Update: NPR exec says Juan Williams crossed the line before

[Botany]

Source: USA Today

NPR CEO Vivian Schiller today defended the firing of NPR News analyst Juan Williams for his remarks about Muslims, saying that he "has stepped over the line" on
several occasions in the last couple of years.

Schiller, in an interview with Rodney Ho, Radio & TV Talk columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, calls Williams "an independent contractor" and not an NPR
employee. Nonetheless, she says, NPR expects news analysts and reporters alike "to behave like journalists."

Says Schiller:

There have been several instances over the last couple of years where we have felt Juan has stepped over the line. He famously said last year something about Michelle
Obama and Stokely Carmichael. for President Obama.]. This isn't a case of one strike and you're out.

William's contract was terminated follow remarks he made about Muslims on Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor.

Read more: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2010/10/npr-news-dumps-analyst-juan-williams-over-comments-about-muslims-/1

---

Bottom Line Williams has been warned before but he will play the victim card
not only on Fox News but by giving speeches for $50,000.00 + to right wing
crowds.

BTW "those muslims" on planes have all been screened before they get on planes ....
:think:

[blue sky at night]

1. the white-wing responds...

they are aghast that something so unfair could happen because he expressed his opinion...wonder how many folks would be terminated at their jobs if they expressed theirs?? Once again, why are they only upset when someone goes down that expresses their point-of-view but they will never stand up for all freedom of speech. Personally I am done with the NATIONAL PUBLICAN RADIO...they are so far right now they are unlistenable for me.

[mediaman007]

2. Technically he didn't lose his job; he was an independent contractor

and his services were no longer needed by NPR. Independent contractors serve at the whim of the employer. Too bad, he should be in a union so there would be some due process to the dismissal.
Side note: All American corporations want their workers to be independent contractors. Can you imagine why?

[verges]

5. Your post makes no sense to me. nt

[blue sky at night]

18. here ya go...

the white-wing never complained when others were fired for saying what they believed, ever heard of Helen Thomas?? Bill Maher of Politically Incorrect?? they only jumped on this bandwagon because
the white-wing is right with Juan when he espoused his bigotry.

if you or I went into work and started espousing some strong opinion we have, we could and probably would be fired.

if you don't think what he said was out of line, try substituting the word black, jew, christian, etc. for muslim.

[verges]

19. Your last sentence still really doesn't make sense with

the rest of your post. Are you objecting to Williams being fired or the people reacting to his firing?

[blue sky at night]

20. I couldn't care less about the guy...

I can't stand the News Department and Commentary I hear...or used to hear on NPR and that happened during the bu$h administration.

What I don't like is the hypocrites in the white-wing whining about the firing and I have to laugh when they threaten to "defund" them, hey they only get about 2% from the government, so go ahead!!

[WingDinger]

3. I truly believe that Fox in building victim brand, will make him increasingly miserable and

he will leave. Better to be an unemployed man than a fox perpetuated pathetic puppy. He has the big eyes for it. They built Sarah's brand on victim crap. They attack her cuz she's a woman. Joe the plumber was a victim. Every creation or abomonation the GOP creates uses sympathy for the pathetic, to hook Republican suckers.

[Botany]

4. Palin has played the victim card all the way bank.

and so will Williams.

Williams will have a book out soon.

Williams, "Politically Correct Victim" on sale now.

The $50.00 tickets for a "Night w/ Juan and O'Rielly"
are no doubt be printed right now.

[unblock]

7. yup, they're huge on bile and faux righteous indignation -- consider the "war on christmas" crap

as if christmas isn't everywhere in december and the all-powerful anti-christian bigots are stomping all over their poor powerless little religion. all because they insist on putting a manger display on public property instead of private or church property.

[EFerrari]

11. Don't most sociopaths believe they are the aggrieved party? n/t

[cilla4progress]

6. Let the right shriek on!

Seriously...they just sit there like vultures waiting for something to get all RIGHTEOUS about and pounce. Any American with half a brain - and there are a lot of them! - will start seeing the pattern and get sick of it. I would say, coming up pretty soon!

:popcorn:

[subsuelo]

14. half a brain and not a bigot n/t

[glitch]

8. Fox can keep him. nt

[sadbear]

9. I hear the guys at fox news call him 'Token'

[emilyg]

15. Link?

[herbm]

10. "Those Muslims"? You mean "Those Muslims" are profiled?

