NPR Public Editor The Public Editor is the public's representative to NPR, serving as an independent source regarding NPR's programming.

NPR Public Editor

WITH POYNTER'S KELLY MCBRIDE

Friday October 29, 2010

NPR Public Editor

NPR Should Start A National Conversation on Muslims

by Alicia C. Shepard

October 29, 2010 • NPR abruptly firing Juan Williams hurt member stations, NPR staff and NPR's reputation. One way to salvage a bad situation would be for NPR, member stations and affiliated shows to begin in the next months thoughtful conversations about Muslims.

Thursday October 21, 2010

NPR's Firing of Juan Williams Was Poorly Handled

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NPR Public Editor

NPR's Firing of Juan Williams Was Poorly Handled

by Alicia C. Shepard

October 21, 2010 • After a decade with NPR, the network terminated news analyst Juan Williams for comments made on Fox News. Williams' controversial comments on Fox were not an isolated incident, but NPR owed him a chance to explain himself.

Friday October 15, 2010

NPR Public Editor

NPR Employees And Political Rallies: Facts Behind The Controversy

by Alicia C. Shepard

October 15, 2010 • NPR sent a memo Wednesday advising its staff not covering the Jon Stewart-Stephen Colbert rallies on Oct. 30 to stay away. Why the fuss?

Tuesday October 12, 2010

NPR Public Editor

Is NPR Trying to Sell Michele Norris' New Book?

by Alicia C. Shepard

October 12, 2010 • All Things Considered host Michele Norris got nearly an hour of airtime for her new memoir. Do NPR authors get special treatment? Would a non-NPR author get on all four NPR-produced shows?

Thursday October 7, 2010

NPR Public Editor

Grab Bag: Where In The World Is The Ombudsman?

by Alicia C. Shepard

October 7, 2010 • The Ombudsman has been out and about on the road visiting public radio stations in Wyoming and Utah. Here's some of what she's been up to and some food for thought.

Friday September 17, 2010

NPR Public Editor

Harry Shearer and NPR: The Big Uneasy

by Alicia C. Shepard

September 17, 2010 • Comic personality Harry Shearer wanted coverage for his new Katrina documentary, "The Big Uneasy" but didn't like what NPR offered. So he got even, accusing NPR of censorship in a Huffington Post blog. Here's what really happened.

Thursday September 9, 2010

NPR Public Editor

Interview about Circumcision: Not the Whole Story

by Alicia C. Shepard

September 9, 2010 • Circumcision is always controversial. In a recent NPR story on falling circumcision rates among males, listeners only got one side of the story.

Tuesday August 31, 2010

NPR Public Editor

Alicia Shepard on Vacation

by Lori Grisham

August 31, 2010 • Alicia Shepard on Vacation until Sept. 7.

Tuesday August 17, 2010

NPR Public Editor

Judge Walker Is Gay. Are You Sure? Does It Matter?

by Alicia C. Shepard

August 17, 2010 • Judge Vaughn Walker recently ruled that banning same-sex marriage in California is unconstitutional. That's when NPR mentioned his being "gay." Should they have? Is whether he's gay relevant? I don't think so, but it is complicated.

Friday August 13, 2010

NPR Public Editor

Is There Such A Thing As One Troop?

by Alexandria Neason

August 13, 2010 • NPR often uses the word "troops" in describing military deaths or operations in Iraq or Afghanistan. We explore what is the proper terminology.

Thursday August 5, 2010

NPR Public Editor

Second Quarter 2010 Evaluation of NPR's Middle East Coverage

by Alicia C. Shepard

August 5, 2010 • Second Quarter Evaluation of NPR's Middle East Coverage focuses on the May 31 incident where Israel attacked a flotilla headed to Gaza with supplies.

Wednesday July 28, 2010

NPR Public Editor

Updated: NPR's Two-Ways: A Practice That Should Be Reconsidered

by Alicia C. Shepard

July 28, 2010 • NPR has an unusual practice of interviewing reporters from other news organizations on air when they can't do the story themselves. Most of the time it works well, but here's one that didn't.

Friday July 23, 2010

NPR Public Editor

Dan Schorr: One Of A Kind

by Alicia C. Shepard

July 23, 2010 • Lucky for me I had two great encounters with Dan Schorr, who died Friday. In one, he discovered a flaw in Bob Woodward's memory. In the other, well, read on.

Monday July 19, 2010

NPR Public Editor

Is Mel Gibson Newsworthy of NPR?

by Alicia C. Shepard

July 19, 2010 • Some listeners think NPR should spend its time on serious news and leave Mel Gibson's rants to the tabloids. Does he deserve 5 minutes on All Things Considered?

Friday July 9, 2010

NPR Public Editor

Ultra-conservative Vs. Ultra-liberal, And More On Bleeping

by Alicia C. Shepard

July 9, 2010 • A listener wondered why NPR correspondent Howard Berkes used the word 'ultra-conservative' to describe two Republicans running for the Senate.