Get Juan Williams?
NPR’s Ombudsman, Alicia C. Shepard, examines Juan Williams…
He spent 21 years at the Washington Post as an editorial writer, op-ed columnist and White House reporter. According to NPR’s Communications office, he one of NPR’s most-sought after public speakers.
Williams brings a valuable viewpoint to NPR. Sometimes it is that of an African-American, but it is also that of someone with a long track record of covering politics. Some think he is a conservative because he’s on Fox. Others think Fox uses him as a liberal voice because, whether true or not, a perception exists that NPR is liberal.
The assets that make Williams valuable to NPR are his knowledge, his perspective and that he is rarely predictable.
But in the end, NPR must decide — as it apparently already has — whether giving its listeners the benefit of Williams’ voice is worth the cost of annoying some listeners for his work on Fox.
As a result of this latest flap, NPR’s Vice President of News, Ellen Weiss, has asked Williams to ask that Fox remove his NPR identification whenever he is on O’Reilly.
February 12, 2009 at 9:46 am
This is another example of liberal intolerance. The fact is he works for NPR and they want to deny it.
Why don’t they just change the name of NPR to NLR? National Liberal Radio. Is not the brand image they are trying to protect here? Bizarre intolerance of anything remotely conservative in the echo chamber of liberal media.
“Annoying some listeners for his work on Fox”
So much for diversity and intellectual thought! Dose the word hypocrisy come to mind?
February 12, 2009 at 10:02 am
This is absurd and petty. So, if Williams appears on liberal shows, the NPR identification stays? Or if he had toed the liberal line and not broken with it, would NPR demand this?
Maybe they can have a Solomon-like settlement: when Williams expresses liberal views the NPR identifidation stays on the screen but when he gives non-liberal views the ID disappears.
February 12, 2009 at 10:18 am
Juan Williams is a favorite of mine. Always has great insight. This intolerance of other view-points and opinions is getting old and as Steve said, petty.
February 12, 2009 at 10:29 am
Result of what flap? Is NPR asking him to not indentify himself as an NPR correspondent because of his views (which are all over the map, by the way), or because he’s a legitimate FNC analyst? I mean, how many TV viewers even know he’s on the radio? He’s on Fox all the time.
February 12, 2009 at 11:50 am
Result of what flap?
The petty (yeah, I repeat myself) flap engendered by complaints by liberal/left listeners of NPR that Williams is on Fox and is identified as a NPR commentator/analyst. Apparently the listeners get to decide such matters.
If he appeared on North Korean TV or on the pages of Granma, would they be just as upset?
I kid, I kid (but really, how much?)
February 12, 2009 at 11:51 am
Joe, everytime he is introduced on Fox News Sunday or Special Report, he is identified as “Juan Williams of National Public Radio”.
I’m not sure if they do that on O’Reilly & the others or not.
L&J is correct. This is ENTIRELY about the fact that conservative thought is not allowed on NPR….you know, the network paid for with our tax dollars.
Juan is a liberal. He’ll be the first to tell you that. But he’s a very intelligent one and not afraid to voice his support of a good idea even if it comes from a conservative.
February 12, 2009 at 1:29 pm
If it’s based on listener disapproval of his politics (which I dare anybody to nail down), NPR’s listeners should get over themselves.
February 12, 2009 at 1:58 pm
Ok, I’ll take your dare. Juan votes almost straight ticket Dem. But because he’s not a flaming liberal all the time, NPR lemmings don’t like him.
February 12, 2009 at 1:58 pm
I think it’s based on listener disapproval of Fox News.
February 12, 2009 at 2:57 pm
I think it’s based on listener disapproval of Fox News.
Sure, and also the fact the he doesn’t give a straight liberal line on matters.
No one thinks that if he was a doctrinaire lefty that these petty complainers would gripe as much. Sure, they’d complain about him appearing on the evil Murdoch “fixed news” but not as much.
What was it Olbermann said? “Fox news has done more damage to the country than the KKK”?
Let’s see: lynching thousands of black Americans, terrorizing tens, if not hundreds of thousands, more for over than a century is less damaging to this country than Fox News?
Yes, Mr. Olbermann, we know you’re a buffoon; but do you have to prove it all the time?
February 13, 2009 at 7:08 am
Vice President of News, Ellen Weiss should be removed and banished to Air America.
How in the world can she justify having a special policy for “one” NPR commentator and not all others?
This is discrimination and institutional political correctness in a government agency gone wild. They are even proud of it.
Alas, my liberal friends call for no action against Ms. Weiss. The silence is deafening!
February 13, 2009 at 8:05 am
Interesting that NPR’s Mara Liasson appears on FOX a lot and there’s not one complaint about her. Hmmmm………. Why would that be?
February 13, 2009 at 9:42 am
BR, the reason appears to be because Mr. Williams (a clear liberal) occasionally has a common sense conservative opinion and that simply is not allowed if you’re an African American. NLR can’t tolerate the thought. For proof, go to Jonny$ $ site to read all the hate comments about Mr. Williams.
What a shame. I call for the firing of Ms Weiss
February 13, 2009 at 9:44 am
Ellen Weiss is an idiot! Loud enough for ya?
February 13, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Tonight on Special Report, Juan was still identified as an NPR correspondent.
You go Juan!!