NPR’s Low Standards

posted at 9:26 pm on January 4, 2010 by Slublog

I like NPR. Their news stories are long and thorough, and many of their entertainment programs (“Car Talk”) are fun. Plus, they’re so relaxing. NPR receives 11% of their funding through the federally-funded Corporation for Public Broadcasting, so it was a bit shocking to see the NPR website hosting this bit of “satire.”

Like ace says, you helped pay for it by working and paying taxes, so you might as well click the link and enjoy it. And hey, they said “teabag” which makes it edgy, or something.

Personally, I’m not really all that excited about helping to fund propaganda that is both crude and insulting, so I fired up the word processor and wrote a letter to each member of my congressional delegation, something I rarely do. Usually, I send comments via email or the contact pages on their websites. The letters go out in the mail tomorrow. When they open the letters, this is what they’ll read:

I am writing to express my displeasure with an animated video hosted on National Public Radio’s website. The video is available at the following web address:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120344047 and although it is labeled as an opinion piece, is inappropriate considering that the funding structure of NPR includes taxpayer dollars.

The video mocks the so-called “Tea Party” movement, portraying them as people incapable of understanding the complexities of the debate over health care reform. While there has undoubtedly been some overheated rhetoric used to oppose the health care reform proposal, it is improper for an organization supported in part by taxpayers to malign citizens exercising their right to speak out against actions of their government. In hosting this video, NPR is showing derision for those who have legitimate and substantive disagreements with the proposed health care legislation. The very title of the video, “How to Speak Tea Bag,” is insulting, as it is derived from a crude sexual slang. It’s sad that NPR, a station I enjoy, would resort to such a puerile attack on those who disagree with the health care reform proposal.

I would ask that your office please look into the decision-making process that allowed such a video to be hosted by NPR and encourage the media organization to show more discretion in its editorial choices and respect for the opinion of those whose taxes play a small role in helping them stay on the air. Thank you for taking the time to read this letter, and for your attention to this matter.

I encourage you to do the same.

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