By Al Schumann on Thursday October 21, 2010 09:29 PM
Fox News media personality Juan Williams was fired from his NPR gig for brand defamation. The maintenance of NPR's brand is a vital corporate interest. Transparent bigotry hurts it. No public relations agency can tolerate spokesmen who step out of line.
Moving forward, NPR should insist on explicit "exclusivity" clauses and message discipline in its contracts. That would prevent similar debacles.
Comments (14)
the establishment/non profit liberal
but white hat corporate friendly npr brand
has its constraints on exacting its price
for brand tarnishing
for juan his race
saved him from
a more summary banishment
one of those rare instances
of a counter flow
in the national oppression cycle
Posted by op | October 21, 2010 9:57 PM
Posted on October 21, 2010 21:57
"I mean, look, Bill, I’m not a bigot. You know the kind of books I’ve written about the civil rights movement in this country," Williams said. "But when I get on a plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous."
that is really amazingly obtuse
a bomber would hardly dress muslim eh ??
Posted by op | October 21, 2010 10:02 PM
Posted on October 21, 2010 22:02
It's brand confusion, as well as obtuse. Williams takes paychecks from Fox and NPR. It's natural for him to stay in character in each venue. He's a professional. The problem of course is that each brand has differing requirements. Fox needs stupid, blustering bigotry, which Williams was able to provide. NPR requires tight sphincters, pursed lips and prim "concern" trolling.
Posted by Al Schumann | October 21, 2010 10:09 PM
Posted on October 21, 2010 22:09
NPR requires tight sphincters, pursed lips and prim "concern" trolling.
And those 50s-style glasses frames.
I was surprised NPR would share real estate with Fox, anyway; I can't believe he lasted as long as he did. Maybe black pundits are really hard to come by in this economy.
Posted by Emma | October 21, 2010 10:14 PM
Posted on October 21, 2010 22:14
They could hire Margaret Kimberly... But that would require significant and expensive changes to the brand. And what would they do with all those sphincters? Sunk costs, sunk costs.
Posted by Al Schumann | October 21, 2010 10:21 PM
Posted on October 21, 2010 22:21
"Maybe black pundits are really hard to come by in this economy."
no
they are just hard to fire at NPR
once they do get hired
Posted by op | October 21, 2010 10:29 PM
Posted on October 21, 2010 22:29
Kimberly's too good for 'em, though the resultant fireworks would definitely be amusing.
Hell, you can tell how long it's been since I paid heed to anything but music shows on public radio. I'd forgotten that Williams even existed.
Posted by ms_xeno | October 21, 2010 10:30 PM
Posted on October 21, 2010 22:30
Owen, I'd bet they'd have no trouble firing Margaret Kimberly. The awkwardness in firing Williams comes from his perfect fit in the corporate culture. It's his schtick that qualifies him.
Ms. Xeno,yes, she is too good for them. But I'd bet (I'm in a betting mood) that the listeners would love her—once the prim demographic got outraged and tuned off in a huff.
Posted by Al Schumann | October 21, 2010 11:00 PM
Posted on October 21, 2010 23:00
"the prim demographic "
the kind that enjoys wholesome snickers
provided by ..."the capital steps"
http://do512.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/tcc-capitolsteps-pic-hs.jpg
Posted by op | October 22, 2010 7:51 AM
Posted on October 22, 2010 07:51
juan ..i think has a nippy nature
i like that
i recall some spontaneous nips at vital center cant
during hs time as npr host
of their afternoon air shift
who ...white ...and privileged
can really fault his climb
up the white pole
the emergent inner juan might have taken
a pre emptive hit if seen early enough
...but once on air...
early reason to be nippy
"He .. won a scholarship to attend Oakwood Friends School in Poughkeepsie, New York."
Posted by op | October 22, 2010 8:09 AM
Posted on October 22, 2010 08:09
When I get on a plane with, or God forbid, sit on a plane seat next to, someone obviously of the NPR demographic, I don't get "worried"... but I do get homicidal impulses. (OK, OK, I admit, it is one part deferred adolescent rebellion.)
Posted by gluelicker | October 22, 2010 8:24 AM
Posted on October 22, 2010 08:24
"his perfect fit in the corporate culture"
is mild manner non threatening mien
he's used to being the one black face
in a room of genteel pwog whites
(friends school types)
so he doesn't trigger the gut level filters
the sub concious
screening mechanisms made of liberal hu meat
that except fopr forced reversals like 67-73
make whites absorb cat food blacks
like juan colin p and ohbummer
ohbummer's wife has to mind
her p's and q's some
but not true middle class
white "souled" ohbummer hizzseff
Posted by op | October 22, 2010 10:13 AM
Posted on October 22, 2010 10:13
Juam Williams is the Barack Obama of punditry. A half-Black spokesNegro for White Elite Power principles.
Swell stuff, that. I bet his mama's proud, he's gone and made himself all White.
Posted by CF Oxtrot | October 22, 2010 11:55 AM
Posted on October 22, 2010 11:55
Tough luck for Juan Williams. Brand defamation is not something you take lightly. I recently had some serious problems with a rival company. They started a smear campaign against my brand spreading lies and garbage. The results of brand defamation can be devastating so I had the guys over at http://www.rexxfield.com/ help me out with this situation. The problem was solved in a timely manner and I was happy with their work. Will definitely use them again and I recommend them to NPR.
Posted by Versie C Taylor | January 31, 2011 7:43 AM
Posted on January 31, 2011 07:43