[Turborama]

12. ALL passengers are *screened* by security before they board a plane

That's what screened means in this context.

[herbm]

13. Sorry, classes of folks referred to as "those -_____!" irk me. Usualy there is a racial slur

tied to it. And it really amazes me, even as Mr Williams has remarket in his own case how easy it is to defend a good cause by slurring the other side by culture, politics, religion, race, gender, handicap.

[yellowcanine]

16. I would like to hear Juan Williams explain how his comment about Michelle Obama and

Stokely Carmichael was "taken out of context" since that is the defense he is using this time. Good on NPR for noting the previous history. Let Juan defend THAT.

[No Elephants]

51. .....

http://mediamatters.org/research/200901270002
http://mediamatters.org/blog/201010220023

[Supersedeas]

17. so what he really fears is the professionalism of the airport screeners?

[No Elephants]

50. Seemed like a garbophobe to me. Gives a whole new meaning to the term

"fashion victim."

[Yupster]

87. Here's my professional air screener story

So I'm taking my dog from Texas to NYC and I have three different size carrying cases, large, medium, small. I'm taking the big dog so I grab the large case and I grab a handful of nuts and bolts to put it together at the airport. I purposely take more than I need so I don't have to count them.

I put the thing together, wish my dog good luck and put the 10-12 extra nuts and bolts in my jacket pocket.

Going through the metal detector, I set the alarm off. I remember the bolts and tell the nice lady, oops, it's probably the nuts and bolts from my dog container in my jacket pocket. I take off the jacket and handf it to her, and walk through again, this time quietly.

The lady gives me my jacket back.

I think wtf? and ask her, aren't you going to look in the jacket to see what set off the alarm? She deftly responds, "huh?" I repeat my question, and she shooes me along, saying, move along sir.

What's the point of the machine if the lady monitoring it doesn't check to see what set it off. It could have been a bleeping hand grenade or pistol for all she knew --- or cared.

[Turborama]

21. NPR Defends Firing Williams as Criticism Mounts

Source: NYT

Of the thousands of complaints that have saturated NPR in the wake of Juan Williams’s firing earlier this week, some of the most telling have been from callers describing themselves as long-time “viewers” of NPR who warn that they are going to “stop watching.”

NPR, of course, does not have viewers, it has listeners. But the public radio organization has come under severe criticism — largely from people who are not listeners, it believes — for having fired Mr. Williams, an analyst who was employed by both NPR and Fox News when he said on Fox that he felt fearful when he saw people in “Muslim garb” on an airplane.

Some have said his comment was bigoted, but others have rallied to Mr. Williams’s defense, and many conservatives have seized on his firing to resurrect their war against public broadcasting.

In an interview on Friday, Vivian Schiller, NPR’s chief executive, defended the decision to dismiss Mr. Williams and said it was not the product of political or financial pressures.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/23/business/media/23williams.html?_r=1

---

Long article, well worth reading.

As is this one...

NPR’s Schiller Says Juan Williams Was Fired Because of Ethics Guidelines

By BRIAN STELTER

=snip=

When asked why Mr. Williams was fired, she said:

The reason that we terminated his contract is because of our news ethics guidelines.

The guidelines are based on the same news ethics guidelines of the Society of Professional Journalists, and are very similar to that of The New York Times and many other news organizations.

He had several times in the past violated our news code of ethics with things that he had said on other people’s air. I’m not aware of any problem with any things he has said on our air. In each of those instances, we called him on it; we had a discussion; we asked him not to do it again. It happened several times. What happened a few days ago was the latest in a series of incidents.

I can’t characterize that this was better or worse or less egregious or more egregious than any other time. The point is, this was the latest in a series of incidents.

You give people second chances — we’re big believers in that and we do it all the time — but it happened again and again. And so we made the decision at this point that we had to draw the line somewhere.

Much more including what she said about the 1st Ammendment: http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/22/nprs-schiller-says-juan-williams-was-fired-because-of-ethics-guidelines/

[Orrex]

22. I would have fired Williams years ago

His posturing as the "liberal" voice on the Fox News round-table has been a sickening farce for a long time. For each of his half-hearted rebuttals of Kristol or Hume, Williams has given his Conservative pals hundreds of soft-target "Liberal" straw men to stomp on, all while creating the vapid illusion that the program is somehow balanced.

