Yesterday, CJR’s Joel Meares wrote about the latest in a long string of NPR dust-ups: a “sting” by conservative activist James O’Keefe that cast one of the organization’s fundraisers in a very unflattering light. The episode was especially embarrassing for NPR because O’Keefe’s video hit the web just one day after a speech by CEO Vivian Schiller, and the fundraiser’s views seemed to starkly contradict those of his boss.
This morning, NPR released a statement about Vivian Schiller’s resignation, effective immediately. From the Board’s chairman, Dave Edwards:
The Board accepted her resignation with understanding, genuine regret, and great respect for her leadership of NPR these past two years.
Vivian brought vision and energy to this organization. She led NPR back from the enormous economic challenges of the previous two years. She was passionately committed to NPR’s mission, and to stations and NPR working collaboratively as a local-national news network.
We’ll have a longer piece later today about the implications of this move, but in the mean time, we’ve also re-posted a profile of Vivian Schiller from our March/April 2010 issue, by Jill Drew. Entitled “NPR Amps Up: Can Vivian Schiller build a journalism juggernaut?”, the piece explored Schiller’s strategy to revitalize public radio with new experiments and investments, even while the organization’s finances were looking grim. Drew wrote:
Indeed, Schiller has animated the place with the energy of renewed ambition, a rededication to producing serious journalism. Her strategy rests on three pillars: expand original reporting at the national and local levels; provide free access to public media content regardless of platform; and serve audiences of all backgrounds and interests.
Read Drew’s profile in full here.
This morning, Wednesday, on NPR Diane Rehm spent the better part of the 11 am hour on this topic. I think this is another example of the divisive nature of politics in our country and some of the devious means, people on both sides, are taking to deride the other side. Attack, attack, attack is diminishing freedom of speech. I guess I am an old timer who remembers I always had to tell people I was audio taping their words. I gather this no standard is not in effect or effective. Sad, sad, sad is all of this as I believe we are witnessing the death of democracy in the United States.
#1 Posted by Mary Elizabeth, CJR on Wed 9 Mar 2011 at 12:25 PM
Can I get a "haw haw".
#2 Posted by Mike H, CJR on Wed 9 Mar 2011 at 12:37 PM
In my opinion the way for honest people inside NPR to actually cut through all of the poisonous politically infighting would be to simply start telling the whole truth about the one key subject -- namely, 9/11.
From information freely available on the internet two things are clearly true about 9/11 beyond any practical doubt:
(1) 9/11 was not done by Muslims at all. (2) It was done by Israeli intel people, and American intel, military, and government people.
The reason American democracy is dying is not because the right-wing conservatives (and yes, they are truly nasty) are beating up on poor little NPR. The reason American democracy is flatlined is because people -- especially in the media -- are actively participating in the official 9/11 lies -- instead of telling the known truth about it.
Poor little NPR needs to deliberately stop being a pathetic victim, and it CAN actually do just that -- by saying the truth out loud: Israelis (with lots of help from Americans) did all of the crimes of 9/11.
#3 Posted by Wolfram, CJR on Wed 9 Mar 2011 at 12:52 PM
She was run out for telling the truth about the teabaggers, that they are nasty loudmouth windbags who hate everyone.
#4 Posted by Martin Ledbetter, CJR on Wed 9 Mar 2011 at 01:04 PM
@Wolfram
Not just start telling the truth about 9/11, but also climategate whitewashing, mavi marmara and other israeli crimes against humanity, Sibel Edmonds FBI whistleblower, Fed reserve as a massive ponzi scheme, quadrillion dollar credit default swap, AIPAC controlled media, infiltration of SPLC by zionists, and on and on and on...
#5 Posted by xham, CJR on Wed 9 Mar 2011 at 01:34 PM
OK, there needs to be a middle ground here between bemoaning what happened, bashing conservatives and 9/11 Truther insanity.
NPR, partially funded by tax dollars, has long been a bane to the right. To say they got what was coming to them would be entirely accurate. But it doesn't end there. This sad turn in our society where every action is recorded will only lead down a bad path.
But there is irony in all this. Journalists have for decades used errors, misstatements and foibles against those in the public eye. Now their own and those of others in their organizations are equally subject to attack. And that has them squirming.
New technology, and the gotcha moments are both good and bad. But they are here whether we like it or not and everyone in public life or in life, in general, will have to adapt.
#6 Posted by Dan Gainor, CJR on Wed 9 Mar 2011 at 01:42 PM
It looks to me you leftest or liberals should be aware. If you do a dirty deed to the rightest or conservitives you can expect a similar responce. "DO ON TO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO ON TO YOU"
#7 Posted by ckaul, CJR on Wed 9 Mar 2011 at 02:19 PM
She was caught being extremely partisan when she was clearly not...
I am nonpartisan in that I know that all the parties are owned by the same folks and therefore no real choice between them.
As for 9-11, just youtube search for wtc7 and as you learn this building was NOT hit by a plane, had only small fires, and fell at the speed of gravity into itself and you don't question the official conspiracy theory...then you don't even have half an ounce of honest unwashed brain power to your credit.
#8 Posted by tony, CJR on Wed 9 Mar 2011 at 02:52 PM
What an entertaining comments thread! Yes of course Schiller's resignation has everything to do with 9/11 trutherism. What an obvious connection.
