First interview with NPR CEO Vivian Schiller on Juan Williams firing
Call me lucky. I had a pre-scheduled interview this morning with NPR CEO Vivian Schiller this morning before her speech at the Atlanta Press Club Newsmakers luncheon at the 191 Club in downtown Atlanta.
So lo and behold, the entire Juan Williams firing blew up the past 24 hours. I happen to be the first person to talk to her about it. She basically said he was on NPR as a news analyst and wasn’t supposed to express opinions, something he had done time and time again on Fox News. This was just the final straw. Commentators, in contrast, are specifically called that on NPR and are supposed to be opinionated.
She said this has nothing to do with Fox News or his particular views of Muslims. She is also sorry NPR did this while most public radio stations (including WABE-FM) are in the middle of their fall pledge drives.
After the luncheon, John Weatherford, senior chief operating officer at WABE-FM, acknowledged the Williams flap has been a “distraction” for the pledge drive, and he has gotten many emails and calls from WABE listeners who won’t give money because of it. He also said today is the matching day for Atlanta Community Food Bank and he hopes it doesn’t hurt them.
[Williams himself spoke about the situation on Fox News today and said he couldn't believe he was let go without even a face-to-face conversation. He was terminated by phone.]
UPDATE@ 5:25 p.m. The Los Angeles Times reports that Fox has signed Williams to a new three-year contract worth nearly $2 million.
Here is part of the Q&A:
Q: Okay. What happened?
A: Let’s state a couple of facts. Juan is not an employee of NPR. He’s an independent contractor. He’s not NPR staff. He’s an NPR analyst. We have a contract with him for analyst opinions to provide news analysis. He is not a columnist or commentator. He also has an on-going relationship with Fox News. Mara Liasson is also on Fox News and is a full-time staffer. We accept that’s a whole other issue. However, we expect our journalists, whether they are news analysts or reporters to behave like journalists.
Q: So did Juan really get fired over just those Muslim comments? [He said he was uncomfortable with Muslims dressed in traditional garb on airplanes during a Fox News telecast yesterday.]
A: 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. [The quote on Fox News early last year: "Michelle Obama, you know, she's got this Stokely Carmichael in a designer dress thing going" and that she'll be an "albatross" for President Obama.]. This isn’t a case of one strike and you’re out.
Q: So this is obviously not an isolated incident.
A: There’s so much misinformation on the blogosphere, it’s nuts. This has been an on-going issue. [Here's NPR's ombudsman's piece on him last year after the Obama comment.] When he does that, when anybody does that, it undermines their credibility as a journalist or in Juan’s case, a news analyst for NPR. Those two things cannot go together.
Q: Have you done this before with other analysts or reporters?
A: It’s impossible to answer that. Every circumstance is different and would create false parallels.
Q: As you mentioned, Mara Liasson appears on Fox News. Is there an issue with Fox News?
A: No. She behaves on Fox as a journalists. I have no issues with anything she has said on Fox. This is not about Fox News. It’s not about a political agenda. This is not about even validating or invalidating [Williams'] feelings.
Q: Mike Huckabee is now saying NPR has discredited itself and should have federal funding revoked.
A: Yes, I heard that. This has become a political issue. My God, I’m shocked!
Q: Could NPR live without federal funding?
A: Let’s go on a sidebar. There’s a misperception about federal funding and public radio. There’s the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. They receive $90 million a year and a vast majority goes to member public radio stations. Those stations pull in more than $1 billion collectively a year. It’s significant and important but not even close to the lion’s share of revenues for public radio. NPR gets no allocation from CPB. Zero. We are a private 501(c)3. We’ve had journalists call up and ask what department of the government we report to. That’s laughable. Have you listened to our shows? We do apply for competitive grants from the likes of the Ford Foundation and the Knight Foundation. As a result, some money from CPB does come to us when we win grants. Depending on the year, it represents just one to three percent of our total budget.
Q: What is your annual budget?
A: $160 million a year from station fees and dues, corporate underwriting, philanthropic contributions from individuals and corporation and earned income and earnings from our endowment.
Q: How healthy are you?
A: We had some issues the last couple of years and went into deficits. But we’ve regrouped and we’re back on track.
During the luncheon, she repeated much of what she told me.
“We are for civil liberties,” she said. “If you want to be a political activist, you may not also be a reporter or news analyst for NPR.”
Schiller also said it’s “sophomoric” to deride objectivity as a lie of omission, that hiding a journalists’ biases is a bad thing: “Yes, we are humans. We have opinions. None of us are impartial, that objectivity and absolute truth as concepts are unattainable. It does not follow that providing the most objective and most impartial work possible is not a worthy goal for professional journalists.”
