NPR Host/Occupy Protester Says She's Been Fired

Newsbusters ^

[Sub-Driver]

NPR Host/Occupy Protester Says She's Been Fired By Tim Graham Created 10/20/2011 - 10:56am

AP is reporting NPR host/Occupy protest leader Lisa Simeone has been fired: "A freelance broadcaster who works for music and documentary programs has been fired from a job after NPR questioned her involvement in a Washington protest."

Lisa Simeone said Thursday that she was fired from "Soundprint," a documentary show that is not produced by NPR, but by Soundprint Media in nearby Laurel, Maryland. "Simeone says she was fired Wednesday in a phone call during which NPR's code of ethics was read to her." Simeone is angry that her free-speech rights are being trampled, telling journalist David Swanson on the left-wing site War Is A Crime.org:

Simeone told me: "I find it puzzling that NPR objects to my exercising my rights as an American citizen -- the right to free speech, the right to peaceable assembly -- on my own time in my own life. I'm not an NPR employee. I'm a freelancer. NPR doesn't pay me. I'm also not a news reporter. I don't cover politics. I've never brought a whiff of my political activities into the work I've done for NPR World of Opera. What is NPR afraid I'll do -- insert a seditious comment into a synopsis of Madame Butterfly?

"This sudden concern with my political activities is also surprising in light of the fact that Mara Liaason reports on politics for NPR yet appears as a commentator on FoxTV, Scott Simon hosts an NPR news show yet writes political op-eds for national newspapers, Cokie Roberts reports on politics for NPR yet accepts large speaking fees from businesses. Does NPR also send out 'Communications Alerts' about their activities?"

Swanson claimed to have an internal e-mail from NPR executive Dana Davis Rehm

From:NPR Communications Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2011 6:12 PM Subject: From Dana Rehm: Communications Alert

To: All Staff Fr: Dana Davis Rehm Re: Communications Alert

We recently learned of World of Opera host Lisa Simeone’s participation in an Occupy DC group. World of Opera is produced by WDAV, a music and arts station based in Davidson, North Carolina. The program is distributed by NPR. Lisa is not an employee of WDAV or NPR; she is a freelancer with the station.

We're in conversations with WDAV about how they intend to handle this. We of course take this issue very seriously.

As a reminder, all public comment (including social media) on this matter is being managed by NPR Communications.

All media requests should be routed through NPR Communications at 202.513.2300 or mediarelations@npr.org. We will keep you updated as needed. Thanks.

Over at Time magazine, TV critic James Poniewozik sounds just like Simeone in dismissing the ethical dimensions of the moonlighting:

Public radio listeners! Have you long worried that your station was undermining capitalism through its broadcasts of the Ring Cycle? Tired of having your children brainwashed by the socialistic messages of La Traviata? Well, fear no more: host Lisa Simeone has been fired from the documentary show Soundprint and is having her role as host of NPR’s World of Opera investigated after it was discovered that Simeone, a freelancer, has been serving as spokeswoman for an Occupy Wall Street–related protest group.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say that firing Simeone from World of Opera would be a stupid, stupid decision. I know people who work in public broadcasting, and they are to a person smart folks, so I am going to assume that they know that it would be stupid. As, probably, do the people who will ultimately make the decision.

It may also be unavoidable. As we learned with Juan Williams case and the fallout from the James O’Keefe NPR sting video in March, NPR and the larger public-radio community (Soundprint is not produced by NPR), because they rely in part on public funds, are vulnerable to politicization and practically obligated to overreact when a staff member or even freelancer comes within 200 feet of a political opinion.

NPR is "vulnerable to politicization"? Who in this case is the politicized one? As if NPR doesn't bang a liberal can on a daily basis in its newscasts? Poniewozik concluded:

My local public-radio station, WNYC, is currently in the middle of its pledge drive. If I were them, I’d publicize this story to maximize donations: You see the ridiculous things we have to do because we rely on public funding? Dig deep and give now!

Poniewozik isn't acknowledging that WNYC raise money with listeners by telling them their funding is in trouble...and then they'll take more federal subsidies.

[Tenacious 1]

Sorry, but I’m on her side; no matter how antithetical her views are to mine, if she were not breaking any laws she should not have to be dealing with this crapola from NPR.

Pharmboy, What do you think? Should the Federal Government intevene everytime an employee complains they were fired unjustly? They are already involved in the termination or furlough of all minorities, women and senior citizens. Do you know what it takes to fire someone today?

Now, we may not agree with NPR (I seldome do), but I would be a hypocrite to change my beliefs based on a circumstance that is more or less in my political or opinionated favor.

When they fired Juan Williams for appearing on Fox with an opinion I said, "They can do that. It's a free country... as long as they didn't fire him because he was black, disabled, a woman, a senior citizen, Latino, Asian or Gay. As long as he wasn't fired for claiming he had been sxually harrassed or experienced retribution for a complaint of assault antimidation, sexual assault, racial or sexual orientation antimidation. Then the government should do nothing to intervene."

(I hope you all see the irony in my previous paragraph)

[cripplecreek]

LOL its a little like getting fired from Free Republic.

[prairiebreeze]

Precisely my first thought too.

But look at it this way Lisa, you can now legitimately claim to be among the 15% of OWS rioters who are unemployed.

