Legal Commentary

Has NPR Been Thrown Into The Briar Patch?

By Big Tent Democrat

LATimes media critic:

To assure its listeners that this is something more than a careless one-off or the political act its adversaries claim, NPR has two choices: Apply the "Williams standard" across the board and force all its commentators off of opinion-laden cable TV or rewrite its ethics guidelines to recognize the new media landscape where opinion-making is the coin of the land.

Can Mara Liasson, a full-time NPR employee and chief political reporter for the network, continue as a Fox News contributor? Earlier this month she seemed to be offering an opinion when she suggested to news anchor Bret Baier that President Obama needs to be careful to put "the economy No. 1 at all times."

(Emphasis supplied.) Let me get this straight, to "fix this problem," NPR has to sack Mara Liasson, Cokie Roberts, David Brooks, et al. (sorry to see E.J.Dionne go, but what the heck)? Talk about getting thrown in the briar patch. NPR's fundraising would skyrocket and significantly improve the quality of its programming. All in the name of "doing penance" for canning Juan Williams. A win-win. Though Mara Liasson would be pissed - no $2 million "protection" for you, Mara!

Speaking for me only

Full post as published by TalkLeft on October 22, 2010 (boomark / email).