NPR Puts Exec Ron Schiller on 'Administrative Leave' Following Comments About Tea Party
National Public Radio further distanced itself Tuesday afternoon from embattled outgoing executive Ron Schiller saying that he would be put on "administrative leave" following the release of a video in which he bashed Tea Party activists as "racist" and said that NPR would be "better off" without federal funding.
It was unclear from NPR's first statement, released early in the day, which of Schiller's many comments the radio network had disavowed. The second statement offered some clarification, specifically addressing the claims that the organization would fare better without federal dollars. But it did not highlight or specifically denounce any of Schiller's comments regarding the Tea Party movement, the Republican Party, or the American people generally - though it did broadly condemn his comments.
Schiller's impending departure for a post at the Aspen Institute makes the move to place him on "administrative leave" mostly symbolic.
Here is the statement in full:
The comments contained in the video released today are contrary to everything we stand for, and we completely disavow the views expressed. NPR is fair and open minded about the people we cover. Our reporting reflects those values every single day – in the civility of our programming, the range of opinions we reflect and the diversity of stories we tell.
The assertion that NPR and public radio stations would be better off without federal funding does not reflect reality. The elimination of federal funding would significantly damage public broadcasting as a whole.
Prior to the lunch meeting presented in the edited video, Ron Schiller had informed NPR that he was resigning from his position to take a new job. His resignation was announced publicly last week, and he was expected to depart in May. While we review this situation, he has been placed on administrative leave.
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Comments
Of course they are not upset
Submitted by gopsteve on Tue, 03/08/2011 - 7:30pm.
Of course they are not upset with Schiller for his anti GOP / Tea Party statements. They all think that way...they are just mad that he got CAUGHT SAYING THEM.
My favorite part was when he
Submitted by Rusty Shackleford on Tue, 03/08/2011 - 7:58pm.
My favorite part was when he said that Republicans want to tell everyone how to live their lives. That man must live in one hell of an echo chamber to say that with a straight face.
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Chris Matthews: The Joy Behar of MSNBC.
Bill Maher: The Joy Behar of HBO.
Paul Krugman: The Joy Behar of The New York Times.
This fool was already leaving NPR...What needs to happen...
Submitted by PrairieSky on Tue, 03/08/2011 - 7:40pm.
is a total defunding of NPR...Now.
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction...It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them (our children) to do the same." ~President Ronald Reagan
No kidding. Patriots need to
Submitted by Rusty Shackleford on Tue, 03/08/2011 - 8:02pm.
No kidding. Patriots need to strike while the iron's hot on this one and at the very least call your representatives in DC. At the very least it's possible that the rep or their assistant that you'd be speaking with is unaware of this video.
F.Y.I : US Capitol switchboard: 202-224-3121
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Chris Matthews: The Joy Behar of MSNBC.
Bill Maher: The Joy Behar of HBO.
Paul Krugman: The Joy Behar of The New York Times.
Agreed...I've already contacted my reps in D.C....
Submitted by PrairieSky on Tue, 03/08/2011 - 8:22pm.
They have no doubts about what my thoughts are on this subject.
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction...It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them (our children) to do the same." ~President Ronald Reagan
Boy, NPR's had a lot...
Submitted by PrairieSky on Tue, 03/08/2011 - 7:41pm.
of 'splainin' to do lately, huh??
Jerks.
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction...It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them (our children) to do the same." ~President Ronald Reagan
Step 1: End federal
Submitted by Rusty Shackleford on Tue, 03/08/2011 - 7:56pm.
Step 1: End federal funding(*) of NPR and sweep PBS along for the ride.
Step 2: End state and local funding of NPR and PBS
Step 3: End NPR's 501(c)3 status
(*) By funding I mean cash and any non-cash assistance the government gives NPR and its affiliates that it does not give to other stations.
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Chris Matthews: The Joy Behar of MSNBC.
Bill Maher: The Joy Behar of HBO.
Paul Krugman: The Joy Behar of The New York Times.
Only mad he got CAUGHT...
Submitted by Slyrr on Tue, 03/08/2011 - 8:30pm.
