NPR Walks Back Ban on Anchor's Pride Appearance - After Mass Email Mishap

Source: MEDIAite

Mar 13th, 2025, 7:09 am


National Public Radio (NPR) abruptly reversed its decision to ban longtime anchor Ari Shapiro from attending a corporate LGBTQ Pride event — after a misfired email exposing the conversation was sent to NPR staff and journalists.

The incident unfolded as NPR navigates intensifying political scrutiny, particularly from the Trump administration eager to slash public broadcasting funds. President Donald Trump’s White House and Republican lawmakers have intensified efforts to defund NPR, PBS, and their affiliates, viewing them as ideologically hostile.

NPR’s managing editor for standards and practices, Tony Cavin, informed Shapiro on Wednesday that he should decline the invite, according to an internal email obtained by Semafor. “The guidance in our ethics handbook is to ‘avoid appearances at private industry or corporate functions,'” Cavin wrote, adding: “Because this is a closed corporate event I think it would be best to politely decline.”

But in a twist, Cavin’s email was accidentally sent to a far wider audience than intended, including NPR’s newsdesk and international editors. Shapiro quickly responded, pressing Cavin on the sudden change in policy. “Every year I’ve spoken at corporate pride events and you’ve personally signed off on them. It has never been an issue before,” Shapiro wrote. “I’m curious what’s changed.” The exchange set off a newsroom-wide discussion, and hours later on Wednesday — after Semafor’s report made waves — NPR reversed course.

Read more: https://www.mediaite.com/news/npr-walks-back-ban-on-anchors-pride-appearance-after-mass-email-mishap/