While the NPR is facing severe criticism for axing long-time political analyst Juan Williams after making anti-Muslim remarks on FOX’s “The O’Reilly Factor” Williams has been offered a 3-year, $2 million contract with FOX, along with a special guest slot on the “The O’Reilly Factor” on Fridays.
Williams has said that the NPR were looking for reasons to fire him because "I don't fit in their box," Williams said on his second appearance this week on “The O’Reilly Factor.” "I'm not predictable, black, liberal. And let me tell you something else, you were exactly right when you said you know what this comes down to, they were looking for a reason to get rid of me because I'm appearing on Fox News. They don't want me talking to you,” Williams said to controversial host Bill O’Reilly.
Despite calls to cut the NPR funding and harsh criticism over the move to cut Williams, NPR CEO Vivian Schiller is standing by the decision: "As a reporter, as a host, as a news analyst, you do not comment on stories."
She further said that restrain is a vital part of NPR ethics. "Certainly you have opinions — all human beings have their personal opinions. But it is the ideal of journalism that we strive for objectivity so we can best present the positions of people around all parts of the debate to our public so the public can make their own decisions about these issues."
The issue over where professional boundaries lie has come to the fore recently, after a number of high-profile media personalities have been in hot water for airing personal opinions while not on their employer’s time, pages or airways.
