NPR CEO Resigns After Undercover Video Scandal

Vivian Schiller, Former National Public Radio CEO, is seen in an official photo. IBtimes

The Chairman of the Board of Directors at NPR said on Wednesday that the organization board had accepted the resignation, effective immediately, of chief executive Vivian Schiller as President and CEO.

The move comes after a scandal erupted on this week when another top executive at the company called the conservative activists of the Tea Party racist and xenophobic.

I recognize the magnitude of this news - and that it comes on top of what has been a traumatic period for NPR and the larger public radio community. The Board is committed to supporting NPR through this interim period and has confidence in NPR's leadership team.

He said Joyce Slocum, the senior vice president of legal affairs and general counsel has appointed to the position of Interim CEO, in accordance with the organizatio's CEO succession plan.

Schiller joined NPR in January 2009, leading the organization's worldwide media operations, including partnerships with 900 public radio stations, which serve nearly 30 million people.

She previously led the day-to-day operations of NYTimes.com in the position of Senior VP and General Mangager of the website.

It is with deep regret that I tell you that the NPR Board of Directors has accepted the resignation of Vivian Schiller as President and CEO of NPR, effective immediately. Her career also included work with Discovery Communications, CNN and Turner Broadcasting.

The Board accepted her resignation with understanding, genuine regret, and great respect for her leadership of NPR these past two years.

This week the conservative Project Veritas released a video showing NPR executive Ronald Schiller, no relation to Vivian Schiller, describing the Tea Party as being racist and xenophobic.

The video was produced by James O'Keefe, who previously surreptitiously recorded videos of the ACORN organization.

NPR said in an official statement it was appalled by the comments.

We are appalled by the comments made by Ron Schiller in the video, which are contrary to what NPR stands for, NPR said.

The latest video from O'Keefe involves two undercover Project Veritas workers who posed as members of the fictitious non-profit Muslim Education Action Center Trust.