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As they say, when one door closes, another opens. A day after NPR terminated news analyst Juan Williams over remarks about muslims he made on Fox News’ The O’Reilly Factor on Monday, Fox News chairman and CEO Roger Ailes said the news channel has signed a new multi-year deal with Williams who will now have an expanded on-air role. First off, Williams will host The O’Reilly Factor tomorrow night and will appear with O’Reilly on the show Thursday night. “Juan has been a staunch defender of liberal viewpoints since his tenure began at Fox News in 1997,” Ailes said. “He’s an honest man whose freedom of speech is protected by Fox News on a daily basis.”
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This comes as no surprise. Faux News is where all the dregs of humanity eventually wash up. Please consider boycotting their sponsors.
Oh, I see what you did there…you took the word “Fox” and you changed it to “Faux”! Because, and let me explain this because this really is quite clever, you did this because you believe Fox makes up phony news stories, and “faux” is a synonym for phony! Algonquin, table for YOU! Oh, the mirth! You should be a commentator. Tell me, do you call Bush “shrub” as well? Because I can’t get enough of that.
I understand NPR has an open position, and I’m sure your exceeding wit would find a place there. You deserve each other.
Randal, the only comments post I’ve made in the last 18 months is a response to your response to a comment, and my comment is this: You should be a professional commenter. I’ve been giggling at the Williams-makes-good story for days, but you summed it all up. You should also take up fencing.
Hey Flush Rush and HW,
I say everyone boycotts you and your progressive, anti-free speech buddies who have been trying to internally destroy this country for the past 100 years! Learn history, morons!
aahh yeah. you do that. so even the View are all unified that what NPR did to Juan was undeniably wrong.
so who exactly will be doing this “boycotting”?
Good, he should not have been fired for being honest about how he feels. In fact I would hazard a guess many feel the same way but don’t voice it aloud.
I totally do not understand the “well, he was being honest” defense. Who cares if he was being honest or not? Mel Gibson was probably being “honest” during his tirades, lots of repugnant people say repugnant things and are being “honest” while they say it. So what?
People who make their living as professionals in the media world should understand they have no Constitutional right to keep their cushy, high-paying jobs no matter what you say. NPR has every right to fire this guy.
NPR was wrong for what they did to Juan and many democrats and liberals agree it was wrong.
NPR will have its funding slashed over this. complete suicide.
well I think HW was just pointing out that just because a commentator or pundit is being honest doesn’t mean they automatically deserve to keep their job no matter what.
That’s different from speculating how NPR’s incoming donations may or may not be affected.
….well the NPR ceo did say it was partially due to this being their fund-raising week that this was/is most troublesome.
i still dont understand how much thought control a commentator has to have. I mean his contract didnt say he couldnt say what he did. also why is what he said taken out of context. He included comments that their are radical and non-radical muslims, just like in other religions.
thats what is so hurtful & shocking. these werent off the cuff non-thought out comments. they were thoughtful and conscientious comments.
its not that he said “whatever he wanted to…” he was trying to bring a calm reasoned & rational approach to a difficult topic.
also a publically funded entity cannot just fire whoever they want to because individuals in leadership positions dont personally agree with what Juan said.
“inconsistent with our editorial standards and practices, and undermined his credibility as a news analyst with NPR,” what are those “standards” ???? are they whim and fancy or are they written down in some other kind of format?
i would think the political & cutlural range of people who are offended by this act of censorship and intolerance proves that NPR is a publically funded entity wrongly promoting one point of view. how does that close-minded & intolerant mentality represent the democratic & mutli-perspective American experience?
a very sad day & week for the 1st amendment in the USA.
Wow…did you even so much as read the transcripts of the show? Much less watch it so you could hear him make his point IN CONTEXT? This is why you should work for NPR, because apparently they didn’t either. Williams doesn’t deliver the news, he commentates and analyzes it. Williams wasn’t downing on the Muslim religion. Learn to contextualize and organize facts before you react and attack.