Make no mistake. The Jew-haters, liberals, socialists and communists infesting NPR and it's leadership are NOT upset with what their Shiller said. Quite the contrary. Behind closed doors I guarantee that almost EVERY boss figure at NPR/PBS says the same stuff. 'Jews run the world', 'The Tea Party sucks', 'We hate the GOP' and so on.
They're not firing Shiller because of what he said. They're firing him because he got CAUGHT.
This is another disaster for NPR/PBS, fresh on the heels of what they did to Juan Williams. They thought they could get away with it, and now the mousetrap is clamped firmly on their red little hands. So now they need a scapegoat to take the fall and try to maintain what's left of their shattered credibility. Thing is, it's too late. The damage is done. Their lies are exposed.
But don't worry, you NPR acolytes. Even if Congress cuts off NPR, the network will be just fine. After all - 'NPR only gets a tiny portion of its money from taxpayers', right? That's what you people who defend NPR to the hilt always say, no? The federal funding is 'paltry', 'miniscule', and the guys running NPR admit 'we'll be better off without Federal Funding'.
For once, we agree.
So don't worry. You'll get your money from other sources. And if your Shiller is any indication, those sources will be Al-Jazeera, Al-Qeuda and other Muslim terrorst front groups. Maybe you can offer your doners a free Muslim Tote bag with every donoate - big enough to carry the severed heads of at least two infidels.
artsy fartsy world of schiller
Submitted by thescoots on Tue, 03/08/2011 - 8:46pm.
now this guy has been tapped as director of the Aspen Art Institute??? Take a look at their website...good god....the uber-liberal utopia of it all is astounding!! These people are committed socialists who are recruiting younger people for indoctrination into the secular heavenlies of ultra-high end art and culture. Is it any wonder that this guy despises the common man? Please, take a moment and google Aspen Art.....but have a barf bag handy when you do....
So who here has gone out to
Submitted by Thoreau on Tue, 03/08/2011 - 10:52pm.
So who here has gone out to eat with the Musllim Brotherhood? Better yet, who has been offered 5 Million dollars to give their side of the story of overthrowing governments and funding al Qaeda?
I don't think his Tea Party comments are surprising. I mean, he's a Vichy Liberal. Man, at one point I thought he was going to make out with Mohammed.
It's important to understand
Submitted by povertypimpin on Tue, 03/08/2011 - 11:01pm.
It's important to understand that left wing rags like NPR do not fire employees for having prejudicial views. NPR fires them when they are outed so NPR can continue with their fake appearance of being fair and balanced.
I'm surprised!
Submitted by pbthinker on Tue, 03/08/2011 - 11:15pm.
I can't believe we haven't seen anyone defending the indefensible yet. Liberals usually have a way of turning these things around, blaming the messenger, or something. Apparently, they haven't had a chance to digest this yet.
What's going to be funny is, the Republicans defund them, and the Democrats want to keep their funding intact.
Are they related?
Submitted by TexasMom0517 on Wed, 03/09/2011 - 12:09am.
Are Ron Schiller and Vivian Schiller related? Her father was named Ronald, so I thought it odd that a brother and sister would be the president and chief fundraiser for NPR.
Just read the story on CNN.com
Submitted by CO2Maker on Wed, 03/09/2011 - 2:50am.
Oh, wait a minute. No I didn't. CNN doesn't have anything about it, eiother the original story about O'Keefe's video or the later story about NPR's response. Hmmm. Maybe it's not really an important story, or else CNN would report it, right?
So I switched to CBSNews.com. Not there, either, except a single listing in "Most Viewed" (well, duh!).
NBC News, aka MSNBC carried it as the headline story.
ABC World News Tonight, not the headline story but still listed.
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Update: CNN does have a story, but it's on their Politics page, not the front page of their website. It's a big story, but the gurus at CNN think that readers want to see a story about a burglar who was trapped by the householder and called 911 himself,—which they feature on their home page—rather than a story about a sting that unmasked bigotry at NPR.
No liberal bias
Submitted by ThisnThat on Wed, 03/09/2011 - 7:16am.
On Monday, Vivian Schiller claimed there is no liberal bias at NPR. Then Ron Schiller says that liberals are much, much smarter than republicans. I guess Vivian Schiller must be a republican, then.
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“Didn't win the Medal of Honor? Didn't even serve? Then lie about it. We'll support you." — 9th Circuit Court