I'm Not Done': Former NPR Exec Vows Return to Media

Ousted National Public Radio (NPR) CEO Vivian Schiller is breaking her silence about her abrupt exit from the media organization following two tumultuous scandals rocked the last six months of her tenure.

Appearing at the International Women's Media Foundation in Washington, D.C. this week, Schiller signaled that while she may be down, she's not out.

"I’m not done. I certainly plan to stay in journalism. I feel too passionate about it, and so yes, I will be back in some position at some point in the not too distant future,” Schiller said.

As you'll recall, Schiller was recently dismissed from NPR after conservative activist James O'Keefe's video expose tied the organization to a fictitious Muslim Brotherhood front group willing to donate to a sympathetic American media outlet. O'Keefe's undercover video operation also captured high-level NPR executives making disparaging remarks about the conservative modern-day tea party movement, seemingly solidifying many individuals' opinion that NPR propels a liberal bent.

The O'Keefe scandal also came just months after Schiller fired and publicly scorned NPR analyst and Fox News contributor Juan Williams for opinions he made during an FNC primetime broadcast about Muslims and terrorism.

Despite the public backlash against her recent professional turmoil, Schiller says she isn't ready to abandon the media business.

"We went through a series of four or five extremely difficult months, and it was very stressful and there was a tremendous amount of pressure on me," Schiller said.

Prior to joining NPR in 2009, Schiller was senior vice president and general manager of NYTimes.com. She was also a top executive at the Discovery Channel.  While she doesn't hint at what she might do in the future, Schiller promises her return to media will come "at some point in the not too distant future."