Ousted NPR Chief Vivian Schiller Breaks Silence: ‘I’m Not Done’

Public radio executive talks about the James O’Keefe controversy at the International Women’s Media Foundation

Ousted National Public Radio CEO Vivian Schiller broke her silence over her tumultuous exit at the International Women's Media Foundation in Washington, D.C., this week. 

The former NPR chief told moderator Susan King that despite the backlash, she isn't ready to abandon the media business. 

"I’m not done. I certainly plan to stay in journalism. I feel too pasionate about it, and so yes, I will be back in some position at some point in the not too distant future,” Schiller said.

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Schiller resigned earlier this month after a video sting operation by conservative activist James O'Keefe caught top NPR executives making disparaging remarks about the Tea Party on camera. 

She and the non-profit news organization have been battling charges of bias for the past several months, starting with her controversial firing of analyst Juan Williams over anti-Muslim remarks. Compounding the issue, the backlash erupted at the same time that Republicans in Congress have been working to gut federal support for public radio. 

Though Schiller offered few specifics about her decision to step down from her post at NPR, she did acknowledge that the controversy took its toll. 

"We went through a series of four or five extremely difficult months, and it was very stressful and there was a tremendous amount of pressure on me," Schiller said. 

Prior to joining NPR in 2009, Schiller was senior vice president and general manager of NYTimes.com. She was also a top executive at the Discovery Channel. 

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