(H/T – Howie)
Politico has the news that top executives at National Public (read – taxpayer-funded) Radio told Mara Liasson to reconsider her appearances on Fox News Channel’s “Special Report” and Fox broadcast network’s “Fox News Sunday”, all-but-ordering her to watch the network for 30 days to try and convince her to end her appearances on the “more-partisan” network. She did, and to her credit, told them to pound sand.
Poltiico also has this pot-and-kettle moment:
One source close to NPR executives said their discomfort with the Fox appearances by NPR personnel has been long-standing and has intensified over time.
“This has been a building thing. There has been a concern in the upper regions of NPR that Fox uses Mara and Juan as cover” to defuse arguments that the TV network is populated with right-wing voices, said the source, who asked not to be named.
One complaint from NPR executives is that this very perception that Liasson and (Juan) Williams serve as ideological counterweights reinforces feelings among some members of the public that NPR tilts to the left. “NPR has its own issues in trying to convince people that, ‘Look, we’re down the middle,’” the source said. “This is a public and institutional problem that has nothing to do with Mara. Obviously, you can’t give Mara a hard time for what’s coming out of her mouth. … She’s very careful. She isn’t trashing anybody.”
NPR hugs the left gutter of Karl Marx Street.