You’re legit!! LOL!

[Tex-Con-Man]

Sarah Spitz is still listed as Publicity Director at NPR affiliate KCRW.

http://www.kcrw.com/about/who-does-what

She's the lovely gal that said she would “laugh loudly like a maniac and watch his eyes bug out” if she were to see conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh suffering a heart attack.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/07/22/producer-npr-affiliate-apologizes-hateful-remarks-rush-limbaugh/

I guess wishing death upon a conservative is ethical...Oh well...

[raccoonradio]

Of course a radio board I frequent has a thread called “Here We Go Again” and the first post, by the Big A, starts:

>>nce again, House Republicans are targeting NPR:
(Link, then):
>>So they’re not targeting public broadcasting as a whole, or CPB. Just NPR. Why? Because of some unproven mythology about liberal bias. It’s one thing to believe the government shouldn’t be in the broadcasting business. Fine: defund the FCC too. It’s one thing to want to cut down on unnecessary bureacracy. Eliminate CPB. But that’s not what they’re doing. It’s continued retribution for Juan Williams. Talk about holding a grudge.

http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=198777.0

---

(Back to me) Yes, public radio fans are concerned because there are more efforts to de-fund NPR. Bravo, I say to that.
(And his call to defund the FCC, too, is crazy. They are needed to keep illegal broadcasters off the air, like the pirate station in Boston that not only interfered with a classical station—owned by NPR giant WGBH—but also
aviation radio!)

[Mr. Lucky]

Logic is wasted on NPR sycophants.

[martin_fierro]

I've never brought a whiff of my political activities into the work I've done for NPR World of Opera

So glad my tax $$ are subsidizing this. < |:/~

[oldbrowser]

AP is reporting NPR host/Occupy protest leader Lisa Simeone has been fired:

The word everybody seems to be overlooking is leader. They are saying that she is the leader of this nascent socialist movement.
The group is laughable in it's mindless, kiddy Kamp enthusiasm, but it is ominous in it's possibilities.
Don't confuse the leaders with the followers.

[dan on the right]

“Alec Baldwin went there yesterday to show solidarity with the Marx in the Parks gang.”

Marx in the Parks gang!! I love it. Should be the new moniker for these kids.

Funny, the press and the protesters are all celebrating all the good food they have and are cooking for themselves. Think about that. A bunch of 20 and 30 year old’s cheering themselves on for feeding themselves! What an accomplishment - acting like real grownups! These are adults that never had to do anything for themselves. Now they want adulation for how smart and resourceful they are getting food to themselves in the middle of one of the biggest cities in the world! Priceless.

[martin_fierro]

*kife*

[GraceG]

We need to follow these morons around with signs that say:

[ EAT this Liberal Idiot, he is the Rich]

Let them feel the fear of being hated by the “99% (sic) “

[NFHale]

Ain’t it great when they eat their own?

Kinda puts a smile on my smile.

[Tzimisce]

Too liberal for NPR? Wow.

[GOP Poet]

Given the code of ethics published, she was in violation. As one who had a very nice, profitable, long career as a freelance producer, I would say she is kissing a coveted job goodbye by becoming a spokesperson for such a Marxist oriented group. If she didn't want to loss her job and wanted to participate in free speech, she should have used her head.

When one is employed as a freelancer by a company doing production work for a corporation, they are in essence hired by that corporation as the the production company's monies for that job are coming FROM the corporation. Tied to that money is always a contract between the corporation and production company that covers the length and depth of that job. She's getting paid to produce that production. In essence she is working for both companies.

[RedMDer]

[Tyrone13]

Another moonbat ninny doing what moonbats do best and that is *whine* about how life is so unfair. Who really gives a crap about this mook?

[lowbridge]

I'm not an NPR employee. I'm a freelancer. NPR doesn't pay me. I'm also not a news reporter.

Well, an undocumented NPR host.

[GOP Poet]

Guess now she truly is jobless . . . by her own protesting actions. When I first began my career as a freelance producer, I divorced my self from my radical, political friends because I woke up.

Watching these losers not get jobs and spend their days protesting in some way reminded me of children that never grow up and cry and whine for the rest of their lives.

I on the other hand had opportunities unfolding before my eyes as I showed up at the smallest job, did it well and continued to apply for better and more high paying jobs. Next thing you know I had high level CEO's calling me at home begging me to come work for them.

This was just part of my journey away from radical liberalism. All those people I moved on from still today are 'community organizers' only. All work for non profits. In my opinion all are still delusional losers.

Too bad this young lady has no sense. Just as well. Someone with good sense will get and keep that job.

Today I am a very happy conservative and thriving capitalist. :-D. I know why I believe what I believe and its truth is reinforced in reality every day of my life. I love it!!! If I worked for a production company I would support the Tea Party and conservative ideals but in a way that also keeps me employed as no one is paying my rent, for my food, or my health care.

[Condor51]

What is NPR afraid I'll do -- insert a seditious comment into a synopsis of Madame Butterfly?

Now that IS funny.

If she's that quick witted all the time, I 'might' consider hiring her to do political commentary. Or..... better still ... the CBS Nightly News.

[James Mott]

Now, don’t go dissing my Alma mater. Actually, there a good number of conservatives at the school.

Now, if we could just educate the liberals.