Apple was a sponsor of NPR in FY 2008 and 2009, and 2010.
I suspect they continue to be one.
Money is the best explanation for the PR push behind your email.
http://www.npr.org/about/aboutnpr/annualreports/NPR_AnnualRe...
http://www.npr.org/about/aboutnpr/annualreports/2009_NPRAnnu...
http://www.npr.org/about/aboutnpr/annualreports/NPRSponsorsD...
That's nice, but This American Life isn't made by NPR.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Radio_International
> PRI is a major public media content creator and also distributes programs from many sources, competing with National Public Radio and American Public Media to provide programming to public radio stations.
in the words of Mike Daisey: "I used a combination of fact, memoir, and dramatic license to tell a story"
PRI, as you note, is in competition with NPR (and CPM). They are producers of the journalistic expose' about a one man show not meeting the standards of investigative journalism. A strawman argument indeed.
So your position is that Apple is pressuring NPR which is pressuring Chicago Public Media which is pressuring Chicago Public Radio which is pressuring Public Radio International which is pressuring This American Life to issue a retraction?
I really don't think This American Life needed much pushing to retract admitted falsehoods.
Your statement however is worthy of a WOW.