She continues: “This is where the Juan Williams story enters. We have checks and balances to serve that goal. That’s why we have editors. We have an ombudsman and corrections. It’s why we let readers comment on stories. It’s why we run opinions and commentaries and label them as such. Commentaries are different from news analysis. It’s certainly why we practice journalism and prohibit journalists from certain activities, not just to protect the appearance of objectivity… it’s to protect the ideal of fair-minded journalism… People have strong opinions and professional journalists have developed procedures and standards and practices to counter them. It’s to draw a fine line between reporter and commentary and punditry.”
On a brighter note, she also noted that NPR public radio stations have seen their audience grow 60 percent over the past decade to 34 million people and that doesn’t include users who access NPR shows via mobile devices, the Web and podcasting. She is also proud that NPR has expanded its coverage in international news, the arts and sciences and other topics that have been reduced in other media.
“Our goal is simple,” Schiller told more the luncheon audience. “Deliver more news and information to more people in more ways.”
NOTE: I am a board member of the Atlanta Press Club.
Join my Facebook fan page and Twitter.
accessAtlanta Partner Sites
Sections
Advertise on accessAtlanta.com »
Reach the audience you want by advertising on accessAtlanta.com
Join the Access Atlanta Network »
Advertisers and Publishers, expand your reach by joining the Access Atlanta Network.
Tell us what you think about the site
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement | About our ads
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
524 comments Add your comment
Vivian Schiller
October 21st, 2010
1:38 pm
“A section 501(c)(3) organization must not be organized or operated for the benefit of private interests, such as the creator or the creator’s family, shareholders of the organization, other designated individuals, or persons controlled directly or indirectly by such private interests. No part of the net earnings of a section 501(c)(3) organization may inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual. A private shareholder or individual is a person having a personal and private interest in the activities of the organization.” – IRS Website
http://www.irs.gov/charities/charitable/article/0,,id=123297,00.html
Cui bono? – This is the question we must ask ourselves…
Ed
October 21st, 2010
1:39 pm
National Proletariat Radio and the Peoples Broadcasting System should not receive one more dollar of the tax payers money!
alohavampire
October 21st, 2010
1:41 pm
NPR should hire Mel Gibson to do political commentary
simplythetruth
October 21st, 2010
1:41 pm
ApealToReason: Spoken like a true racist. Shame on you.
JTesla
October 21st, 2010
1:45 pm
Great interview Rodney! Beautiful.
“He’s an NPR analyst” oh I didn’t realize that an NPR Analyst was not allowed to have opinions. My bad. Of course this wasn’t his first strike, but his other strikes were him, yet again, having an opinion on a topic and, oh I don’t know him trying to analyze the news. See that’s what I thought an analyst would do, but again I was wrong.
JemalKnows
October 21st, 2010
1:45 pm
Great interview. I like how you cut straight through to the real issue at NPR.
~JemalKnows
Christopher
October 21st, 2010
1:46 pm
Amazing…Muslims murdered Americans…on 9/11….They want world domination….They have since the 8th centuary…NPR….is do “Liberal Left”….they were forced to do something….Vivian Shriller…is a very weak spined…Ceo….She should be fired for being a really Politically…..correct…Freedom of speech….Bitch
George Soros
October 21st, 2010
1:47 pm
I am paying $1.8 million for 100 “Enterprise Journalists” at NPR. Coincidence?
I am also financing a new investigative wing of propagandists for the Huffington Post.
Glenn Beck, Fox News and all Conservatives should be shut up or sent to one of my gulags.
USAF Retired
October 21st, 2010
1:48 pm
I love classical music…but NPR has received its last dime from me….and I will restrict my classical music consumption to my own recording collection. I am not a huge Juan Williams fan, but the man spoke an honest opinion that most Americans can identify with….It is a scandal that NPR receives even a nickel from tax payers much less business and personal contributors. Enough of NPR….time to move on.
What's Important
October 21st, 2010
1:49 pm
Robert, could you throw a little more hyperbole into your rant about the Tea Party. I am sorry but even the mainstream media has been unable to produce any evidence of a rage/mob mentality within the Tea Party. I don’t believe pointing out a strong belief in less government and being fiscally responsible is stirring up hate and fear. The Democrats every year diatribe about Republicans taking away Social Security has never been critized. To compare the Tea Party to the Taliban is just another diverting tactic to get people off point, that being that our liberties are being taken away every day by political correctness. I have a right to feel as I feel, what I do not have a right to do is act in a way on that feeling that is harmful to others. George Bush was called everything but a child of God by the left wing politicians and mainstream media. Didn’t hear you complaining then.
