Via Howard Kurtz (who seems to me to be much more relaxed in his writing and worth reading since he left WaPo), comes a tale of infighting at NBC and MSNBC over Keith Olbermann’s politicial contributions and personality:
From the moment Olbermann was found to have donated money to three Democratic candidates, there has been a deepening sense of anger and frustration among his colleagues, according to interviews with eight knowledgeable sources. These sources, who declined to be quoted by name because of the sensitivity of the situation, say that several of NBC’s front-line stars, including Tom Brokaw, have expressed concern to management that Olbermann has badly damaged MSNBC’s reputation for independence….
That last sentence shows that Brokaw and others don’t get it. MSNBC has no “reputation for independence,” except in its own mind, and now even that delusion is shattered.
Next slightly modified proverb: Olbermann broke MSNBC, now he owns it.
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Related Posts:
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Comments
Reputation for independence? Wow.. that was a coffee spewing moment.
It is actually quite hard for me to take Tom Brokaw at his word, primarily because it requires me to assume, as you stated, "Brokaw and others don't get it."
Can we logically conclude that this guy . . . resting quite comfortably and firmly ensconced at the top of the media food chain as he has lo these many many years . . . is really that stupid?
Is it possible he could have somehow missed the uber-nasty daily doses of partisan porrage served up to the dwindling viewership gawkers of their sidekick MSNBC channel? Come on!
And, could he have possibly missed the constant drumbeat of stinging mockery coming from new media sites . . . such as this one . . . embedding clip after clip of their nearly daily buffoonery to YouTube, to the ultimate amusement of a broad swath of potential viewers who would not and will not give them the satisfaction of actually watching their annoying shows — many of which feature supporting roles and appearances by the NBC "straight" news staff?
Perhaps a more plausible explanation, is that that Brokaw and the NBC bigs do indeed get it, and that this Tommy-come-lately reaction is really a reflection of the full-blown panic setting in at NBC brand central — and not just over the future of MSNBC!
His statement comes across to me as a basic and quite risible defense mechanism . . . denial.
He may as well have said: "I was so shocked to learn that Keith Olberman appears to so many to be an unpleasant and unrepentant partisan hack . . . and, that in addition, he seems to have now provided the competition with real ammo by littering the joint with proof in the form of campaign contributions, just in case anyone was too stupid to notice the obvious . . . all in a clearcut violation, by the way, of our house rules!"
If Tom Brokaw comes to be seen as the house gainsayer of what has been quite obvious to anyone with eyes and ears for a long, long time, then he too is personally taking a big risk.
Jumping right into the middle of a mud-slinging fray ain't smart! "B'rer fox, he lay low!" is obviously NOT Tom Brokaw's motto. Who would be so foolish as to end their career with that sort of footnote?
And, what's worse, if large percentages of the television viewership out there should conclude that a sort of partisan media transfection has taken place — that MSNBC has polluted the whole place — the resulting exposure would deeply wound the entire NBC brand, and threaten any ability for the media giant to be able to make any plausible claim of independent news-delivery capacity in the forseeable term.
As you so succinctly put it, "Lie Down With Olby, Wake Up With …."
Keith Olbermann propositions a two dollar hooker under a bridge.
She says, "Okay, but not here. I have a reputation to think of."
Lie Down With Olby, Wake Up With…an STD?
"MaggotAtBroad&Wall; said…
Lie Down With Olby, Wake Up With…an STD?"
No silly, STDs are sexually transmitted…how would he get one in the first place?
Has MSNBC or NBC ever been handed a piece of Leftist propaganda they were unwilling to publish with out fee as long as it helped the Democrat. Every minute they are on the air should be charged to the Democrats as advertising for them.
Ted said: "No silly, STDs are sexually transmitted…how would he get one in the first place? "
B-a-a-a-a-a-a