I am struck by the reaction to MSNBC's decision to indefinitely suspend Keith Olbermann for giving three Democratic Party candidates campaign contributions.
Conservatives are defending Olbermann while liberals are saying MSNBC made the right decision. Bill Kristol of The Weekly Standard calls Olbermann's suspension "ludicrous." Yet TV critic David Zurawik of The Baltimore Sun argues MSNBC had no other alternative but to take disciplinary action against Olbermann.
My take? I am sure MSNBC President Phil Griffin is shocked, shocked to find out that Keith Olbermann has made campaign contributions to Democratic Party candidates.
But in light of the impending merger between Comcast and NBC one must also wonder if Olbermann's suspension is only the beginning of a big shake up to come at MSNBC.
Friday, November 5, 2010
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This is somewhat different than the Juan Williams firing in that MSNBC has a policy in place regarding campaign donations. I imagine this is to avoid the appearance of bias (although Mr. Olbermann has made no attempt to hide bias in his practice of journalism). He broke a stated policy (which MSNBC has the right to set), he got what he deserved. Juan Williams broke no such clearly-stated policy.
It always cracked me up that the NFL wouldn't let Rush Limbaugh be a minority owner of the St. Louis Rams for, in effect, something he said on ESPN several years before (that's probably at least partially true), but they'd let Mr. Olbermann be a face of their game Sunday Nights while he personally insulted people with whom he had political disagreements the rest of the week. Good riddance as far as I'm concerned, both on Sunday Night and the rest of the week.
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