Appeal to Reason, so anyone who does not follow the script of outrage for the supposed slights against their race are self-haters and wish to be of another race. Talk about painting with a broad brush. It is possible to be of another ethnicity and not follow the liberal point of view, unless of course you are saying that all of ethnicity other than white must follow blindly a point of view put forth by people of their own race, without free thought or deviation. What does that scenario remind you of.
George Soros
October 21st, 2010
1:50 pm
Don’t you dare boycott the companies that contribute to NPR. I am building more gulags.
Boycott the companies who contribute to NPR
October 21st, 2010
1:51 pm
YES !!!
Make Georgie squeel !
Empty Vessel
October 21st, 2010
1:51 pm
Wow, right wingers upset about NPR, what a shocker! I know that you all are addicted to AM talk radio and fox “news.” And it must really upset you to think there could be consequences for your favorite opinionators expressing the same bigoted views that you share.
I mean, this is your team and these are your views (as dictated to you by the thought police who are merely agents of billionaires like the Koch Brothers, Scaife, et. al.).
At least there’s one news organization who is unwilling to abide the Right Wing’s rules of media conduct!
Thank God and the millions of contributors for NPR!!! I am now making a nice donation!
Eye Roll
October 21st, 2010
1:51 pm
Kudos, it seems as though Vivian Schiller has excellent copy/paste & hyperlink skills. I am sure these will help her immensely in her upcoming job search. Not sure that Latin was a wise choice over Spanish – but there is always Rosetta Stone. Good luck to you Ms. Schiller!
Eye Roll
October 21st, 2010
1:53 pm
@ Empty Vessel
What an awesome moniker! Fits you perfectly!
Deirdre
October 21st, 2010
1:54 pm
Didn’t she say he was contracted to NPR as an analyst? Shouldn’t an analyst be allowed to include his own opinion on a topic? Proving once again that liberals believe in free speech as long as what you say agrees with their opinions.
Drew Williams
October 21st, 2010
1:54 pm
Juan Williams doesn’t have “a right” to the NPR airwaves anymore than any other contractor does. He can have all the opinions on Fox or any other outlet he wants and voice them.
No one’s stopping him, he’s free to speak. But NPR has a right, and that’s the right to end his employment contract if they find his actions damaging to their brand. Same thing goes for where I work. I am free to voice my opinion anywhere, any time, and on any subject matter of my choosing. Some of those actions, including the voicing of my opinion, could be damaging to my employer’s brand. Erego, they would be within their rights to protect their brand.
steve wheaten
October 21st, 2010
1:56 pm
NPR should be defunded from our tax dollars, ASAP… Juan Williams is a good and honest man, he did nothing wrong and is being treated unfairly. NPR should be a shame of this misdeed and must be investigated. Juan, you keep your head up, America is behind you and thanks, for all your hard work. Sincerely, B Steve
Eye Roll
October 21st, 2010
1:57 pm
“Thank God and the millions of contributors for NPR!!! I am now making a nice donation!”
Thank God ? … really Empty Vessel, that’s a bit hypocritical of you isn’t it?
Remember Air America?
P F
October 21st, 2010
1:58 pm
I use to be a die hard listener to WABE. NPR gave me indepth news stories that other stations glossed over. But that all changed when the second middle-east wars broke out. Every half hour they would start their news by stating the how many of our servicemen were killed the day before and kept a running total. Having served in the first Gulf War, and the Corps for 8 years, I was turned off and soon left the station for good. Between 680 and 750, I get all of my news and sports for the day. Good interview, though. But it did prove that they were looking for a reason after his comment about Obama’s wife.
andy
October 21st, 2010
1:58 pm
Take her at her word and bar all Tax money to NPR. Let them compete in the Free market.
Drew Williams
October 21st, 2010
1:59 pm
the right to free speech everyone here likes to invoke concerns government abridgement of that speech. First, NPR is not a government, whether they receive government funding or not. Secondly, no one prevented Mr. Williams’ from making his comment on Fox News. He could go there tomorrow and say what he said again, verbatim. Where is the abridgement of his right to speech?
Roach
October 21st, 2010
1:59 pm
That’s a class individual. NPR is in good hands. Fund drive going on right now for affiliate WABE-FM–show some love.
Karen
October 21st, 2010
2:00 pm
I am surprised by reading the comments how much our society has been changed by pundits parading as journalist. Juan Williams is certainly entitled to his opinion and has a right to express it as an individual. He exercised his right. He was fired from NPR because what he did as an individual is not up to journalistic ethics. If someone on the air is expressing personal opinions they are by definition not a journalist. I work for a company but I cannot express my opinions on air while being identified as an employee because I am not authorized and what I say would reflect on the company as a whole.
