Olbermann Suspended from MSNBC But...

[MrJayremmie]

Murdoch's news corp. (Fox News Parent) donates $1 mil to republicans?

Olbermann donated to Democratic campaigns.

Olbermann

News Corp

As Smith points out, News Corp's highest-ranking Democratic executive, former #2 exec Peter Chernin, left the company last year. Murdoch's liaison to the Democratic party, communications executive Gary Ginsberg, also left the company last year.

...
Democratic operatives have hit back with statements calling Fox News's RGA donation a final indication that their "Fair and Balanced" brand is less accurate than ever.

I suppose the news organizations hold themselves to different standards.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

If he was suspended for simply donating to democrats, that is unacceptable. If he was suspended mostly for his asinine comments about the GOP, then it may well be justified.

 

[maxiep]

Luckily GE (NBC's parent company) never donates to political campaigns.

As for KO, people in their news division may not personally contribute to campaigns. He broke the rule, even though clearly he's an opinion guy. He was suspended indefinitely without pay. My guess is Comcast will look for a reason to fire him once they take over and this incident will be used as the reasoning.

 

[agoo]

According to Huffington Post, Olbermann was suspended for not getting approval from the MSNBC President before donating.

Apparently its ok for MSNBC pundits to donate, but only if the President of the station knows. Not sure if I like how that works. The leanings of MSNBC are pretty obvious to everyone, so are we to assume that the approved donations would all match?

This doesn't pass the smell test.

 

[julius]

Luckily GE (NBC's parent company) never donates to political campaigns.

As for KO, people in their news division may not personally contribute to campaigns. He broke the rule, even though clearly he's an opinion guy. He was suspended indefinitely without pay. My guess is Comcast will look for a reason to fire him once they take over and this incident will be used as the reasoning.

I doubt that comcast would look to fire one of the only guys on MSNBC who gets decent ratings and brings them money.

 

[maxiep]

I doubt that comcast would look to fire one of the only guys on MSNBC who gets decent ratings and brings them money.

I think Comcast will look to take MSNBC in a different direction altogether, and like it or not, Olbermann is the face of the current strategy.

 

[julius]

I think Comcast will look to take MSNBC in a different direction altogether, and like it or not, Olbermann is the face of the current strategy.

I doubt they will. They can't out-Fox Fox.

 

[Denny Crane]

I doubt they will. They can't out-Fox Fox.

MSNBC is generally so bad (at news and ratings, too) that the actual news guys at the NBC network don't want anything to do with the cable programs. And I have read from several sources that Comcast (and NBC network) are looking to completely revamp MSNBC.

For the record, MSNBC is actually my news channel of choice.

 

[julius]

the only shows on MSNBC that are any good are the Rachel Maddow show, and Countdown. And imho, Countdown hasn't been any good for well over 18 months now.

The rest of the shows, (morning, afternoon and after Maddow) is crap.

 

[Denny Crane]

the only shows on MSNBC that are any good are the Rachel Maddow show, and Countdown. And imho, Countdown hasn't been any good for well over 18 months now.

The rest of the shows, (morning, afternoon and after Maddow) is crap.

I think the opposite. The morning shows are the good ones, and the afternoon ones, aside from Chris Matthews, are meh.

 

[julius]

I think the opposite. The morning shows are the good ones, and the afternoon ones, aside from Chris Matthews, are meh.

well, the few times i watch the morning shows, it's boring to me. But htan again, I'm usually not home during the day and news during the day is boring to me.

And I don't necessarily watch MSNBC for news and don't consider Countdown/Maddow as "news' shows.

 

[Denny Crane]

well, the few times i watch the morning shows, it's boring to me. But htan again, I'm usually not home during the day and news during the day is boring to me.

And I don't necessarily watch MSNBC for news and don't consider Countdown/Maddow as "news' shows.

The early morning show (Joe Scarborough) is good for me. Not a lot of yelling and screaming, like Olbermann's. Then come a few really good political shows. I don't really see them as news...

MSNBC's really good news is on weekends.

Something to consider is who MSNBC has that is actually news. No actual news guys did their election return coverage, for example.

 

[julius]

I'm not sure why it matters if any NBC newscasters did anything for MSNBC. They already have reporters.

And while I don't necessarily think they were very good in dealing with michelle bachmann, she is a complete nutter and someone had to point it out.

 

[Denny Crane]

I'm not sure why it matters if any NBC newscasters did anything for MSNBC. They already have reporters.

And while I don't necessarily think they were very good in dealing with michelle bachmann, she is a complete nutter and someone had to point it out.

Who are their actual reporters?

I can name 3.

 

[julius]

Who are their actual reporters?

I can name 3.

you mean during the day? No clue.

The only ones i know are:

Scarborough (I liked him when he had a show in the afternoon).
um..that Ed dude.
Chris Matthews
Olbermann
Maddow
Odonnell.

I can't stand Odonnel, I sometimes like Chris Matthews, but don't know much about or care much about Ed.

I'm partial to Rachel Maddow myself. She tends to not hyperbole (which is one thing that I dislike about the rest of the hosts on TV now-a-days)

 

[Denny Crane]

you mean during the day? No clue.

The only ones i know are:

Scarborough (I liked him when he had a show in the afternoon).
um..that Ed dude.
Chris Matthews
Olbermann
Maddow
Odonnell.

I can't stand Odonnel, I sometimes like Chris Matthews, but don't know much about or care much about Ed.

I'm partial to Rachel Maddow myself. She tends to not hyperbole (which is one thing that I dislike about the rest of the hosts on TV now-a-days)

When I say news people, I mean people who sit at a desk and anchor the news, or who are out in the field doing reporting from places like the White House press corps...

