I think the rules of journalism have changed today in the sense that what journalists can and cannot say, at the riskof sounding either offensive or politically incorrect. Despite the current mood of the country being anti-Muslim, one cannot report their own opinions as news because it is simply not objective. what Williams did was inexcusable: he forgot himself and stated his personal opinion on national television, causing an immediate backlash.
Williams (and O'Reilly) seem to believe that there is a difference between a feeling and an opinion, when they are essentially the same thing. To say "I feel" or "I think" is in no way fact, so despite William's constant protest of innocence, he is very much guilty of giving his opinion where it did not belong. If I were in his shoes, I would go on camera and give an apology to all those he offended. He claims he's not a bigot because of all the books he wrote on the civil rights movement, but the plight of black people and of Muslims are two very different situations. If I were the CEO of NPR, I still would have terminated his contract--I think they have acted accordingly in this case.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
NPR Controversy: Juan Williams and Vivian Schiller
The newest controversy in journalism lately is the recent firing of Juan Williams, Senior News Analyst of NPR. Apparently, he was fired due to remarks he made as a guest on O'Reilly Factor on FOX News regarding being "nervous" around Muslims when at an airport. This got the NPR station flooded with viewer complaints all the way up to the President of the station and 36 hours from when he guested on FOX News, he was fired via email. Personally, I don't think this should have happened, or at least in this manner. Likewise, I think Williams could have dealt with the situation better. For both Williams and the president of NPR, Vivian Schiller, they could have handled this situation a bit differently.
If I was Juan Williams, I would probably have not stated such a rough opinion on the air, even if it wasn't on NPR airwaves. This kind of stuff has a way of getting back to you if people are upset about it enough. In this case, there was plenty of people upset at him. The president of NPR saw this as a negative light on her radio station and saw it fit to fire him as a way to show him what he had done was ultimately an unintelligent thing to do. He should have thought his statement through before he said it on national TV. On an interview with O'Reilly in the aftermath of this scandal, Williams stated that this wasn't his own opinion, but a "feeling." I don't think you can really justify saying it's a "feeling" when it obviously came off as his own opinion. Regardless of what he meant, it came out on FOX News to many other people as an insult to the Muslim community. Maybe next time he'll think before he speaks, if only to save his own job.
Now on the flip side, if I were Vivian Schiller, I would absolutely do something different than the way she handled this. For one, to fire one of the biggest personalities over such a small statement, regardless of the public backlash, is ridiculous. Secondly, to fire him via email and never have a chance for Williams to speak on his own behalf or defend his actions seems very unprofessional. To not even speak with the man and just fire him based on either talking with FOX News (whom NPR might not want to affiliate themselves with) or based on people's reactions (which would easily go away a few days later) was not the way to handle this at all. Maybe if she were to talk with him one-on-one, this whole situation would work out differently.
If I was Juan Williams, I would probably have not stated such a rough opinion on the air, even if it wasn't on NPR airwaves. This kind of stuff has a way of getting back to you if people are upset about it enough. In this case, there was plenty of people upset at him. The president of NPR saw this as a negative light on her radio station and saw it fit to fire him as a way to show him what he had done was ultimately an unintelligent thing to do. He should have thought his statement through before he said it on national TV. On an interview with O'Reilly in the aftermath of this scandal, Williams stated that this wasn't his own opinion, but a "feeling." I don't think you can really justify saying it's a "feeling" when it obviously came off as his own opinion. Regardless of what he meant, it came out on FOX News to many other people as an insult to the Muslim community. Maybe next time he'll think before he speaks, if only to save his own job.
Now on the flip side, if I were Vivian Schiller, I would absolutely do something different than the way she handled this. For one, to fire one of the biggest personalities over such a small statement, regardless of the public backlash, is ridiculous. Secondly, to fire him via email and never have a chance for Williams to speak on his own behalf or defend his actions seems very unprofessional. To not even speak with the man and just fire him based on either talking with FOX News (whom NPR might not want to affiliate themselves with) or based on people's reactions (which would easily go away a few days later) was not the way to handle this at all. Maybe if she were to talk with him one-on-one, this whole situation would work out differently.
Journalism Now
When you sit back and compare journalism, ten to twenty years ago, to today you notice just how much it has actually changed. Journalists in general are more to the point and straight to the facts trying to get the news across in a timely yet, in a manner that comes across as unbiased and factual.
When it comes to Juan Williams, when he visited the O'Reilly Factor he was caught up in the commentary aspect of news reporting, and it showed. O'Reilly isn't a journalist, he spits out facts that he sees as true, and will try and sway your viewpoint on the matter into his side, to make him look more favorable.
The conflict in this matter is that an analyst, someone who just lays out factual evidence without showing any biased entered the O'Reilly factor and got sucked in as a commentator, and expressed his opinion, something that NPR is not about. Williams, quite frankly got caught up in the discussion, and while he probably didn't mean to share his opinion did, and in the end it cost him his job with NPR. Do I feel the firing is fair? No, sometimes these accidents happen, but do I feel Williams could of controlled himself better and been a little less biased, or worded his opinions differently to make it seem less biased.? Of course.
When it comes to Juan Williams, when he visited the O'Reilly Factor he was caught up in the commentary aspect of news reporting, and it showed. O'Reilly isn't a journalist, he spits out facts that he sees as true, and will try and sway your viewpoint on the matter into his side, to make him look more favorable.
