As a former editorial writer for the Daily Herald, Illinois’ third-largest newspaper, I take issue with the tone and substance of the liberal bias and NPR piece (“Liberal bias at NPR, old-school journalism and the reluctance to admit a mistake,” April 14,) with its references to Uri Berliner, “a journalist of a certain age.” First off, that is ageism on its own, and belies an attempt at ingratiation for the sake of influencing readers.
We’ll ignore that for now. Instead, it is the inaccuracies of your editorial and what it sets out to do with Berliner’s observations that is so painfully destructive to truth. But again, there are so many condescending attempts at false objectivity that we can only afford to focus on one here.
Take the claim that claims of Russian collusion were a “canard” of the liberal media. In fact, Trump engaged in something far worse. He openly invited Russian interference in the 2016 election by stating, “Russia, if you’re listening” in a pitch for hackers to dig into the Hillary Clinton email fiasco.
Suspicion toward Trump’s possible involvement with Russian influences was manifold given his welcoming collaborative business engagements with Russian parties at his own New York properties. And when the Mueller Report was released, it stated, as reported by Politico: “Investigators found that Russian hackers compromised 29 computers at the DCCC and stole more than 70 gigabytes of files from the group’s shared file server. They also hacked more than 30 Democratic National Committee computers in less than two months and stole approximately 300 gigabytes from a DNC cloud-based service.”
A U.S. Senate committee investigation later found that Russia used Paul Manafort and Wikileaks to help Trump win the 2016 election, as those sources “likely knew it was helping Russian intelligence.” The report found that President Vladimir Putin personally directed Russian efforts to hack computer networks and accounts affiliated with the Democratic Party and leak information damaging to Clinton.
During that period, the U.S. media largely refused to engage in anything anti-Trump, preferring to capitalize on viewership for profits as the ex-president captivated audiences with his outlandish antics and verbal abuse of his perceived political enemies. It is no wonder NPR adopted a policy to reverse those effects. That’s not liberal bias. That’s responsible journalism. We know for a fact that Trump is a pro-Russian leaning candidate who recently voiced approval for that nation’s aggressive attack on Ukraine. That’s a danger to America and your petulant claims that we’re supposed to ignore those facts is an insult to Tribune readers of all persuasions.
Your editorial casually ignores the dangers of these issues to make a play for supposed journalistic “integrity.” Yet you failed your own test miserably on this and many other counts cited to play God in print. Here’s a hint: take some of your own advice and have some courage to actually look up the facts before scolding liberals for having the guts to resist the realities of fascism staring us in the face.
— Christopher Cudworth, North Aurora
NPR presents both sides
Scott Stantis’s 4/14 cartoon picturing a woman holding a NPR tote bag with a Democratic donkey poking out is inaccurate. That bag should be bigger to include the Republican elephant who is regularly asked to present their conservative views on camera. NPR may not be smack in the middle, but it seeks the truth wherever it may be found. Not too many alternative networks do as good a job of presenting all sides of an issue and respecting the ability of their viewers to make up their own minds.
— Margaret Sents, Glenview
NPR not like Fox
I have no doubt there is liberal bias at NPR but I submit that is far less problematic than the well funded right wing megaphone of Fox News. I would further submit that while NPR and left leaning cable outlet MSNBC clearly present a left leaning outlook they do not present the outright lies like the far right frequently does. Even your critical comment regarding the NPR presentation of the Mueller report omitted a critical point (“Liberal bias at NPR, old-school journalism and the reluctance to admit a mistake,” April 14.) That report also says “while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime it does not exonerate him.” It is also true all media, left and right, breathlessly reports every outrageous comment or lie uttered by the former president more prominently than other equally or more consequential news. The Tribune recently gave headline coverage to the former guys comment on abortion and bottom of the page coverage of a Biden visit to Chicago. This when the former guy demonstrates daily that he simply says whatever he thinks gives him an advantage and will make an opposite statement the next day or even the next sentence. We urgently need reporting of truth and facts in this country but my opinion is your editorial does not make an effective case for that view.
— Douglas Nyhus, Frankfort
Klaus Mäkelä
Franz Burnier’s reflection of Shostakovich decades apart (“Listening to Shostakovich’s 10th Symphony decades apart,” April 14) pays homage to future Chicago Symphony Orchestra music director Klaus Mäkelä. I had the fortunate opportunity to witness the dress rehearsal where this wunderkind led the symphony through the cello concerto with the amazing soloist Sol Gabetta. Maestro was in full command of our seasoned orchestra and even from the balcony I noticed the respect given for his frequent interruptions to explain the nuances he wanted. Also evident was the mutual admiration between Gabetta and Mäkelä. They have worked together before and their delight ignited the other musicians and the patrons. Professor Burnier suggests one needs “sisu” to work in Chicago. This Finnish word means backbone, drive, and courage to overcome adversity. After witnessing Mäkelä at work, that’s probably not a problem. I add my “tervetuloa” and also the more local greeting of Yo, bro!
— Jerry Levy, Deerfield
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