RealSquawk
October 21st, 2010
2:01 pm
Juan Williams comments if not taken out of context were close minded and just continue the cycle of ignorance that seems to be reigning supreme here in America. As amply demonstrated on this blog by the people who came here to simply write comments instead of reading articles.
Has anyone read any of Juan Williams materials? I have. He was unimpressive as a thinker and commentator on his observations, but that is besides the point. I listen to NPR I respect their programming because it is diverse and wide ranging and fairly objective compared to other news outlets.
If you don’t like it and you donate to NPR don’t pull your funding speak your mind. Being a contributor allows you to voice your opinion. Pulling your money just gives you some fiats.
simplythetruth
October 21st, 2010
2:01 pm
Hey Eye Roll : Notice that the Empty Vessel didn’t specify what type of donation that she would be making.
Selective clips
October 21st, 2010
2:01 pm
@ AppealtoReason and EmptyVessel. People like you are the reason why an honest discussion about sensitive issues is impossible in this country. Here’s hoping that you and your kind and the lunatics on the right do not win the day.
Mimi
October 21st, 2010
2:01 pm
Enter your comments here
Jake
October 21st, 2010
2:01 pm
NPR will never get a penny from me ever again. They pick and choose which reporters to punish, and allow their liberal voices to say anything they want. I plan on writing my “liberal” congressmen to cut their 1-3% funding, or whatever it is.
Boycott the companies who contribute to NPR
October 21st, 2010
2:02 pm
23.3% of NPRs finances come from corporate sponsors. 11.1% comes from grants. The new Congress can and most likely de-fund them of their 11%.
The public can raise hell to the sponsors just like Soros does against Fox.
Vote with your wallet America.
Make them so uncomfortable they have no choice but to change course or rot in the sun.
NPR’s Ombudsman is the public’s representative to NPR. Read the Ombudsman’s blog and share a comment there, or call 202.513.3245
NPR
635 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Real American
October 21st, 2010
2:04 pm
The same people on here hollering about free speech don’t seem to like it when NPR practices free enterprise. Why is that?
Funding Realist
October 21st, 2010
2:04 pm
NPR gets its funding from member stations – who get a chunk of their money through CPB, i.e. public money. The local stations pay for NPR programming with public funding.
Defund it all.
The books, videos, movies, and other merchandise that they sell can fund them through licensing fees. Big Bird alone could make them rich.
Rich lefties can pay for their own news outlet. Or maybe the DNC.
I haven’t been able to stomach their left-leaning slanted stuff for years.
Jim
October 21st, 2010
2:04 pm
Memo: to all NPR associates-
You must agree with my thinking and politics otherwise pack-up get out.
Signed –
Your fearless leader,
Vivian
Mimi
October 21st, 2010
2:08 pm
Juan was simply voicing what most Americans feel when they see a Muslim…feelings are neither right nor wrong, they just are….I recently flew up North and I had two muslims sitting in front of me on the plance, I was a nervous wreck on the whole trip, especially when one of them got up to use the bathroom.. I don’t consider myself prejudice. This country is so concerned about being politically correct to people not born in this country it sometimes forgets the rights of its own citizens. Shame!!!
Free Speech Lady
October 21st, 2010
2:09 pm
That’s what happens when you express yourself; so much for freedom of speech and expression! Too bad NPR is doing this at the same time they are trying to raise money. I guess they don’t need our contributions, just our tax dollars!!!
Drew Williams
October 21st, 2010
2:11 pm
Free speech comes with responsibility. Williams neglected to remember that, in the purview of NPR. Good on ‘em.
Free Speecher
October 21st, 2010
2:16 pm
A huge leadership gaffe. I predict Vivian Schiller will be OUT before too long.
LRM216
October 21st, 2010
2:16 pm
Quite proud of Juan, as a matter of fact, for saying what most Americans feel when boarding any airline. He had every right to state what he did, whether as a journalist, analyst, or just plain human being.
Deirdre
October 21st, 2010
2:16 pm
Drew…are you serious? National Public Radio will not allow an opinion espoused by Juan Williams if it doesn’t reflect their own opinion. Is it really unreasonable(and I’m not talking about political correctness) for someone to worry just a little every time they see a Muslim on their flight? Is it? Are we so afraid to offend people that we can’t just say it out loud? Will Joy Behar stomp off in a huff? Can’t NPR see a valid opening for a fair discussion on this subject?
david logan
October 21st, 2010
2:20 pm
juan williams is exactly right on. i know when i get on a plane i check out the other passengers aboard and i will look twice if i see or hear people talking in arabic. after 9/11 i think most people are a little leary of muslims when traveling on acft. i think vivian schiller has her head in the wrong place.
