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Updated: Friday, November 6, 2009 Published: Nov. 6, 2009

PRESIDENT'S CORNER LINKS Current Message Past Messages President's Biography

November 4, 2009
 
Vivian Schiller
President and Chief Executive Officer
National Public Radio
635 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20001

Dear Ms Schiller,

Thank you for your response and your willingness to share pertinent information about NPR’s diversity statistics. However, it appears we are not counting the same people.

According to your email, 14 percent or 8 of your 58 news and programming managers are African Americans. We are unaware of these staffers other than Senior Supervising Producers Teshima Walker with “Tell Me More,” “Talk of the Nation’s” Carline Watson and Keith Jenkins of Digital Media and would like more information on who is included in your count. NABJ is counting ONLY those employees with the title of Executive Producer, Senior Supervising Producer and the heads of your desks (Foreign, National, Washington-Politics and Science). We are aware that there are a number of minorities with the titles of supervisory editor, producer, and associate editor, but they do not make decisions at the main daily editorial and programming meetings.

You also mentioned people of color comprise 16.9 percent of your on-air hosts, reporters and correspondents. Besides Contributing News Analyst Juan Williams, who on the staff is an African American man?

With the firing of Greg Peppers, there are no African Americans or other minorities with the title of producer or manager in your Newscast Unit. There has never been a black male hired as a full-time anchor in the unit’s 20-year history. This 24-7 operation is a very visible part of NPR’s programming.

Now that Next Generation Radio is gone, what specific programs exist to help train young people of color for careers in public radio? And what internal programs exist to help train the people of color who comprise 27.3 percent of the NPR staff so that they can achieve positions in management?

NABJ appreciates that you have set up small group meetings with the staff to discuss the issue of diversity. I understand the meetings will be held in conjunction with the Diversity Council. We are concerned that the current executive leadership handpicked the Diversity Council that will be considering these issues. We recommend you offer confidentiality and that members of the executive staff are not present at these meetings. It is our hope that you are fully aware that a history of mistrust and the fear of retaliation make it difficult for NPR employees to speak freely about these issues.

Finally, we agree with you that diversity not only includes race and ethnicity, but also sexual identity, socioeconomic background, political perspective, etc. But it is still a problem when the vast majority of your managers are white and your staff fails to reflect your listening audience and our very diverse country.

We are eager to sit down with you to discuss how NABJ can be a resource to help NPR achieve the diversity in which you so fervently believe. Please contact Ryan Williams, NABJ’s Director of Programs and Professional Development, to arrange a time for a meeting.

Sincerely,
          
Kathy Y. Times                                   Bob Butler
President                                             Vice President- Broadcast

CC: National Public Radio Board of Directors
UNITY: Journalists of Color, Inc.
National Association of Hispanic Journalists
Asian American Journalists Association
Native American Journalists Association
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
National Urban League