TC
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Post by TC on Nov 5, 2010 13:12:29 GMT -5
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Post by jerseyhoya34 on Nov 5, 2010 13:19:42 GMT -5
This is the right thing to do, and other networks should follow this kind of approach. I wonder if this policy was a response to Scarborough's campaigning for Dim Son in 2004.
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ksf42001
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Post by ksf42001 on Nov 5, 2010 13:24:46 GMT -5
Something tells me Fox won't be suspending Hannity for his $5,000 contribution to Michele Bachmann's PAC two months ago...
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TC
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Post by TC on Nov 5, 2010 13:31:56 GMT -5
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DFW HOYA
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Post by DFW HOYA on Nov 5, 2010 13:35:57 GMT -5
Keith's a smart guy and knows the rules. I'm not suggesting he was angling for an extended vacation, but making a contribution so close to the election allowed it to be disclosed after Election Day.
I do sense he's getting tired of the format, though, having voluntaily pulled the "Worst Persons" segment because it's more heat than light. At his worst, though, Olbermann is still markedly more informative than what an MSNBC exec called its "used-tire salesman", Ed Schultz, whom reports said threw a fit this summer when he wasn't mentioned in an MSNBC commercial. The story goes that NBC execs threatened to fire him if it happened again. While the rest of the evening lineup was commentating in NYC this week (Matthews, Olbermann, Maddow, O'Donnell), Schultz was sent to Las Vegas to cover the Harry Reid post-election party. (Message sent...)
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DanMcQ
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Post by DanMcQ on Nov 5, 2010 13:44:24 GMT -5
So much for the "Fox news isn't fair and objective" rants.  |
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Nov 5, 2010 13:51:37 GMT -5
I don't really understand. Chris Matthews gave money to Jim Moran's campaign. He wasn't suspended. Ed Schultz has made contributions to MoveOn and other Democratic political organizations and campaigns as well, without suspension.
Is there some difference in the type of contribution? I don't know the specific terms of the NBC standard, but this seems strange.
Make no mistake about my feelings for Olbermann, I just don't understand the inconsistency.
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Post by jerseyhoya34 on Nov 5, 2010 13:53:12 GMT -5
I have read some discussion that MSNBC distinguishes between newsmen and commentators. Scarborough, Matthews (and maybe Schultz) fall in the latter category, and Olbermann in the former.
Countdown (no pun intended) to snark about how they've screwed that up.
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TC
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Post by TC on Nov 5, 2010 14:00:05 GMT -5
I don't really understand. Chris Matthews gave money to Jim Moran's campaign. He wasn't suspended. Ed Schultz has made contributions to MoveOn and other Democratic political organizations and campaigns as well, without suspension. I have a feeling you're about to see a bunch of other suspensions - I did an OpenSecrets search and found a few producers popping up. He should have just donated to a shell 501(c)(3)! |
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Nov 5, 2010 14:01:07 GMT -5
 ? Did they never notice that prominent feature of his show called "Special Comment"? |
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The Stig
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Post by The Stig on Nov 5, 2010 14:25:34 GMT -5
Maybe the others got permission from NBC to make those donations? Perhaps Olberman just got lazy and forgot to ask before he donated.
Pure speculation on my part.
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TC
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Post by TC on Nov 5, 2010 15:21:37 GMT -5
Maybe the others got permission from NBC to make those donations? Perhaps Olberman just got lazy and forgot to ask before he donated. Pure speculation on my part. That seems like the narrative that's emerging, but I don't get it - why would "clearing it" make it okay, if campaign contributions create a conflict of interest and jeopardize impartiality? Would management approve donations to some candidates and not to others? And on what basis? Also, they replaced Olberman with Chris Hayes, and then pulled Hayes after it came out Hayes made contributions too. |
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EasyEd
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Post by EasyEd on Nov 5, 2010 15:32:21 GMT -5
Maybe Olberman's ratings had something to do with it.
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Post by jerseyhoya34 on Nov 5, 2010 15:33:30 GMT -5
Unfortunately for those of us who like progressive journalists and viewpoints, we are left without a good option outside of Maddow. MSNBC would do well to make a splash with someone like Michael Moore, who would add a truly populist viewpoint to the network and one untainted by the faux populism of the Chamber of Commerce. He has seen the nation's structural unemployment first hand and did not wait to lose an election before making a stink about it.
It would be a money maker. People would tune in on the left to hear him, and people on the right would tune in just to be Editeded off. It is not as though Moore is any less moderate than the goblins on Fox.
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kchoya
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Post by kchoya on Nov 5, 2010 16:27:49 GMT -5
Unfortunately for those of us who like progressive journalists and viewpoints, we are left without a good option outside of Maddow. MSNBC would do well to make a splash with someone like Michael Moore, who would add a truly populist viewpoint to the network and one untainted by the faux populism of the Chamber of Commerce. He has seen the nation's structural unemployment first hand and did not wait to lose an election before making a stink about it. It would be a money maker. People would tune in on the left to hear him, and people on the right would tune in just to be Editeded off. It is not as though Moore is any less moderate than the goblins on Fox. He'd last about 2 weeks. He's such a buffoon. A very rich buffoon at that. |
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kchoya
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Post by kchoya on Nov 5, 2010 16:32:03 GMT -5
Pure speculation on my part. And on what basis? [/quote] Based on the NBC policy: "You should report any such potential conflicts in advance to, and obtain prior approval of, the President of NBC News or his designee." |
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DFW HOYA
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Post by DFW HOYA on Nov 5, 2010 16:35:36 GMT -5
Maybe the others got permission from NBC to make those donations? Perhaps Olberman just got lazy and forgot to ask before he donated. Pure speculation on my part. I'll take the opposite tact--I'll guess that Olbermann did this on purpose to point out the double standard employed throughout MSNBC on what constitutes an impartial observer. Chatter over at Mediabistro has "staffers" suggesting he will be gone over this. If so, he's got a huge lawsuit waiting, because of MSNBC's prior slaps on the wrist to on-air personalities doing the same thing. His contract has two years and $15 million left on it. Unless MSNBC wants to fill its evening with reruns of crime shows, they need to made some lemonade out of lemons, wish Keith a Merry Christmas, and plan for his show on Jan. 3. |
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Post by jerseyhoya34 on Nov 5, 2010 16:42:03 GMT -5
This smacks of some of the higher ups and "monied interests" interfering at MSNBC after their gains this week in Congress. While I believe in a free market, it has done some awful things of late to the news industry IMO - with supply/demand often dictating the content of news rather than facts on the ground.
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kchoya
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Post by kchoya on Nov 5, 2010 17:17:24 GMT -5
This smacks of some of the higher ups and "monied interests" interfering at MSNBC after their gains this week in Congress. While I believe in a free market, it has done some awful things of late to the news industry IMO - with supply/demand often dictating the content of news rather than facts on the ground. So your theory is that there's a rich Republican near the top of the hierarchy at NBC News that hates Olberman and is using his political donations as an excuse to stick it to him? |
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Post by jerseyhoya34 on Nov 5, 2010 17:21:03 GMT -5
Phil Donahue says hello.
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