Question: Should NPR take money from George Soros?

LP Answer: Of course! Since PBS has taken funding from David H. Koch for NOVA, so should NPR accept funding from Soros. Only when the money comes with editorial strings attached or when editorial decision making is influenced by concern for the continuation of funding should it be reconsidered.

Worthy Cause, Controversial Funding Source

May 24, 2011
by ALICIA SHEPARD
NPR Ombudsperson

NPR's first show, "All Things Considered," turned 40 this month. Over the decades, NPR has added shows, exponentially increased its audience and become one of the most trusted news sources in the country.

If you think of credibility as money in the bank, NPR's account is healthy and robust – at least among its audience.

But the organization made a judgment last fall that taps into that credibility account. The decision was to take $1.8 million from the Open Society Foundations. It's funded by left-leaning billionaire financier-philanthropist George Soros, who made his fortune in hedge funds and currency speculation.

The money is for a worthy purpose.

NPR is using the two-year grant as seed money to start a local-national initiative, known as the Impact on Government project. Eventually, the plan is to have two public radio reporters in every state keeping tabs on state government issues that are woefully under-reported by the media. This is to be a multi-media project for radio, the Web and social media.

(More here.)