NPR CEO Out
Via NPR: NPR CEO Vivian Schiller Resigns.
The story is developing, but it is in the context of yesterday’s release of a video tape showing an NPR fundraiser making disparaging remarks about the Tea Party in what ended up being a sting/hoax perpetrated by James O’Keefe.
The broader context is a public relations and ideological battle over both federal funding for NPR and the question of whether NPR is biased against conservatives.
A specific element of the story is the firing of Juan Williams by NPR last year (indeed, O’Keefe cites that event as the motivation behind the video).
i haven’t seen the video/audio yet, but since the ACORN, Brown, and Planned Parenthood tapes were all editied or deceptively released, I’ll be very surprised if its not revealed later that Schiller remarks are out of context.
Not so much that they’re out of context — the hilarious thing is that they are all indisputably true.
I’ve never liked the NPR line. They take the wrong stance about non-partisan people and non-partisan reporting. You don’t need the former to have the latter. All you need is a commitment to professionalism, and a system with checks and balances.
Had the NRP president actually broadcast an anti-TP rant, then the reasonable thing to do would have been to give the TP equal time.
But he didn’t broadcast, did he? Some private conversation?
FWIW, I certainly don’t hold Fox to whatever off-air discussions they might have. It’s about the broadcast and the quality or lack thereof.
i haven’t seen the video/audio yet, but since the ACORN, Brown, and Planned Parenthood tapes were all editied or deceptively released, I’ll be very surprised if its not revealed later that Schiller remarks are out of context.
THIS.
O’Keefe’s a pretty well known liar at this point. On the other hand, since NPR fired Schiller, they probably discovered there’s no wiggle room here.
I’m pretty sure the full, unedited tape is online, though I haven’t watched it.
Based on a number of direct discussions, I can tell you that she wasn’t in the most stable position with the board or the internal staff at NPR before the Williams event. Pretty much all of the support she had quickly eroded after that event.
One thing that NPR should be complimented on is it’s coverage of itself. Contra Goldberg’s NRO column today, Folkenflik (http://twitter.com/davidfolkenflik) and the web team do an excellent job covering these internal events (better than any other news agency).
I’m curious about James Joyner’s take on this. Mr. Joyner?
The Ron Schiller in the video jumped shipped from NPR to a gig at the Aspen Institute. They have taken back the appointment from him as of today.