Ailes is correct. On Fox News, Juan Williams does have freedom of speech – freedom to say anything that comes into his head, no matter how repulsive. Fox is the best example of the First Amendment Rights (pay attention Christine O’Donnell) that America has. It’s a place, where, no matter how loathsome, their commentators have carte blanche to say the most offensive things one can imagine. And they do so each and every day. Juan will now drop the pretense of civility, sink to their depths and fit right in.
The reason NPR fired Williams is because he gave added credibility to Fox News by appearing on many of it’s shows, and his honest remarks regarding how he felt about muslim air passengers was an excuse to give him the ax. If you disagree then explain why Media Matters now wants to go after Mara Liasson for the same reason.
Notice NPR first characterized JW as crazy but now has backed off and stated that he just didnt meet the NPR standard. I guess when Nina Totenberg was giving away secret review material to damage Clarence Thomas or saying that the grandchildren of Jesse Helms deserve to get AIDS, then that was a standard that JW just could not hope to reach.
If you think Williams is a bigot then just consider that if it had been tea partiers who had murdered thousands on 9/11 and then you saw people with tea party shirts getting on planes whether you would be nervous………yeah right.
And the MSM wonders why more and more americans refuse to listen to them.
Bravo!
Hear Hear! Roger Ailes is a genius. Though I don’t agree with some or Mr. Williams’ political views, I respect his integrity and character. Right-wing Fox comes lends its support to a liberal who was thrown under the bus by the far left.
When the new Republican Congress takes power, top of their agenda should be the total public defunding of both NPR and PBS. It is high time those soapboxes for the far left are forced to stand on their own. If they aren’t gonna be balanced let them either sell advertising or beg for more viewer support. To hell with them.
Defund NPR. It’s a propaganda-emitting relic. The Federal government shouldn’t own a radio network anyway. Besides, from what I understand, Williams was chiding himself for feeling that way!
The federal government shouldn’t own a radio network anyway?
Then rejoice. The federal government doesn’t own NPR, and doesn’t fund them. They get no direct funding from the federal government. The amount of funding they get from groups like the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which does receive federal funding, is less than two percent.
Kurt, you are one of the best comic book writers in the modern field, and every issue of “Astro City” is an absolute triumph. You are also dead wrong. First, to say fed funds from a “middle man” don’t count is disingenous, and, well, you know it. Second:
NPR claims that only 1 to 3 percent of its funding comes from the federal government, but that is a fiction, a “shell game” in Bill O’Reilly’s term, because federal (and state and local) government funds go to affiliate stations, which then send money to NPR in Washington (this is called a “cut out” in mob terms). – American Thinker, Oct. 22
Please finish “Arrowsmith” soon!
Any post about Fox News sure brings out the typical bigots on this site. Notice how they never respond to the fact that it’s always left-wing organizations like NPR that try to stifle free speech.
Left wing? Really? What college did you go to? I’s fox not “right wing”?
What university would you like your children to attend? Are facts Important to you? Are you a creationist? Do you hate gays?
This is win/win for Williams and lose/lose for NPR. Yes, they may get some more money from progressive listeners and foundations – but they have cemented their image as being narrow minded and not tolerate of a wider array of views.
Although I disagree with Williams on many positions, he is a competent journalist and historian that brings a rational and reasonable demeanor when he is a guest or panelist. He is a proud liberal and well equipped to make his case.
Now, NPR is entitled to use any journalist they chose to, but they have set a very bad example here and look like hypocrites.
Plus, Vivian Schiller snarky comments about Williams not only lessen her image but that of NPR.
Some very good points on all sides of the argument. Initially, I didn’t see anything wrong with Juan’s statement but it was probably not the wisest thing to say in his position. I don’t mean to offend anyone but when I fly I profile my fellow passengers as well. I’m not in a position to deny anyone of anything and that’s certainly not what I’m promoting but these are dangerous times and I don’t know many people willing to go down without a fight… Literally.
Vivian Schiller needs to get some sleep. She looks ill, like she hasn’t slept in a month. Her speech today was slurry and delirious.
