pay, which began last Friday, has not been previously reported. (NPR)
Berliner published an essay in The Free Press last week arguing “those who listen to NPR or read its coverage online” are getting “the distilled worldview of a very small segment of the U.S. population.” (The Hill)
Berliner provided an NPR reporter with a copy of the formal rebuke for review in which the organization told the editor he had not been approved to write for other news outlets, as is required of NPR journalists. NPR also said he publicly released confidential proprietary information about audience demographics, the outlet reported. (USA Today)
Berliner admitted he had not gotten approval from NPR brass to write the column, but he did get approval for a TV appearance on NewsNation. His follow-up interview with The New York Times also went without approval—as did Berliner’s interview with NPR confirming his suspension. (The Daily Beast)
Berliner was told he would be fired if he violated the policy again, according to an official rebuke that he provided to NPR for its report on his suspension. Berliner told NPR that he did not plan on appealing the suspension. (The Guardian)