There has been a lot of criticism of NPR this week.

One interesting thing I've noted: when working inside of NPR, it is impossible to truly take in the criticism. It just doesn't happen.

But most who leave get it fully and all of a sudden. It's like the Matrix.

1/

Within NPR, many people recognize the core problems--bothsidism, cowardice masking as principle, being dull, little original enterprise reporting, conservative (small c) bureaucratic decision-making--but few, if any, can really see the full picture until they leave.

2/

And then they see it all at once.

It is a deep cultural problem at NPR. There are massive defenses against criticism, especially an internally-focused discussion that equates what is good for NPR stations as what is good for journalism and the country.

3/

I used to blame specific people, but there has been repeated turnover in senior leadership and each new leader quickly adopts the same defensiveness. It's clearly something in the system and the organization.

It's not explicitly communicated. But it is strong and total.

4/

It always fascinated me that NPR is a very fearful culture. People are more afraid of getting in trouble than they are of being boring and timid.

But nobody gets fired. Nobody ever gets in real trouble.

It is, for me, a real puzzle.

And a major failing.

5/end