YOU KNOW THAT NPR IS IN TROUBLE when it gets this kind of criticism for bias in Boston, and in The Boston Globe:

The near-capacity crowd of about 900 who gathered at Boston’s Temple Israel on Monday night for a debate on Middle East media coverage (mostly NPR’s coverage) sided largely with the prosecutors. Staunch supporters of Israel, they applauded loudly when Zelnick or Tobin assailed what they saw as anti-Israel bias or shoddiness in public radio’s reporting of the Palestinian-Israeli bloodshed. . . .

The battle over public radio’s credibility is a serious one. In the past few years, supporters of Israel have effectively targeted NPR as the poster child for egregious anti-Israel bias. WBUR, the local outlet, has lost more than $1 million from underwriters who have suspended funding. The advocacy group CAMERA, or the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America, has built a constituency by publishing harsh critiques of NPR’s work. And when protesters chant, as they did on Monday night, that ”NPR distorts the news, covers up attacks on Jews,” it’s a sign that animus against public radio is reaching toxic levels.

To their credit, Klose and Christo have sought, via much community outreach, to make peace with their detractors. But Monday’s discussion – in which they relied on an unconvincing blend of deference, obfuscation, and condescension – revealed that they don’t have a coherent strategy.

Er, maybe because the charges are true? Here’s the conclusion:

If public radio is willing to wage a public battle on this issue, Klose might try a new tactic. He might explain – without semantic gymnastics – exactly why NPR thinks its Middle East journalism is fair and right.

That may not win any converts, but there didn’t seem to be any at Temple Israel either. And at least NPR will extend to its detractors the courtesy of leveling with them.

NPR didn’t seem to have any trouble deciding who was right and who was wrong in Bosnia. I wonder why the Middle East is so much harder for them?