It'll be interesting to see if his commentary skews further to the right now that he's revealed himself and no longer needs to ingratiate himself to his public radio employers.

[Crazy Dave]

23. Didn't he also guest host O'Reilly's show once?

I don't think a true liberal could score that gig. I'm almost positive I caught a glance of him pointing his finger at me and saying, "Caution!...you are about to enter...click!"

Shepard Smith is an old friend and coworker of mine and his show is on right before. He just reads the headlines and I watch to support his ratings, not necessarily FOX's.

[Orrex]

24. Entirely possible, but I admit that I don't know

I believe I heard that he's hosting it tonight or tomorrow, though. That should tell us something.


Williams did excellent work during the Civil Rights movement, but that was at least an entire career ago.

[Crazy Dave]

28. Everyone's a sellout in the news and entertainment industry

Hell...offer me Williams contract that he's getting now with FOX and I'll make Rush Limbaugh sound like Arianna Huffington ;)

[Eric J in MN]

33. Juan Williams was born in 1954...

...and so he was ten when the Civil Rights Act passed in 1964.

He did write books about the Civil Rights movement, which were published in 1988, 2000, and 2005.

[Orrex]

36. Thank you. Sorry, wrong preposition.

Put "on" in place of "during" and I think I'm back on track.

Whoops!

[Turborama]

29. He does and did tonight. The repeat has just finished and he was almost in tears

He is absolutely livid and I have to say it made for compelling train wreck TV.

He is now able to show his true colors and is given free rein to let his Islamophobia run free on Faux.

[Historic NY]

25. you can tell its all Repukes calling.............

"some of the most telling have been from callers describing themselves as long-time “viewers” of NPR who warn that they are going to “stop watching.”

they going to stop watching the radio....:crazy:

[gmoney]

26. NPR, PBS... anything PUBLIC is BAD

because if the PUBLIC owns it, it doesn't generate PROFITS. All that capital just SITTING THERE informing and entertaining people -- worthless without profits!

[Crazy Dave]

31. And it's pledge drive week

They've all called in to our local station today saying, "I've been a long time supporter but no more!"

[Iris]

37. local station here didn't seem to have troulble meeting its hourly goals this evening

[Crazy Dave]

40. I forgot to mention

Neither did ours. The subject was brought up by the hosts about 10 min. before it ended on the radio :thumbsup: :hi:

[Crunchy Frog]

43. I expect it will produce an uptick in donations.

Their timing on it couldn't have been better.

[Iris]

44. I'm considering donating for the first time in a lot of years

[Crunchy Frog]

46. I would not consider donating, myself.

One firing of someone who should have been fired years ago does not make up for their overall corporatist bias. Underneath their facade of liberalism it's still the same old corporate media.

[Iris]

47. yeah -that's why I'm on the fence

I'm afraid this could drive them further right or to further ludicrous examples of "fair and balanced" coverage.

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

27. Yawn. Dixie Chicks get blasted for a simple statement..

.. but folks want this guy to get away with biased statements against a whole group?

Let him go work for Fox News where bias and prejudice are valued and rewarded.

Let NPR at least pretent to still have some journalistic integrity.

[Crazy Dave]

32. NPR is really the only place to get real news

I've also seen many a DU post saying, "I'll never listen to NPR again" because they did a story that didn't show a democratic politician or the party in a good way.

[SocialistLez]

35. REALLY?? THE ONLY PLACE??

Interesting...

I do just fine not getting my news from them.

[Crazy Dave]

41. No not really but it's where I get most of mine %'wise

Not much of a TV person. Used to be a lot radio. Now it's internet and radio :P

I guess you don't know a general statement when you read or hear one.

[ProudDad]

74. You're wrong

Try the BBC World Service: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/

Closest thing you'll find in the M$M...

[CoffeeCat]

30. Let's get something straight...

...this is not about the right wing and their "war on NPR."

This is about attacking any organization or person who stops the rabid right wing's
bigotry against Muslims.

Right-wing extremists, especially the tea baggers, will tell you how horrible and
awful Muslims are. They want everyone to hate the religion and fear it.

