Hell Freezes Over as NPR Finally Makes a Decision Conservatives Can Agree With

On Wednesday, RedState brought you the story of how the brass at NPR were foaming at the mouth with outrage after finding out rather unexpectedly that Twitter CEO Elon Musk had slapped a “US state-affiliated media” label on their Twitter account sometime early in the week.

For those who missed it, here’s what it looks like – courtesy of a screengrab snagged by RedState editor-at-large Ben Kew:

Twitter labeled NPR state-affiliated (state-run) media 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/8EQ6Z0ZhQf

— Ben Kew 🏌️‍♂️ (@ben_kew) April 5, 2023

The label is still there as of this writing. State-run media accounts from countries like China and Russia have similar labeling.

As we also wrote at the time, NPR president/CEO John Lansing was not amused and posted an unintentionally hilarious response.

“NPR and our Member stations are supported by millions of listeners who depend on us for the independent, fact-based journalism we provide,” Lansing proclaimed. “NPR stands for freedom of speech and holding the powerful accountable.”

Lansing’s statement was missing the asterisk and associated very fine print at the bottom which should note that “holding the powerful accountable” for NPR doesn’t typically apply when there is a “D” beside those “very powerful” public figures’ names.

In an update to this story, ex-CNN media hall monitor Brian Stelter noticed that NPR has not posted to their official Twitter account since Tuesday. The bio to the account has also been slightly adjusted to note the following (bolded emphasis added by me):

NPR is an independent news organization committed to informing the public about the world around us. You can find us every other place you read the news.

NPR hasn't tweeted since Musk's unjust labeling decision, and its bio now directs visitors elsewhere: "You can find us every other place you read the news." pic.twitter.com/IvL93w6McY

— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) April 6, 2023

Making matters worse for NPR, however, is the fact that Musk’s point was sort of proven the day after the network’s discovery that they had been labeled. Because not only did Biden White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre rush to defend the “hard-hitting” reporters at NPR during the Wednesday press briefing, but in a story NPR wrote about the situation, they actually cited back to Jean-Pierre’s statement as some sort of definitive proof that they operated independently of government interference.

As to NPR’s seeming “boycott” of Twitter for the time being, more power to them. In fact, it’s a decision that I think most conservatives can get behind, considering there is no love lost between the two.

Besides that, what better way to cut down on the spread of disinformation on social media platforms than for one of the biggest disseminators of it to engage in a little self-censorship? Case in point:

Why haven't you seen any stories from NPR about the NY Post's Hunter Biden story? Read more in this week's newsletter➡️ https://t.co/CJesPgmGvo pic.twitter.com/jAi7PnpbZf

— NPR Public Editor (@NPRpubliceditor) October 22, 2020

Don’t go away mad, NPR. Just go away. And maybe stay away for good measure.