At any rate, I hope Schiller gets to see her own psychiatrist this time.
#9 Posted by JLD, CJR on Wed 9 Mar 2011 at 06:52 PM
It's going to be fun when these guys start going after other organizations that are banes to the right. Because once the wurlitzer starts to turn, heads roll regardless of the credibility of the accuser or the innocence of the victims. (Vivian Schiller is getting canned for cutting ties to Juan Williams and bringing NPR into the right wing bully boys' scopes, not because of the video tape which she had no part in)
CJR? Keep your head down. Everybody? Be afraid. Don't make the right wing mad or they will come after your jobs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMUVFctJ2Xw
This bodes well for journalism.
#10 Posted by Thimbles, CJR on Wed 9 Mar 2011 at 07:19 PM
Thimbles
Given the Walker phone call, it seems this strategy is being used by both left and right. It's not journalism, but it is working.
And Schiller hired the other Schiller. And this incident may well (should) cost NPR its government goodies.
#11 Posted by Dan Gainor, CJR on Wed 9 Mar 2011 at 08:10 PM
Thimbles, you are missing the point. Nobody cares about CJR - everyone knows it's a left-wing organization and besides it doesn't get tax dollars (AFAIK, if it does, watch out).
What O'Keefe is targeting is orgs that happily take $ from the government dole while extolling their non-partisans nature. In all 3 instances this was shown to be a lie.
#12 Posted by JLD, CJR on Wed 9 Mar 2011 at 08:11 PM
CJR is a university organization. To the extent that Columbia University accepts government funds, CJR is vulnerable to republican witch hunts.
"What O'Keefe is targeting is orgs that happily take $ from the government dole while extolling their non-partisans nature. In all 3 instances this was shown to be a lie."
???
#13 Posted by Thimbles, CJR on Wed 9 Mar 2011 at 08:44 PM
Wow. You people at Columbia are way smarter than this Southern bread gun toting right wing extremist. Wait, I dont own a gun, but I believe in the right to own them. Extremist? Until tonite I sat here on my hands not commenting. I've had enough. For you that believe that 9/11 was our government conspiring with Israel to give us a reason to attack Muslims. I bet your family members were part of the people shouting that its GM, Ford n Chrysler thats controlling the oil prices back in the 70's. I remember them well. Oh yeah, they have a car that gets 1,000's of miles per gallon, their just not telling the truth". The truth was/is if they had that car, we would be driving it right now!
Columbia you boo'ed a vet. That just about sizes ya'll up. No respect towards people different from you. You're lead by people like Harry Reid of Nevada. "If it weren't for the National Endowment of the Arts, their would be no 'Cowboy Poetry Festivals'", and, "that if it weren't for the festival the 10's of thousands of people wouldn't exist." ??
You admired the Democrats that left Wisc didn't you? Yeah that's a bunch of people I want to hang with. The first sign of trouble and they run, while blaming others as their reason for leaving. Cowards!
I bet most of ya'll cheered on Michael Moore with his, "Wisconsin isnt out of money. Neither is our Federal Govt." speech. The fact is, our liberal leaning side of government has never known what it's like to do without, that's why most of ya'll side with them.
Selfishness, self-centeredness is your problem. You claim the right of free speech when people protest the funeral services of a KIA American soldier who died to defend that rite. But let NPR try to make a deal with a "known" terrorist group and get caught be the fault of others, not the terrorists, and no way could it be anyone else's fault, in particular, anyone from the left sided NPR. Yet your parents cheered when Nixon got caught recording, and bugging.
I almost want our government to faulter on the loans made by China towards our debt. You guys have no clue whats really going on in the world. You sit up there in your $50-$60K annual university thinking you're right, and if someone disagrees with you, well their stupid. But if we dont fix this economic issue now, you'll be just like them west coast realtors that went from living in million dollar condo's, to homeless. Just maybe that will wake this country up, well at least you golden spoon fed Ivy League liberals. The rest of the country already knows.
To close I have a question for ya'll. Didn't you guys support Obama? Didnt he promise to close Gitmo? Didnt he say he would have the openest team leading our country? He reminds me of Carter. Spend spend spend, blame others. What a fine president he turned out to be. I Thank God for allowing our country to survive him, and God sent us a hero, Ronald Reagan. I once again thank God for the many gifts he's given me. Tonite I am showing Our Father, my gratitude, for allowing me to live in this great country of ours, regardless of the fact that I live in a time when we have completely lost our direction. You wanna do the right thing? Then volunteer to feed the homeless, do something nice for someone, and dont tell anyone you did those things. Or just keep sitting in your plush surroundings until this country falters, and you wound up as the homeless. It happened to me, it can, and will, happen to you, if you continue on the path you're on.
Happy Ash Wednesday, KJ
#14 Posted by John Gibby, CJR on Thu 10 Mar 2011 at 12:28 AM
Kudos to John Gibby for a spot-on imitation. That is snark, isn't it?
And if it isn't I hope he never finds out how much public assistance his hero got during the Great Depression.
#15 Posted by ValdaVin, CJR on Sat 12 Mar 2011 at 11:38 AM