People who dismiss NPR as a brittle bastion of intolerant, doctrinaire liberalism can now claim new justification.
Williams wasn’t saying it’s right or wise to profile Muslims as they board airplanes. He was deploring that reflex in himself. I thought it was particularly interesting for a black man to cop to the same fear-driven flicker of racism a lot of white people feel – despite themselves – when they happen across a person of color on a dark street late at night. NPR, however, punishes honest discussion of race issues. Their impulse to suppress Juan’s sentiment makes them as contemptible as Fox on the other side of the political divide.
Unfortunately, bias and prejudice is a “natural” part of human behavior and, therefore, is not limited to a particular race or culture. That does not mean that prejudice is always justified, but that it is not unusual or outside the realm of “normal” behavior for anyone.
Who didn’t see this one coming?
I think even the right-wingnuts can’t deny that the fastest way to get a show (or a promotion) at FOX is to be as unabashedly racist and bigoted as possible.
Juan Williams has been such a feckless parrott for the Ailes talking points that this comes as no surprise at all. I’m still at a loss as to why he didn’t just quit pretending to be a journalist and hop the fence over to False News before now anyway.
Well, there goes NPR’s last black onair talent.
All the neocons who used to hate Juan Williams as a “liberal” will now be cheering him. For what? For hard-hitting journalism? nope, Juan Williams hasn’t done any reporting in forever.
He’s cheered for delivering a racist anti-muslim tirade.
Now we know that the right wingers value from a “news” station: rhetoric.
Lets get something straight. Juan Williams was fired for one reason: because he appears on Fox News and the far left is furious about its influence and dominance. Regardless of what the radical lefties throw at Fox News, it continues to clobber the competition while exposing viewers to more than one side of the issues.
The far left is the home of censorship. They seek to shut down opposition rather than having open dialog. They’ve infested Hollywood, the educational system and now seek to silence free speech on publicly funded National Public Radio.
It’s time to end tenure when instructors violate the trust of parents by indoctrinating their children with their political agendas. Call your state and federal representatives and demand that all federal and state funding for PBS and NPR be cancelled when the new congress is in session.
It is also high time that Republicans investigate the activities of George Soros. This man is an enemy of the United States of America and is one of the primary sources of funding for far left wing causes as well as NPR.
According to the recent AP-Ipsos poll twice as many Americans consider themselves Conservative as Liberal. According to the poll 41% of the country self-identifies as “conservative,” 34% as “moderate,” and only 21% as “liberal.” Further, 14% consider themselves “strong conservatives” versus only 6% “strong liberals.” So, not only are there twice as many who consider themselves “conservatives” as “liberals,” but two thirds as many “strong conservatives” as “liberals,” period. AP Ipsos can hardly be accused of being in the bag for conservatives.
So continue to boycott newspapers, magazines, movies and programs that conflict with your values. You have more power than you realize.
Exercise your strength of boycott
I love how you accuse NPR for being far left when they just fired someone for being biased.
NPR receives no direct funding from the federal government. The amount of funding NPR receives from groups like the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which does receive federal funding, is less than two percent.
If you want Congress to de-fund ‘em, shouldn’t you be more aware of where their funding comes from?
Only a lifelong liberal could watch funds go from the gov’t to a non-profit org created by an ACT OF CONGRESS on their way to a media outlet and then boast that the outlet is unsoiled by gov’t funds. And then, y’know, chase online posters and scold them for their ignorance.
But seriously, let’s see some more “Arrowsmith.” Or at least work with Pacheco again. Oh, and “Marvels!” That was awesome, too.
Huh. I thought with your body of work, you’d be more of a, like, careful student of societal observation. Guess it doesn’t pay to hero-worship…
You’re claiming that NPR is funded by the CPB? Yes, as noted, less than 2%. As a lifelong liberal, I actually think is should be a lot more, but yes, these online posters who think that Congress should de-fund NPR or that the federal government shouldn’t own a radio station don’t seem to have a grasp on what they’re talking about.