The conflict in this matter is that an analyst, someone who just lays out factual evidence without showing any biased entered the O'Reilly factor and got sucked in as a commentator, and expressed his opinion, something that NPR is not about. Williams, quite frankly got caught up in the discussion, and while he probably didn't mean to share his opinion did, and in the end it cost him his job with NPR. Do I feel the firing is fair? No, sometimes these accidents happen, but do I feel Williams could of controlled himself better and been a little less biased, or worded his opinions differently to make it seem less biased.? Of course.
Ethics
The rules of journalism today have changed just as society has. Technology has allowed for it to have taken this course. More people can and do apply their input into circumstances that take place on a daily basis. The conflict mentioned is that Juan Williams made a statement which did not suit well with the company he worked for; the comment made went against their rules is their argument. As the commentator I would have stood my ground and would attempt to getting a clear understanding of what exactly led to my removal. Due to the fact that he has not received a proper explanation and he did work for the company for 10 years. As NPR I would've probably have had him issue an apology even though I don't think his statement was as radical as the actions taken by NPR. Many journalists today continue to apply their perspective somehow and if it causes a dilemmas as this story has, they are asked to apologize. And the medium through which the journalists is providing their story make sure to separate themselves from the personal view of the journalists.
NPR and Juan Williams being fired.
I think that what he said definitely hurt his chances to work over at NPR, especially nowadays when everyone is scared to voice their own opinions due to backlash and people are afraid of what will happen if they do voice it and get in trouble. While NPR had every right to fire Juan Williams, how they proceeded to fire him could be seen as cowardly. He spoke to Bill O Riley and then a few days later via email, he gets fired. They wouldn't even let him in the building to let him speak to whoever fired him. I think they could have handled his firing in a better way by having a meeting with him and discussing on what he did wrong, maybe not fire him but give him a warning of sorts. Now I know people complained, but eventually it will die down and someone else will say something similar if not something worse and the public will turn their outrage to that person. NPR definitely overreacted and if they had someone in the shadows who back them via with money or sponsorship, then they had their pockets in mind rather then their own employees. The conflict here is that Mr. Williams expressed his own opinion about being on an airplane and seeing Muslims in garb and being nervous in the possibility that they would blow up the plane. In a pre-9/11 world as well as with the recently foiled attempts of the car bomber, people started to complain about what he said as well as congratulate him as well. Very blurred lines are being crossed here, it would be very interesting to see how this all unfolds. I would have probably not said anything at all, or if i absolutely had to, express it in a way that shows that it's not my own opinion its that of everyone else.
NPR Reaction
I fell like the rules of journalism have definitely changed in today's world. Society today is far more open to people of mixed and different cultures. Although many members of these cultures take offense when they feel as though they are being discriminated against. While these cultures should not be discriminated against, because we live in a more accepting society it is a much larger issue when the line is crossed. Although, the tension of political correctness will never ease or get better if everyone is afraid to make statements on it. In the case of Juan Williams I believe he should have thought out what he said much better. He made a great point about political correctness, but his point was lost because he then voiced an unpopular opinion about Muslims. Had I been in Mr. Williams' shoes I would make a public statement clarifying what I had meant to say, and also offer an apology to those who were offended. Unless there is a statement in his contract with NPR about voicing his opinion on other station I do not believe they had grounds to fire him. He was not representing NPR when he made his comment, therefore who are they to censor him.
Reaction to NPR's firing of Juan Williams
The rules of journalism have greatly changed in today's society in the fact that news room's are becoming less objective and are posing opinion as fact. Many people consider what political commentators say as fact rather than recognizing their opinions as opinion as opposed to fact.
This idea was perfectly demonstrated in the recent Juan Williams case. Williams, a news analyst for NPR as well as commentator on Fox News was fired after saying derogatory remarks about muslims. NPR decided to let williams go, since Williams failed to be objective. The real conflict here is that Williams as a journalist failed to acknowledge his duties as a journalist which are outlined in the Society of Professional Journalists code of ethics. Williams not only failed to avoid stereotyping by race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, geography, sexual orientation,disability, physical appearance or social status, but most importantly he failed to distinguish the point of being able to distinguish between advocacy and news reporting. Analysis and commentary should be labeled and not misrepresent fact or context.
If I was a commentator, I would have not said what Williams said. I believe that everyone has a right to an opinion, but a journalist is always on the job even when they are not in the newsroom or professional setting. You have the obligation to your readers to report the facts, not opinion. In that case, I believe that NPR had total justification to fire Williams under the notion that he failed to be objective as a journalist when he was speaking with Fox news. However, I would have not sent him an e-mail letting him know about this position, this was very tactless. Instead, I would have talked to him in person about the issue.
This idea was perfectly demonstrated in the recent Juan Williams case. Williams, a news analyst for NPR as well as commentator on Fox News was fired after saying derogatory remarks about muslims. NPR decided to let williams go, since Williams failed to be objective. The real conflict here is that Williams as a journalist failed to acknowledge his duties as a journalist which are outlined in the Society of Professional Journalists code of ethics. Williams not only failed to avoid stereotyping by race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, geography, sexual orientation,disability, physical appearance or social status, but most importantly he failed to distinguish the point of being able to distinguish between advocacy and news reporting. Analysis and commentary should be labeled and not misrepresent fact or context.
If I was a commentator, I would have not said what Williams said. I believe that everyone has a right to an opinion, but a journalist is always on the job even when they are not in the newsroom or professional setting. You have the obligation to your readers to report the facts, not opinion. In that case, I believe that NPR had total justification to fire Williams under the notion that he failed to be objective as a journalist when he was speaking with Fox news. However, I would have not sent him an e-mail letting him know about this position, this was very tactless. Instead, I would have talked to him in person about the issue.
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