Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert are both planning rallies for Oct. 30, with the “Daily Show” host leading the Rally to Restore Sanity and the “Colbert Report” host offering the March to Keep Fear Alive. They may be all the way in Washington, D.C, but Arianna Huffington has been nice enough to charter a few buses, and anyone who wants to attend can go. Unless, that is, you work for National Public Radio — if that’s the case you are banned from being in the crowds.
Romenesko posted a memo that NPR Senior Vice President for News Ellen Weiss sent to the staff this morning reminding everyone that such political demonstrations are not the place for serious radio news reporters, mentioning the two upcoming rallies — and only those two — as examples of places they should not be seen.
NPR journalists may not participate in marches and rallies involving causes or issues that NPR covers, nor should they sign petitions or otherwise lend their name to such causes, or contribute money to them. This restriction applies to the upcoming John Stewart and Stephen Colbert rallies.
So when the Comedy Central duo descends on Washington, NPR staffers will have to show up incognito. We hear Target is selling some totally creepy Obama masks. That might do the trick.
nfreeman@observer.com
