Tuesday, March 08, 2011

The Case For Ending Federal Funding Of NPR



You have to watch this video to believe it. Project Veritas sent two representatives of an organization purportedly funded by the Muslim Brotherhood to lunch with two top executives with the NPR Foundation to discuss their media concerns, particularly the supposed bias in coverage against Muslims. They told the NPR executives their organization was considering a $5 million donation to NPR. Speaking candidly to the two undercover reporters for Project Veritas, the NPR executives spoke derisively and condescendingly of Republicans and the Tea Party folks they claim have hijacked the Republican Party. NPR's Ron Schiller told of his concern that Muslims were lacking a voice in America. He described Republicans as fanatical evangelicals that he wouldn't even describe as Christians. He said these white, middle class, bigoted, racist, gun-toting, uneducated folks were really scary. He even threw in a gratuitous anti-Semitic comment about the Zionists owning the newspapers. Schiller acknowledged during the luncheon meeting that NPR would be better off if it had no federal funding so it would not have to worry about attacks from Republicans of its bias news coverage. Schiller lamented that the "educated, so-called elites" represented too small a percentage of the American population. "You have this very large uneducated population that carries these ideas," Schiller said in reference to conservatives. "It's much more about anti-intellectualism than a political . . .," he continued. Anyone who is intellectual is liberal according to Schiller. Schiller and his colleague laughed when the undercover reporters joked that many Muslims refer to NPR as "National Palestinian Radio." "That's good. I like that," replied Betsy Liley of NPR. Schiller said he was very proud of NPR's decision to fire Juan Williams for comments he made that were perceived as bigoted towards Muslims, seemingly ignoring the clearly bigoted views he shared with Muslims about mainstream Americans. If the Republicans don't move immediately to cut all funding to NPR after hearing what these two top executives at the NPR Foundation think of them and mainstream Americans, not to mention their own admission they would be better off without federal funding, then they deserve the condemnation of middle America as much as these two patronizing individuals do.

UPDATE: NPR responds to the video:

NPR spokeswoman Dana Davis Rehm said in a statement, “We are appalled by the comments made by Ron Schiller in the video, which are contrary to what NPR stands for,” The New York Times reported.


Schiller, who was hired in September 2009, announced last week that he would be leaving NPR for a new job. NPR said his departure was "effective immediately."

Rehm told members stations that "there is no connection between the video and (Ron Schiller's) decision to leave NPR," NBC News reported.
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor responds:

As we continue to identify ways to cut spending and save valuable resources, this disturbing video makes clear that taxpayer dollars should no longer be appropriated to NPR,” Cantor said in an e-mail to TheDC. “Not only have top public broadcasting executives finally admitted that they do not need taxpayer dollars to survive, it is also clear that without federal funds, public broadcasting stations self-admittedly would become eligible for more private dollars on top of the multi-million dollar donations these organizations already receive.”

2 comments:

M Theory said...

Since I have no heir, I once thought about giving whatever I have in my estate upon my death to NPR, because even though I watch my television rarely, I see great value in PBS and that is my favorite programming.

While I do not listen to NPR too often, they too have an important voice.

I liked 90% of what I heard their development director say. He's in a tricky position because essentially, he's in charge of getting revenue.

I appreciated his admission when he stated emphatically that NPR could survive without federal funding. Now we have it on the record from their money guy that are tax dollars are not essential to their survival.

We need to defund a lot of things, and a good case for one of them, was made here.

The all encompassing label he placed tea party Americans as xenophobic, racist, gun toting un-intellectuals, probably alienated a great many 110 I.Q. types such as myself who help pay the tax that funds them.

In that statement he came off less than the "fair and balanced" NPR claims it is.

Cato said...

Melyssa, the Tea Partiers hate you. This isn't 2007. The Tea Party changed. It is now almost exclusively the voice and moral embodiment of the Fox News audience.

That audience has little tolerance for souls such as you who walk a different path. If the Tea Party had its way, they'd be at your door with torches and pitchforks.