NPR Chief Resigns After "Sting" Video: Why This Mom is Nervous
NPR's Vivian Schiller steps down
NPR CEO Vivian Schiller resigned today after meeting with NPR’s board of directors in the aftermath of a “sting” video.
The video, released on Tuesday, was made by the political activist James O’Keefe (of ACORN “pimp video” fame). In the video, a group of men posing as part of a Muslim organization approached NPR fundraiser Ron Schiller (not related to Vivian) and talked about making a contribution of five million dollars.
Ron Schiller made some intolerant black-and-white remarks that we don’t consider very NPR-friendly.
Here’s what he said, and why the goodbye of NPR’s woman-in-charge makes me nervous:
According to the Christian Science Monitor, during the conversation with the men posing as a Muslim organization:
Mr. Schiller appeared to belittle ”uneducated Americans” who adhere unthinkingly to a conservative party line. He also characterized tea party activists as “seriously, seriously racist” and bemoaned the dearth of “educated, so-called elites” in the political debate.
For a news organization built to deliver the facts and respectfully consider opinions of all shapes and sizes, this was pretty harsh. NPR immediately said it was “appalled” by the statements.
But today, they went one step further by making a mutual decision to accept the resignation of Vivian Schiller. This all comes amid debates over taxpayer support of NPR.
It’s all making this busy parent pretty nervous. I rely so heavily on NPR for news. Not just the breaking-world-variety, but also the random stories and slices of life dug up and thoughtfully presented to me on, say, the drive home from preschool drop off.
I also don’t quite buy the rational that Vivian Schiller is responsible for the comments made by her fundraiser. What he said was damaging and revealed a more rigid mindset than what we imagine under the NPR surface. But is the prank “sting” video approach to journalism really a legitimate ground for judging someone’s character and the point of view of an organization? Are we now allowed to go around surreptitiously prodding just to see what we can get people to say?
Breaking up the leadership at this point feels little shaky to me. Like a kid wants to know that his parents are on solid ground and know what they’re doing — I want to know that NPR has their act together. I hope they’ve got a plan here.
Image: npr.org
NPR’s congressional funding is on the line right now. And if you haven’t noticed, the Republicans have been aggressively assaulting every group that they perceive (rightly or wrongly) to support Democrats including teachers and NPR
I’m with you, Lisa. That’s why these bizarre tactics don’t sit well with me.
And college students! They’re on the warpath to make it harder for college students to vote.
Shiller probably should have thought before he spoke, but I think it is pretty safe to admit that he was speaking the truth.
And, if you work at an kind of organization that gets public funding and does not spout tea-party hatred, I’d start acting like every person you talk to is some a-hole with a hidden camera.
ACORN, Planned Parenthood, PBS/NPR all are organizations targeted by such stings. All are organizations with a positive (non-political) agenda that they largely fulfill. All are probably overwhelmingly staffed by Democrats (which does not make the organization political) as are universities, most law firms, and lots of other places filled with educated “so-called” elites. There is a reason those folks are not in the tea-party, do I need to spell it out?
If NPR is as fantastic as so many liberals claim it is, it will certainly be able to survive in the maketplace on its own without any government subsidies. Ron Schillier, the fundraiser in the video, even said that it could. I also have to say that I’m surprised that any freedom-loving liberal would think that state-run media is ever a good idea.