This is one of the primary memes of the ignorant right wing. You would think that these
numb skulls would have learned that behaving like Hitler--and demonizing an entire religion--
is shameful. But they press on--demonizing an entire religion.

Because NPR dared to stand up, and in effect, say, "Juan Williams is a reporter. And if he
is afraid of an entire group of people, that just may affect his ability to do his job well"--the
right wing must attack. Their worst fear is that attacking Muslims may become garish or
out of style. They must attack NPR for daring to suggest that religious bigotry isn't allowed.

And please, this is NOT about the First Amendment either. Juan Williams can say any thing he
damn well pleases. NPR is not putting a muzzle on him. Williams still has his First Amendment
rights and never lost them. Williams is still welcome to make his ignorant cracks as far as NPR
is concerned. He just can't be a reporter who hates an entire class of people--and still be an
effective, unbiased reporter.

It's extremely important to the right wing--that Muslim bashing be allowed and celebrated.

That's what this is about. And it's pathetic.

[Hatalles]

38. It's extremely important to the right wing--that Muslim bashing be allowed and celebrated.

100% correct. This is what it all boils down to.

[Turborama]

58. Excellent post!

I hope you don't mind but I reposted it here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9374125

[CoffeeCat]

73. Of course!

Thanks for reposting! :)

[SocialistLez]

34. Criticism from people who DO NOT LISTEN

Fuck the right-wingers.

I don't support NPR though. They're a propaganda machine like so much of the media these days.

[ProudDad]

75. Corporate Funded National Propaganda Radio (NPR)... (n/t)

[obliviously]

39. Right now attacking and mocking

a black man who was the only black anchorman working for NPR seams like a less than brilliant strategy for any group since the early 1960's.
Especially less than two weeks before a major election,for whatever reason.

[Turborama]

45. Williams should be allowed to get away with consistently violating his contract because he's black?

Wow!

[obliviously]

48. Apparently he should have conformed to his white masters wishes.

[Turborama]

49. You're now saying NPR fired him because they are racist? Another wow!

I'm amazed that you're standing by your original comment and digging an even deeper hole.

[obliviously]

52. List NPR's other black anchors for me.

[hedgehog]

53. FWIW, until he appeared on TV, I always thought Juan Williams was a young Latino!

Does NPR get any points for having Diane Rehm,an Arab-American with a vocal disability (Spasmodic dysphonia)?

[obliviously]

56. List NPR's other black anchors for me.

Are they living in the 50s?

[ProudDad]

76. Williams was NOT an "anchor"

he's a bloviating talking head apologist for the status-quo...

Good riddance...

But it is true that there's a definite lack of diversity among on-air "talent" at NPR.

It's a white, corporate sponsored mouthpiece for the Empire and the status-quo.

I only listen to it in the car because they occasionally slip some actual information in amongst the cheer-leading for Empire and I can't stand commercials.

[Name removed]

59. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Turborama]

54. NPR did not fire him for being black. Read the OP & post #28 to see the real reason he was fired.

[obliviously]

55. List NPR's other black anchors for me.

This is the year 2010 and you can't give me the name of a black anchor at a major news organization that also receives government money. You honestly do not have a problem with that?

[Turborama]

57. Prove that they fired him for being black.

[obliviously]

60. Prove to me they didn't

Show me the testimony of the other black news people.

[Turborama]

61. The details in the OP, post #28 and the fact he hasn't made that claim himself are proof

You can ignore the reasons that were given and spend the rest of your life thinking that NPR are racist and fired him for being black for all I care.

[obliviously]

62. Talk is cheap

What they actually do in practice speaks for itself. At any rate after this episode they will be forced to hire some black people into their ranks and some good will come of it despite the bigots!

[Turborama]

63. It's it's up to you if you want to think NPR are bigots for firing Williams for being a bigot

Despite the facts.

As I said, I don't care if you spend the rest of your life thinking that.

[LiberalAndProud]

86. I think the suspicion of bigotry stems from the lack of on-air diversity.

If one jumps to the conclusion that Williams' termination was related to his race, it should be a forgiveable error.

I have no first hand knowledge of the demographics of NPRs on or off-air talent, but if Williams was a lone voice, perhaps the poster has a valid point.

