THE GUARDIAN: Sacked NPR man Juan Williams cheered on by US rightwingers including Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh and Mike HuckabeeThe sacking of a Washington public radio broadcaster over remarks about Muslims turned into a political row last night.
Juan Williams was fired as a news analyst with National Public Radio, the closest equivalent in the US to the BBC, after saying on the Fox News Channel that Muslims in traditional dress boarding planes made him nervous.
NPR issued a statement expressing regret at his departure after so many years' service but said his comments "were inconsistent with our editorial standards and practices, and undermined his credibility as a news analyst with NPR."
Prominent rightwing figures, from Sarah Palin to radio talkshow host Rush Limbaugh, rushed to his defence and Fox offered him a three-year $2m (£1.3m) contract. Williams, 56, has been a decade-long contributor to NPR, but has also worked elsewhere, including at Rupert Murdoch's Fox. >>> Ewen MacAskill in Washington | Friday, October 22, 2010
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THE TELEGRAPH: Sacking of US broadcaster Juan Williams sparks Muslim debate: An American broadcaster has been sacked for saying he did not like sharing flights with Muslims, prompting a high-profile row about censorship and political correctness. >>> Jon Swaine in New York | Friday, October 22, 2010
