‘What’s changed?’ NPR bars reporter from Pride event — but backtracks amid mass email flub

A dramatic turnaround unfolded Wednesday at National Public Radio after the organization discouraged longtime anchor Ari Shapiro from continuing an annual tradition of attending a corporate LGBTQ Pride event – before quickly reversing course.

The fast-moving developments began after NPR’s managing editor for standards and practices, Tony Cavin, informed the “All Things Considered” host in an email exchange obtained by Semafor that “the guidance in our ethics handbook is to ‘avoid appearances at private industry or corporate functions.”’

“Because this is a closed corporate event I think it would be best to politely decline,” Cavin wrote Wednesday, as reported by Semafor.

But the internal email meant for Shapiro was inadvertently sent to several NPR journalists.

“Every year I’ve spoken at corporate pride events and you’ve personally signed off on them,” Shapiro shot back in a reply several minutes later, according to Semafor. “It has never been an issue before. I’m curious what’s changed.”

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Shapiro also pointed out to Cavin that the message “went to pretty much everyone in the newsroom” since he had “mistakenly replied to newsdesk and international editors.”

After Semafor, a news website founded in 2022, reported on the email exchange, a spokesperson backtracked and told the outlet that Shapiro would be allowed to attend the event after all.

“This decision was made shortly after the original email thread,” the spokesperson said.

The dust-up at the public broadcaster comes as the Trump administration and congressional Republicans have increased pressure on it as they seek to strip federal funding from NPR, PBS and other member stations, Semafor noted.