The following communication originated with my colleague Rima Dael, General Manager of WSHU at Sacred Heart University. I am sharing the bulk of it here with permission to do so. It has been edited to reflect our unique governance structure with WVTF, the Virginia Tech Foundation and Virginia Tech and to include WVTF’s mission and commitment to service.<br/><br/>Twitter has labeled NPR’s official twitter account as “state-affiliated media.” This designation is usually given to government-controlled media outlets. In response to this news and speculation on why Twitter is doing this, I offer the following facts:<br/><br/>NPR (National Public Radio) is a nonprofit media organization that produces and distributes news and cultural programming to a network of more than 1,000 public radio stations in the United States. While NPR provides programming to these stations, each station is independently owned and operated, and has editorial control over the programming it airs.<br/><br/>The best way to verify that National Public Radio (NPR) is not state-run media is to examine its funding, governance structure and editorial independence.<br/><br/>Firstly, NPR is not directly funded by the U.S. government, although it does receive some funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967 to promote public broadcasting. However, this funding only accounts for a very small portion of NPR's total budget, and NPR is required by law to maintain editorial independence from the CPB and any other government entity.<br/><br/>Secondly, NPR is governed by a Board of Directors, which is composed of NPR member station managers, journalists, and representatives from the public, who oversee the organization's operations and make strategic decisions. This board is responsible for ensuring that NPR adheres to its mission of providing high-quality, independent journalism and programming.<br/><br/>Finally, NPR's editorial independence is further protected by its code of ethics, which outlines the principles and standards that guide its reporting and programming. NPR journalists are expected to maintain their independence and objectivity, and they are not subject to editorial direction or pressure from any outside sources. NPR's funding sources, governance structure, and commitment to editorial independence all provide evidence that NPR is not state-run media, but rather an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to providing high-quality journalism and programming to the public.<br/><br/>Some NPR-affiliated stations receive a small portion of their funding from NPR. WVTF/Radio IQ does not receive funding from NPR. In fact, we will pay NPR more than $620,000 this coming fiscal year for programs that we air and their online and support services. We also purchase other national and international programming from organizations like American Public Media, Public Radio Exchange (PRX) and New York Public Radio. WVTF and NPR seek to diversify our revenue streams which helps to ensure that our organizations are not beholden to any one particular interest.<br/><br/>The license to broadcast to the public is held by the Virginia Tech Foundation a tax-exempt 501C3 organization that provides support for the University’s educational, research, and public service programs by receiving, managing, and disbursing gifts in support of Virginia Tech programs which also includes those of WVTF.<br/><br/>The Foundation contracts with Virginia Tech to provide the expertise in management and programming our 24 frequencies spread through the Commonwealth of Virginia. To put it another way – WVTF is owned by the Virginia Tech Foundation and operated by Virginia Tech (from which we have enjoyed a long history of editorial independence).<br/><br/>WVTF is still subject to various regulations and guidelines related to their use of public airwaves. For example, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires all broadcasters to operate in the public interest and to provide a certain amount of programming that meets specific educational and cultural standards.<br/><br/>WVTF is one of the most visible applications of the University’s motto – <i>Ut Prosim</i> – That I May Serve. We provide best-in-class local and regional news programming and a wide variety of substantive talk and news programs from a wide variety of sources as well as a whole independent stream of fine art programming through classical, jazz and folk/Americana music on our eleven WVTF Music stations.<br/><br/>Our partnership with Virginia Tech enhances our ability to deliver content that educates across the full spectrum of news, culture, and music. We provide our neighbors across the Commonwealth and in neighboring states with necessary and trusted news—researched and vetted--on critical topics so they can make informed decisions for themselves and their families. This is one of the most important roles we play to build better communities.<br/><br/>Truth, accountability, increasing civic participation for democracy, and bearing witness, are the journalistic principles on which WVTF, WSHU and many public radio stations stand. Music, arts and culture are part of the way we build connections with our neighbors and strengthen civic participation in our communities. It is also how we choose to connect with communities and share stories beyond news and information. WVTF’s primary goal is to produce and acquire programming and services of value, reflecting the culture, events, issues, and ideas of our region and the world, and to combine them into an evolving communications service of the highest quality for the people of Virginia and its bordering community.<br/><br/>Thank you being part of the WVTF/Radio IQ family. Please email me with any questions or concerns at rdduvall@vt.edu.<br/>