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

Thursday December 30, 2010

NPR Public Editor

NPR Apologizes for WikiLeaks Mistake; Nina Totenberg and Teena Marie

by Alicia C. Shepard

December 30, 2010 • NPR and other news organizations have continually incorrectly talked about "thousands" of secret cables recently released by WikiLeaks. That number is wrong.And it's wrong that Nina Totenberg doesn't like Christmas. Read on:

Tuesday December 21, 2010

Audio Gallery: Behind The Scenes At Talk Of The Nation

Neal Conan during a Talk of the Nation show. Wayne Huang/NPR hide caption

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Wayne Huang/NPR

NPR Public Editor

Audio Gallery: Behind The Scenes At Talk Of The Nation

by Alicia C. Shepard

December 21, 2010 • Take a peek behind the scenes at NPR's only "live" show: Talk of the Nation. This audio slide show describes how the two-hour show is put together and what challenges it faces each day.

Friday December 17, 2010

NPR Public Editor

How Do You Cover The Odious?

by Alicia C. Shepard

December 17, 2010 • How should the media cover a group such as the Westboro Baptist Church, known for disrupting military funerals with its anti-gay venom? Especially when they chose to picket Elizabeth Edwards' funeral.

Tuesday December 7, 2010

NPR Public Editor

Corrections: Basic Journalistic Hygiene

by Alicia C. Shepard

December 7, 2010 • More and more people get their news online. But how easy is it for them to report an error. There's a new Alliance that is pushing for a standard for online corrections.

Friday December 3, 2010

NPR Public Editor

Vivian and Ron Schiller Are Not Related

by Alicia C. Shepard

December 3, 2010 • Are two top NPR corporate executives with the same last name related?

Tuesday November 23, 2010

Nathaniel Horton prepares to deliver books throughout the building. The mailroom has received as many as 200 books in one day. Wayne Huang/NPR hide caption

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Wayne Huang/NPR

NPR Public Editor

NPR & Books: No Hard and Fast Rules

by Lori Grisham

November 23, 2010 • Nonfiction, fiction, summer must-haves & the year's best. How does NPR pick them? The Ombudsman Office takes a look at Books coverage.

Friday November 19, 2010

NPR Public Editor

NPR Should Make Reporter Emails Accessible

by Alicia C. Shepard

November 19, 2010 • About once a month someone complains that NPR doesn't provide easy email contact directly with its staff. It should. Most big newspapers like the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal do though national TV news does not.

Sunday November 14, 2010

NPR Public Editor

NPR Hires Outside Firm to Investigate Williams Firing, and Twitter facts

by Alicia C. Shepard

November 14, 2010 • NPR has hired an outside firm to investigate what went wrong in the Juan Williams firing. When the review is over, NPR should find a way to make as much of it public as possible.

Monday November 8, 2010

NPR Public Editor

Should You Be Suspicious Of Your Dentist Or NPR's Source?

by Alicia C. Shepard

November 8, 2010 • NPR ran a story about peoples' irrational attachment to their dentist -- but it also included information that was bound to make one suspicious of his or her dentist. NPR relied on tenured professor who couldn't back up his claim.

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

Juan Williams Richard Drew/AP hide caption

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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.