Former NPR Senior editor Uri Berliner has joined Bari Weiss' outlet The Free Press.
Berliner, who formerly served as NPR's Senior business editor, made waves in the media world earlier this year after penning an op-ed in The Free Press, founded by Weiss, that called into question the editorial direction of his then-employer in recent years and suggested the outlet had lost public trust after embracing an overtly liberal skew to their reporting.
In response to the then-senior editor's op-ed, a series of NPR executives, including recently appointed CEO Katherine Maher and Editor-in-Chief Edith Chapin, issued internal statements and other op-eds responding to Berliner's criticism of the outlet.
One week after his op-ed was published in The Free Press, Berliner resigned from NPR and cited the outlet’s response to his op-ed as confirmation of his criticism.
The Free Press announced Berliner would join the editorial team on Tuesday.
"The Free Press is thrilled to announce today that Uri Berliner is joining us as a senior editor, helping us craft our stories and mentor a new generation of independent journalists," the outlet wrote. The Free Press is thrilled to announce today that @UBerliner is joining us as a senior editor, helping us craft our stories and mentor a new generation of independent journalists.
Read more in today’s Front Page: https://t.co/OVxKm25Fbe pic.twitter.com/lc7BO5ghSG
— The Free Press (@TheFP) June 25, 2024
"I'm joining The Free Press because it provides America with groundbreaking, fearless, and independent-minded journalism," Berliner said of his new employment, adding he was "inspired" to join The Free Press team.
Weiss, who also edits for the outlet, said she was thrilled to welcome Berliner to the team. Thrilled to welcome @uberliner to @TheFP. pic.twitter.com/9rComHZ6on
— Bari Weiss (@bariweiss) June 25, 2024
"The Free Press is thrilled to announce today that Uri Berliner is joining us as a senior editor, helping us craft our stories and mentor a new generation of independent journalists," the outlet wrote of Berliner. "Uri—with his deep background in print and audio, his commitment to viewpoint diversity, and his bravery, is a natural fit for our growing team."
"We’re lucky to have him," The Free Press added.
In early May, several House Republicans issued a letter inviting Maher to provide her testimony on NPR's alleged liberal bias.
"The Committee has concerns about the direction in which NPR may be headed under past and present leadership. As a taxpayer funded, public radio organization, NPR should focus on fair and objective news reporting that both considers and reflects the views of the larger U.S. population and not just a niche audience," the letter read. "As the nation’s leading public radio network with a weekly audience of 42 million listeners, it is unsettling to note that ‘[a]n open-minded spirit no longer exists within NPR’ and that the news station is promoting strident left-wing views to the exclusion of alternative viewpoints."
Maher later declined the invitation due to scheduling conflicts.
