Ira Glass Predicts Greater NPR Pushback

Public radio host Ira Glass, who has urged stations and supporters to speak out more in defense of NPR, predicted that more pushback from public radio is likely to occur soon.

Glass spoke to Media Matters during a reception prior to serving on a panel about story telling at The New School in New York City Wednesday.

He reiterated his concerns that NPR supporters are not defending themselves enough following the controversial hidden videos from James O'Keefe, adding that they are letting the de-funding fears hold them back.

“We are being attacked for having biased views and being accused of a radical, left-wing agenda, advocating a radical left-wing agenda,” Glass said.

He first raised the issue during an appearance on NPR's 'On The Media' last weekend:

I feel like public radio should address this directly, because I think anybody who listens to our stations understands that what they're hearing is mainstream media reporting. We have nothing to fear from a discussion of what is the news coverage we're doing. As somebody who works in public radio, it is killing me that people on the right are going around trying to basically rebrand us, saying that it's biased news, it's left wing news, when I feel like anybody who listens to the shows knows that it's not. And we are not fighting back, we are not saying anything back. I find it completely annoying, and I don't understand it.

Asked about it Wednesday night, Glass predicted a strong response would be coming.

“Where are the people in public radio standing up and saying, 'This isn't true?'” he asked. “Lobbyists have said the argument about bias isn't a productive one to get into when funding is an issue.”

“At some point in some way separate from the funding fight, public radio needs to reassert its value and its mission in an aggressive way, the same way that any other organization would,” said Glass. “There are stirrings that it is going to happen.”