The Revenge of NPR

I admit I've been shunning NPR lately, mostly due to my disgust at their glaringly overt political conflicts of interest marring their reporting. My trust in them at an ebb, a friend then forwards me the transcript of a recent piece noting the organizations behind right-wing campaign funding:

With these advertisers and others, the same words come up again and again: Grass-roots. Nonpartisan. Independent.

Their ads seem to imply the groups are homegrown. But every single one mentioned here is based within 20 minutes of Capitol Hill. Most of them, in fact, are in just two office suites.

As for their independence: It would be illegal for them to coordinate their attacks with the candidates they're helping, or with Republican Party committees. But among themselves, they're proud of the way they synchronize their efforts. (Emphasis mine.)

Even better, NPR has coordinated various reports on these astro-turf organizations and created an interactive flow chart outlining the connections between them. There are three interactive guided tours available in the box to the upper left of the chart, and info on individual players in the chart can be had by clicking "Explore the Network."

This is the kind of reporting NPR national probably couldn't do under the W administration, given appointee Ken Tomlinson's reign of terror. If they continue to do it, they will probably lose lots of those advertisers like The Public Notice, The Koch Foundation, Ally Bank, and all the other political pressure groups masquerading as philanthropists . . . which would be fine by me.

I'm mulling an idea for a true grass-roots effort to root out the corrupting influence these corporate contributors have on the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, but for now I'll give them this small and happy plug, and conditionally think about once again listening and donating. Good job, guys. Keep it up.