[Turborama]

92. If you look below, you'll see there is no lack on on-air diversity.

It is not a forgiveable error. It is an unfounded accusation. Additionally, if Williams had the slightest inkling that he'd been fired because he was black he would have gone to Faux with that much more inflammatory accusation rather than the very weak one he's using now.

Edited to add the full list: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6000

[EFerrari]

66. The black community will only be better off without this disgusting hack

maligning them at a credible outlet.

[Turborama]

67. "maligning them at a credible outlet" is what this poster is trying to do

I've given up on them, they only seem to want to start a flame war.

[EFerrari]

68. I did a bit of research on Williams this morning.

He will join Michael Steele and the Log Cabin Republicans and the Independent Womens' Forum in the trash heap sooner or later, hopefully sooner. :puke:

[obliviously]

69. Flame war?

I'm still waiting for the names of the other black news people that work for NPR, from what you say there must be several.

[Turborama]

70. Look, if you have a problem with who NPR's hiring you should take it up with them in a letter

I'm not the one you should be writing to as I can't do anything about it.

[EFerrari]

71. There's aren't and actually, when Williams worked for them

it's debatable that they had even one.

[mbperrin]

77. Mario Armstrong doesn't count?

http://marioa.squarespace.com/full-bio/

[mbperrin]

78. Dee Dee Bridgewater no good?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=2100295

[mbperrin]

79. Korva Coleman unqualified?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=2100373

[mbperrin]

80. Cheryl Corley not black enough?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=2100387

[mbperrin]

81. Audie Cornish - closet white woman?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4986687

[Turborama]

93. Closet white woman!

:rofl:


Thanks a lot for the laugh!

[mbperrin]

82. Corey Dade? Black man or no?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4986687

[obliviously]

83. Not a single one of your examples is an anchor

[mbperrin]

84. Oh? Better look again at those job titles. And these are far from all at

NPR - they're alphabetic for a reason - that's as far as I felt like doing your job for you - you're the one with a thesis and burden of proof - so go ahead and check the 800 employees there and then make a statement.

As I tell my students, lazy thinking is what kills empires. That's not so bad, but it kills a lot of people, too, in the process, and I hate that.

[obliviously]

85. You prefer to live in your illusion

you have proved nothing you say,NPR needs to join the 21st century with the rest of us.

[mbperrin]

90. Well, obliviously, you've certainly lived up to your handle.

Have a good day, a wonderful week, and a nice life.

[obliviously]

91. Thank you very much!

The best to you also.

[EFerrari]

65. That's what he does for a living. Roger Ailes lurves him.

Fox News, meanwhile, announced it had re-signed Williams to a multiyear deal that will give him an expanded role with the network — and that Williams will host O'Reilly's show on Friday. Chairman Roger Ailes described Williams as "a staunch defender of liberal viewpoints" and "an honest man whose freedom of speech is protected by Fox News on a daily basis."

http://www.blackamericaweb.com/?q=articles/news/moving_america_news/22960

Williams makes his living attacking black people, and black leaders like Michelle Obama and Gwen Ifil. He does a fine job of shoring up the status quo.

Juan Williams Insults First Lady Michelle Obama
http://mirroronamerica.blogspot.com/2009/01/juan-williams-insults-first-lady.html

Ifill Responds to Juan Williams
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/02/18/ifill-juan/

Juan Williams a dittohead?: Subbing for O'Reilly, Williams suggests Obama admin caused failure of Limbaugh NFL bid
http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/200910160048

[EFerrari]

64. A man who habitually blames black people for discrimination.

Who makes his living blaming black people for discrimination.

Juan Williams on African-American 'Victimhood'
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5618023

No wonder the right wingnut extremists like him.

[Crunchy Frog]

42. The idiot wingnuts don't even know or care

that NPR gives massive and uncritical coverage to the teabaggers. Coverage that we could never have dreamed of getting from them back when we were protesting the impending Iraq invasion.

[Tx4obama]

72. The Juan Williams story is a distraction to take focus away from Chamber of Commerce foreign $ and

away from Ginni Thomas' Liberty Central teaparty group's undisclosed money,
and all the other stories that are now getting put on the back burner.

[savalez]

88. Well it ain't working here.

[savalez]

89. Juan was fired and hired for the same thing.

Being a bigot. NPR can't have them on staff. Fox can't NOT have them on staff.