Maher rails against NPR CEO, calls for public media funding cuts
Talk show host Bill Maher railed against NPR CEO Katherine Maher, characterized the radio outlet as “crazy far-left” and called for public media funding cuts, arguing the country is "past the age" of subsidizing them.
“I also read my namesake, Katherine Maher — head of NPR — and, you know, she said, ‘We're completely unbiased.’ Give me a break, lady,” Maher said during the Friday episode of his show "Real Time" on HBO.
“I mean, they're crazy far-left. So, I mean, I think we're past, my view, we're past the age really, where the government, first of all, why do we need to subsidize — why can't we have outlets like this and we're so polarized,” the comedian said. “These outlets became popular at a time when Republicans and Democrats didn't hate each other and weren't at each other's throats and didn't think each other was an existential threat in that world. You can't have places like this I think anymore; they have to be private.”
Maher’s comments come after the leaders of NPR and PBS appeared this week at the House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee hearing, where they were grilled by Republican lawmakers on the panel.
President Trump and his allies have for some time dinged NPR and PBS’ news coverage, labeling it too liberal and out of touch with ordinary Americans.
“People who listen to NPR are totally misinformed,” Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) said during Wednesday’s hearing. “I have a problem with that, because you get federal funds.”
Katherine Maher, who joined NPR last year, conceded that the radio outlet did not report enough on the Hunter Biden laptop scandal during the 2020 presidential election, telling lawmakers, “our current editorial leadership believe that was a mistake, as do I.”
The former Wiklpedia executive stated that the radio broadcaster is a fair and objective newsroom, telling Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) that she has “never seen any instance of political bias” at NPR.
After the hearing, Trump redoubled his call to Republicans to defund NPR and PBS.
“NPR and PBS, two horrible and completely biased platforms (Networks!), should be DEFUNDED by Congress, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump said on Truth Social. “Republicans, don’t miss this opportunity to rid our Country of this giant SCAM, both being arms of the Radical Left Democrat Party. JUST SAY NO AND, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!”
A new Pew Research Center poll, released this week, found that a plurality of Americans said the federal government should keep federal funds flowing to public broadcasters. Around 43 percent said federal funding should remain the same, while another 24 percent of respondents were in favor of the tax-payer money being cut off.
Maher, a frequent Trump critic, announced this week that he will have a dinner with president at the White House. It is unclear when it will take place.
“Let’s talk to each other face to face. Let’s not stop shouting from 3,000 miles away, you know?” Maher said.
“If they expect me to be leaving in a MAGA hat, they’re going to be very disappointed, but I know they don’t,” the comedian added. “Look, it probably will accomplish very little, but you got to try, man, you got to try.”
The Hill has reached out to NPR for comment.