An NPR editor who wrote a critical essay on the company has resigned after being suspended

FILE – The headquarters for National Public Radio (NPR) stands on North Capitol Street on April 15, 2013, in Washington. A National Public Radio editor who wrote an essay criticizing his employer for promoting liberal reviews resigned on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, a day after it was revealed that he had been suspended. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)

NEW YORK (AP) — A National Public Radio editor who wrote an essay criticizing his employer for promoting liberal views resigned on Wednesday, a day after it was revealed that he had been suspended.

Uri Berliner, a senior editor on NPR’s business desk, posted his resignation letter on X, formerly Twitter.

NPR would not comment on the resignation. Its head of public relations said the organization does not comment on individual personnel matters.

While Berliner said that he wishes NPR to thrive and do important journalism, he wrote that “I cannot work in a newsroom where I am disparaged by a new CEO whose divisive views confirm” problems that he discussed in his essay.

Katherine Maher, a former tech executive appointed in January as NPR’s chief executive, has been criticized by conservative activists for social media messages that disparaged former President Donald Trump. The messages predated her hiring at NPR.

Berliner, who wrote his essay for the online Free Press site, had been suspended without pay for five days for violating the company’s policy that it must approve work done for outside organizations, NPR reported on Tuesday.

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David Bauder writes about media for The Associated Press. Follow him at http://twitter.com/dbauder