 

[julius]

When I say news people, I mean people who sit at a desk and anchor the news, or who are out in the field doing reporting from places like the White House press corps...

Isn't there that red headed dude, Chuck Todd?

 

[Denny Crane]

Isn't there that red headed dude, Chuck Todd?

He hosts the show after the morning show. It's a good politics show, even if slanted.

From their WWW site: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3080263/ns/msnbc_tv-about_msnbc_tv/

Biographies for msnbc anchors and hosts:
* Contessa Brewer
Christina Brown
Dara Brown
Mika Brzezinski
Willie Geist
Chris Jansing
Savannah Guthrie
Tamron Hall
Rachel Maddow
Chris Matthews
* Andrea Mitchell
Keith Olbermann
JJ Ramberg
Dylan Ratigan
Milissa Rehberger
Joe Scarborough
Ed Schultz
David Shuster
Chuck Todd
* Alex Witt

Reporters and contributors:

Monica Novotny
Norah O’Donnell

(I put * next to actual news people, and they only list 2 actual reporters.... sheesh)

 

[Minstrel]

MSNBC is generally so bad (at news and ratings, too) that the actual news guys at the NBC network don't want anything to do with the cable programs.

...


For the record, MSNBC is actually my news channel of choice.

Out of curiosity, if you feel MSNBC is so bad, why is it your news channel of choice?

For the record, I don't watch any of the cable news channels anymore. When I was in college, I watched FOX News, MSNBC and CNN.

 

[julius]

He hosts the show after the morning show. It's a good politics show, even if slanted.

From their WWW site: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3080263/ns/msnbc_tv-about_msnbc_tv/

Biographies for msnbc anchors and hosts:
* Contessa Brewer
Christina Brown
Dara Brown
Mika Brzezinski
Willie Geist
Chris Jansing
Savannah Guthrie
Tamron Hall
Rachel Maddow
Chris Matthews
* Andrea Mitchell
Keith Olbermann
JJ Ramberg
Dylan Ratigan
Milissa Rehberger
Joe Scarborough
Ed Schultz
David Shuster
Chuck Todd
* Alex Witt

Reporters and contributors:

Monica Novotny
Norah O’Donnell

(I put * next to actual news people, and they only list 2 actual reporters.... sheesh)

Whats the equivalent for Fox? I'm asking because i honestly don't know. I haven't watched Fox in years.

 

[Denny Crane]

Out of curiosity, if you feel MSNBC is so bad, why is it your news channel of choice?

For the record, I don't watch any of the cable news channels anymore. When I was in college, I watched FOX News, MSNBC and CNN.

I work early (sometimes 5AM, sometimes 6AM) so I get to see the morning shows. The one on Fox is unbearable. The one on CNN isn't much better. The one on MSNBC is both entertaining and informative and there's no shouting. They actually get people from the NBC (network) News crew to show up (David Gregory, host of Meet the Press, Nora O'Donnell).

Recently, I've been working at home half time and getting to see the Savannah Guthrie / Chuck Todd show and it's decent. They're both well connected and knowledgeable.

Chris Jansing used to be an actual news person. I met her in person outside the court house in Vegas when I was doing jury duty and she was there to cover the OJ trial. Contrast to having a set / stage that she now has and does a show from there.

On the weekends, MSNBC is a mix of several hours of real live news followed by terrible documentaries. I guess when they're not making much money doing the news thing, they save money by not having to pay people showing those documentaries (and reruns of those same documentaries).

When Olbermann is on MSNBC, Fox has someone like Hannity or O'Reilly on, and CNN is doing Lindsay Lohan 24/7 (even on Anderson Cooper's show) so I watch a science channel show on the DVR instead.

 

[Denny Crane]

Whats the equivalent for Fox? I'm asking because i honestly don't know. I haven't watched Fox in years.

Special Report with Brett Baier is an actual news show, though they have a round table the last 15 minutes.

Fox Report with Shepard Smith is outstanding and all news.

America's News HQ is a news program. Weekends only.

Fox News Watch is a news program centered around covering the media itself.

War Stories with Oliver North, believe it or not, is downright amazing. I think I've seen him a few dozen times reporting from Iraq and under fire as an actual reporter. The show is a quality documentary every week about some historical battle or about tanks or drone airplanes and that sort of thing.

Shepard Smith:

Bill Hemmer:

Jane Skinner:

Molly Henneberg:

Adam Housely:

Brett Baier:

Jennifer Griffin:

(A recent breast cancer survivor and a reporter from various places in the middle east)

There's quite a few more.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

For the record, I don't watch any of the cable news channels anymore.

Me neither, anymore. It's become more about entertainment and less about news.

 

[MrJayremmie]

Fox Report with Shepard Smith is outstanding and all news.

Best News show out of all of them.

 

[Denny Crane]

I must admit I actually watched Hannity last night. He had a full hour interview with GW Bush about his book and other things about his presidency.

Bush seemed quite at ease, and was thoughtful and rather articulate. A very different person than we saw as president. Certainly being interviewed by a guy willing to throw him softballs helped.

I'm pretty sure we'll be seeing Bush on quite a few other outlets, where the interviewer is far less friendly toward him. It'll be interesting to see how he handles it.

Anyhow....

 

[MrJayremmie]

Looks like Olbermann is already unsuspended! LOL!

Way to stick to your guns, MSNBC.

 

[Denny Crane]

Looks like Olbermann is already unsuspended! LOL!

Way to stick to your guns, MSNBC.

It's what you do when your rock bottom ratings go even lower, I guess.

Not a very principled person among the bunch.