Video Kills the Radio Chief

CEO Is Second NPR Exec to Resign Following Sting Operation

The head of National Public Radio quit under fire as the organization became ensnared in a fresh scandal at a time when Congress is debating whether to pull its government funding.



Vivian Schiller, president and chief executive of NPR since January 2009, stepped down just hours after a video showed the head of NPR's fund-raising arm making disparaging remarks about the Republican Party and tea-party activists to men posing as prospective donors, and suggesting NPR would be better off without government funding. That executive quit Tuesday.

According to a story by Russell Adams and Danny Yadron at wsj.com, the pressure on NPR intensified Wednesday as the conservative activist behind the video, James O'Keefe, said he planned to release additional damaging materials about the radio network on Thursday.

NPR Chairman Dave Edwards said the scandal had become such a distraction that "it hindered Vivian Schiller's ability to lead the organization going forward." That opinion was not shared by Ms. Schiller, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The board ultimately decided she needed to resign.

Read more here.

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