NPR journos release letter to listeners, say they were "appalled" by taped comments

A letter to listeners from 22 NPR journalists, posted today (March 10) on media blogger Jim Romenesko's website:

An Open Letter from Journalists at NPR News . . .

Dear Listeners and Supporters,

We, and our colleagues at NPR News, strive every day to bring you the highest quality news programs possible. So, like you, we were appalled by the offensive comments made recently by NPR’s now former Senior Vice President for Development. His words violated the basic principles by which we live and work: accuracy and open-mindedness, fairness and respect.

Those comments have done real damage to NPR. But we’re confident that the culture of professionalism we have built, and the journalistic values we have upheld for the past four decades, will prevail. We are determined to continue bringing you the daily journalism that you’ve come to expect and rely upon: fair, fact-based, in-depth reporting from at home and around the world.

With your support we have no doubt NPR will come out of this difficult period stronger than ever.

Thank you,
Robert Siegel
Michele Norris
Melissa Block
Renee Montagne
Scott Simon
Liane Hansen
Guy Raz
Michel Martin
Neal Conan
Susan Stamberg
Nina Totenberg
Linda Wertheimer
Daniel Zwerdling
John Ydstie
Richard Harris
Tom Gjelten
Howard Berkes
Mike Shuster
Laura Sullivan
Lynn Neary
Jacki Lyden
Mara Liasson

Romenesko asked Daniel Zwerdling why there's no mention of former NPR President Vivian Schiller. "We’re not trying to weigh in on management, in terms of which executive should or shouldn’t hold this or that position," he said. "We do want to weigh in on what one executive, Ron Schiller, said: we’re appalled by it. And we want to remind folks that NPR is not about management coming and going, but about the terrific journalism the staff produces every day."