John
October 21st, 2010
2:20 pm
The definition for liberals regarding free speech is, “you are free to speak on any issues endorsing our agenda and philosophy without wavering and we are free to fire you if you don’t abide to everything we are we espouse seen and unseen.”
Sounds like there is a little Hitler in every liberal institution.
Pete
October 21st, 2010
2:21 pm
“There is nothing more painful for me at this stage in my life,” Jesse Jackson said several years ago, “than to walk down the street and hear footsteps and start thinking about robbery—and then look around and see somebody white and feel relieved.”
I hope Jesse Jackson never tries to get a job with NPR.
Boycott the companies who contribute to NPR
October 21st, 2010
2:27 pm
Lets just start with those who gave $500,000 or more in 2009:
Angie’s List, General Motors, Lumber Liquidators, Northwestern Mutual Foundation, Novo Nordisk, Progressive Insurance, Prudential Financial, State Farm Insurance, Cargill, Citibank, Constant Contact, Constellation Energy Group, Focus Features, iShares, Lending Tree, Lenovo, Lionsgate Entertainment Corp, NetApp, Pajamagram Compamny, Saturn, Sit4Less.com, Subaru of America, T. Rowe Price, UPS, Vanguard Group.
Demand that companies cease immediately their support for NPR or face boycotts by the American citizenry.
Bob
October 21st, 2010
2:27 pm
Typical left-wing liar. “We don’t get any federal money…it all goes to the local stations.”
Where do you get your money, then?
“Dues from the local stations.”
Mmmmmm-hm.
T Knight
October 21st, 2010
2:27 pm
I remember a NPR correspondent wishing aids on Jesse Helms or one of his grandchildren….wasn’t that over the line? Juan Williams voices an opinion and because CAIR is offended, he gets fired. Was this over the line? Yep.
NPR should have all federal funding withdrawn. If the views they support are only liberal, then the people of this country are not being treated equally. They are neglecting to include a majority of the people who pay for their media outlet to exist. Free speech does come with responsibility.
Jack Nicholson
October 21st, 2010
2:30 pm
NPR, you cant handle the truth!! Juan was dead on and u know it. Guess you’ll need to change that bit called “All things Considered” to: “All things Considered as long as we dont tick off any towel heads or public officials that give us all that tax money to put out the liberal garb out to the masses on weak, static filled, money losing, rural radio stations!”
Hey Viv, you’re kinda cute. Whatcha doin tonite?
Nadee
October 21st, 2010
2:31 pm
A lot of the right wingers on this blog and others are feigning outrage about Juan Williams being fired using the first amendmant right to free speech and other such arguments. Rather Mr. Williams should be fired is not for me to say but the righteous indignation that the good ole folks on the right is showing is palpable and indeed laughable. You people are some of the biggest hypocrites on the face of the earth. Fox news (and I use the term news lightly as I possibly can) even had the nerve to say that NPR only wants to hear one side; the liberal side. Do I really need to comment on that.
Further more, I agree Juan had a right to say what he said but imagine, if he said he get nervous whenever he sees a white boy driving a ryder truck and parks it on the side of the street. Or, how bout I get nervous when catholic priest hanging around school children. I could go on and on; the point is you all would be ready to throw Juan under a bus then. Anytime someone says anything about Muslims it seems to be fair game. I repeat myself; you right wingers are nothing but HYPOCRITES!!!
JTesla
October 21st, 2010
2:36 pm
Nadee: “right wingers”? Wrong. “Anytime someone says anything about Muslims it seems to be fair game” Wrong, I disagree with what Juan said, but I do not feel that he should be fired over having an opinion. Even though that opinion differs from my own. Also, you failed to establish your “hypocrites” claim.
Gateway Pundit
October 21st, 2010
2:37 pm
[...] Ho at the Atlanta-Journal Constitution was the first reporter to interview NPR CEO Vivian Schiller on Juan Williams’ firing. She [...]
Cause I Care
October 21st, 2010
2:38 pm
Nice interview.
I’ll tell you who really scare me. MEN. 100% of the highjackers? MEN. 98% of the suicide bombers? MEN. Timothy McVeigh? A MAN. IRA bombers? 99% MEN. Murderers, rapists, robbers, batterers? 95% MEN
I get really nervous when a man, dressed in man clothes, sits next to me on a plane