Vivian Schiller Fires Juan Williams
By Naiwrita Sinha, Gaea News NetworkFriday, October 22, 2010
LOS ANGELES (Gaea Times.com) Seldom did Vivian Schiller knew that her ranting at NPR Juan Williams will draw flak from other fellow journalists. Vivian Schiller, the President and CEO of NPR fired Juan Williams whom she found of being a tad too vocal in his views. But since then her actions has been criticized thoroughly with several journalists voicing their support for Juan Williams. Vivian Schiller was offended on Juan Williams’ comments in which the latter said that he feels nervous when he sees Muslim in traditional garb on board.
Vivian Schiller, President and CEO of National Public Radio, said that Juan Williams is a news analyst and he had been warned many times in the past to refrain from voicing his own opinions on the news. The firing of Juan Williams has not occurred for this incident alone, but for repeating the same mistake many times over despite being warned about it. She said that NPR, National Public Radio, allowed its columnist or commentators to be controversial but strictly prohibited a news analyst from taking a “personal public positions on controversial issues”.
Though the remarks by Juan Williams were made on Fox News and not while working for National Public Radio, Vivian Schiller said that their policy takes into consideration, the appearance of their analysts as guest on other media shows as well. She said that the policy prohibits them from appearing on shows that encourage “punditry” instead of analysis. Vivian Schiller said that Juan Williams was informed about this distinction many time in the past.
However, things took a different turn when her own statement backfired on her. She said that Juan Williams should have kept his views on Muslims between himself and his “psychiatrist or publicist”. Vivian Schiller though apologized for her remark and said ” I spoke hastily and i apologize to Juan and others for my thoughtless remark”. The damage though was done and many have strongly criticized her for her controversial remark on Juan Williams.