More ARROWSMITH on the way, though. Albeit slowly.
shouldn’t you be writing comic books for sad, middle-aged manchildren?
At lunchtime on Friday? Man, the hours at your job must be awful.
I am not a fan of Fox News by any means, but NPR lost a lot of credibility today. This was such a reactionary decision that might haunt the organization. Consider me one disappointed listener.
I love how the 20 or 30 viewers MSN has get on here and Troll against Fox. People knock them yet they kill in the ratings.
Juan Williams certainly has a constitutional right to be bigoted and ignorant and on Fox News he’ll have ample opportunity to display his various hatreds, but there’s no guaranteed right that he has to be paid for it by NPR. It’s amazing to hear right-wingers who tout capitalism as god and that free enterprise and the marketplace should be unfettered to do whatever it thinks is right to suddenly argue that businesses should be forced to keep employees no matter what they say or do or risk government defunding and worse. Apparently they can be socialists when it suits them.
Guys, this isn’t about free speech. It’s an issue of bias. It’s not realistic to expect that every person who is a reporter is not biased in some ways against some things, but when you publicly air your biases, it makes you immediately less trustworthy as a reporter. How are you going to feel every time you hear Juan Williams talk about Muslims now? Well, you’ll know, in the back of your mind, that he is frightened by people in Muslim garb. This is why reporters never disclose publicly who they are voting for, for example.
Add to that the fact that Williams said he’s not a bigot as he delivered this opinion – even though it’s obviously bigoted (every person in Muslim garb is not a terrorist) – and he demonstrated that he does not even have a clear understanding of what it means to be bigoted. And that kind of person can’t be trusted to deliver the kind of unbiased reporting that NPR says they are committed to. Fox News dopes not appear to be committed to unbiased reporting, so it’s a good home for him now.
wow, the freepers are out in full today.
Juan was fired for making a generalizing remark about people dressed in Muslim garments. Him stating that comment is just as racist as saying young black males who wear their pants low sell illegal drugs. Juan needs to be put in Muslims mosque and get to know these people. See how they live cause they all aren’t for suicidal missions. If he felt NPR didn’t like him working with FOX he should had left NPR. He obviously knew there was an underling issue abroad.
To those who say his firing was all about his racism and nothing to do with Fox news….well today as per Mark Memot at NPR.com:
“Rather than terminating news analyst Juan Williams’ contract, “probably the better thing for NPR to have done is to have said ‘Juan the situation is not working,’ ” NPR ombudsman Alicia Shepard just said on Talk of the Nation.
Then, she continued, Williams could have been given a choice: If he wanted to stay at NPR, he would have to stop doing commentary on Fox News Channel. Or, if he preferred to continue with Fox, he and NPR could part ways.”
Yep, nothing to do with Fox News.
To those who say that Williams’ firing had nothing to do with Fox News are fooling themselves. This was posted by reporter Mark Memmott at npr.com today:
“Rather than terminating news analyst Juan Williams’ contract, “probably the better thing for NPR to have done is to have said ‘Juan the situation is not working,’ ” NPR ombudsman Alicia Shepard just said on Talk of the Nation.
Then, she continued, Williams could have been given a choice: If he wanted to stay at NPR, he would have to stop doing commentary on Fox News Channel. Or, if he preferred to continue with Fox, he and NPR could part ways.”
Kurt, you are an idiot. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a quasi-private non-profit corporation which was created by an act of Congress and is largely funded by the United States Federal Government to promote public broadcasting. Historically, 15% to 20% of the aggregate revenues of all public broadcasting stations have been funded from federal sources. Regardless of how the money is funneled to NPR and PBS the federal government should shut it off entirely—and I believe this time the new Republican congress will finally do it.
Juan Williams is simply an opportunist. I used to have a high opinion of him until recently.He began his dance on the slippery slope approximately 4 years ago when he couldn’t figure out who he really wanted to be. He has no respect on any side as a result. What a pity…