Liberal bias at NPR is "urban myth"

The notion that NPR is liberally-biased is "urban myth," according to Kevin Klose, NPR's president and CEO. Klose and NPR executive vice president Ken Stern are quoted in today's Chicago Tribune.

Stern blames the perception problem on Ken Tomlinson, Chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting:

"The problem with Tomlinson isn't that he disrupted funding or affected our journalism, because that will never happen, but he created smoke," Stern said. "It's smoke and people who don't know us fanned the urban myth."

According to Stern NPR listenership is "self-identified as one-third liberal, one-third conservative, one-third independent," and he cited a study by CPB that "showed that we're one of the most trusted media outlets in the country."