CPB Board Worried About Juan Williams Fallout
Concerned public criticism of NPR's decision could affect welfare of entire system
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 11/16/2010 4:37:31 PM
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting's board is very concerned about the fallout from NPR's firing of Juan Williams.
That came in a resolution adopted by the board in a meeting in New Orleans Tuesday (Nov. 16).
NPR fired senior news analyst Juan Williams last month after remarks he made on Bill O'Reilly's Fox News program.
The board did not criticize NPR's decision directly, but it did resolve that given the public criticism of NPR's decision, and the fact that the decision could affect the welfare of the entire system, it was deeply concerned about its consequences on "renewed challenges to public media's journalistic integrity, Congressional attempts to reduce or eliminate funding for public media, and the impact such reductions will have on public media's future programming and services."
Noncom funding is under the gun in Washington from the co-chairs of an Obama administration commission on fiscal responsibility. It also faces a House soon to be controlled by Republicans, many of whom have historically tried to cut or zero out funding.
Below is a resolution, a copy of which was supplied to B&C:
WHEREAS,
The public media system is highly interdependent; and
WHEREAS,
The public reaction to NPR's decision with respect to Juan Williams and the circumstances surrounding the decision has been highly critical; and
WHEREAS,
The actions of no single institutional leader should put in jeopardy the future of public media;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,
The Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting expresses its deep concern about the consequences of NPR's decisions including renewed challenges to public media's journalistic integrity, Congressional attempts to reduce or eliminate funding for public media, and the impact such reductions will have on public media's future programming and services.
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It was a personnel decision that should have been made. The problem is not that they canceled his contract; NPR has every right to do so. The problem is that NPR allowed Juan and continues to allow others, i.e., Nina, Mara, Cokie, to appear on other programs of other companies. If NPR wants to set itself aside as a legitimate journalism organization, then it must be perceived as different in fact as well as in policy. That NPR may not know how to handle personnel matters is legal and human resources problem for NPR, not one that is a part of their pursuit of Journalism.
Dwight Bobson - 11/17/2010 5:34:28 PM EST -
They could FIRE the people who fired Juan Williams, that's what I would do.
Kenneth Byers - 11/17/2010 8:13:42 AM EST
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