NPR ombudsman has issues with funding by pro-Iran deal group

WASHINGTON (AP) — National Public Radio should consider avoiding grants such as one the Ploughshares Fund provided for coverage of the Iran nuclear agreement and related issues, the radio network's ombudsman said.

The money supported "national security reporting that emphasizes the themes of U.S. nuclear weapons policy and budgets, Iran's nuclear program, international nuclear security topics and U.S. policy toward nuclear security," according to Ploughshares' 2015 annual report.

The piece, which did not disclose NPR's relationship with Ploughshares, quoted two other experts whose organizations "received funding from Ploughshares to advocate for the deal or were working in that coalition."

Whereas Gates Foundation money funds an NPR education blog and the MacArthur Foundation supports international and investigative reporting, she called Ploughshares' grant different.

In the case of grants such as the one from Ploughshares, which are intended to fund reporting on specific, highly controversial issues, my suggestion is that NPR consider not accepting them in the future if they contain such specific language.

NPR spoke twice each to Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a leading opponent, and many congressional critics.