Tucker Carlson defines state-affiliated media as outlets with “repetitive dishonesty, authoritarian politics, unwavering devotion to the party in charge”

Carlson: “NPR is not that different from the Tehran Times, with the exception of course, being less accurate and more anti-American”

Written by Media Matters Staff

Published

From the April 6, 2023, edition of Fox News' Tucker Carlson Tonight 

TUCKER CARLSON (HOST): Tuesday, two days ago, Twitter slapped a warning label on all tweets from National Public Radio. Going forward, NPR will be identified for users of Elon Musk's social media site as "state-affiliated media." That is the same category as Russia Today or China's Central Television. It means that NPR is not that different from the Tehran Times, with the exception of course, being less accurate and more anti-American.

So, that happened on a Tuesday. Why are we telling you about it? With all the momentous changes underway around the world, why would we open the show with a story about Twitter recategorizing NPR as state media? Well, because it's true. That's the reason. Finally, thankfully, somebody in authority has told the truth about something and that is thrilling to see on its own terms.

In a world defined by lies from our leaders, this seemed like a rare sign of hope and progress. Telling the truth is the most revolutionary act of all -- far more than taking up arms. And yet, you rarely see it. Human beings created language in order to describe the world around them more precisely than they could with say, grunting or sign language. But unfortunately we've been subverting our own creation ever since. But not tonight.

By calling National Public Radio what it is, Elon Musk has used English as it was intended to be used in order to tell the truth. Of course NPR is state media. Have you listened to it? It has all the hallmarks -- repetitive dishonesty, authoritarian politics, unwavering devotion to the party in charge. Of course, that could describe virtually all media in this country. The difference is the state actually pays for NPR.