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Daily News

January 8, 2011 by · Comments Off on Daily News 

Daily News, (AP) – A new senior executive at National Public Radio which played a key role in the firing commentator Juan Williams has resigned, NPR said Thursday in announcing the completion of a review of the controversy Williams.

The radio network said in a statement that senior vice president of News Ellen Weiss has resigned and outside directors of the NPR Board also recommended new internal procedures for handling personnel decisions and disciplinary action after reviewing the dismissal Williams in October.

The statement said NPR general manager Vivian Schiller has also accepted the responsibility as a senior and all the council has expressed his confidence in his leadership for the future, he voted against a bonus for its mid-2010 on “concerned through its role in the termination process. ”

“We took this very seriously and the Council considers that these recommendations and corrective actions in response to concerns raised in connection with the termination of the contract Williams,” the chairman, Dave Edwards, was quoted as saying.

NPR fired Williams, after saying on Fox News that he gets nervous when he sees people on a plane with clothing that identifies them as Muslims. Long troubled by the dual role of Williams as fox analyst, NPR had said then that his comments violated its standards of not having people on air to give advice.

Williams, who has since taken a more prominent role with Fox, said it was hurt by the suggestion he is a bigot.

Weiss has joined NPR News in 1982 and was the executive producer of 12 years of its new daily magazine program “All Things Considered,” NPR’s online biography states. She had a role in the coverage of major events and national NPR foreigners, before rising to the top ranks of news management in 2007.

Weiss also served as senior producer, editor, producer and director of field NPR News, among other positions. The Associated Press could not immediately reach her for comment in spite of attempts to contact her.

Williams, as a contributor to Fox News, was quoted on its website Thursday that the media applauded the announcement. He was quoted as saying by the website of Weiss, “I think it represents a culture … in this institution that is not open to not only different ways of thinking, but anger against the fact that I speak or even be on Fox. ”

Shortly after Williams was fired, Schiller said management maintains its decision. But Schiller was recognized NPR does not support the firing perfectly. She wrote that Williams, who was fired in a telephone conversation, deserved a meeting face-to-face.

The statement by the Board of Directors declared outside counsel has contributed to the review, which also included interviews with many NPR staff past and present and contractors. He said attempts were made to reach Williams, but “unfortunately, these efforts have failed, and Williams was not questioned.”

Copyright © 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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