Olbermann suspended indefinitely without pay.

[aquart]

for donating to 3 Democrats.

HuffingtonPost

RT @HuffPostMedia: Olbermann suspended from MSNBC indefinitely without pay for donating to Democrats http://huff.to/dwnFeU

[Dawson Leery]

1. So Hannity can give political contributions, though Olbermann cannot?

http://www.newsmeat.com/media_political_donations/Sean_Hannity.php

[Doctor_J]

8. Rules for Dems are different

in case you've been asleep for 20 years

[arcane1]

9. NBC has journalistic "policy and standards"

Fox has no such thing :(

[kick-ass-bob]

12. +1

[woo me with science]

55. Olbermann criticized FOX news division strongly for doing it.

The problem here is that, for some unfathomable reason, NBC has Olbermann classified as a news anchor when he is clearly a commentator.

[Doctor_J]

89. That apparently don't apply to republican donors

FAIL

[nadinbrzezinski]

75. Fox has a different contract

I just emailed them though... tv about to go off

[sufrommich]

2. Wow. What? nt

[Stuart G]

3. Let's see how this develops...K and R.

[HipChick]

4. Fuck Phil..so Faux News can contribute all they want

[BurtWorm]

5. Oh, for shame!

#
Fox Republican donations - The Daily Show Forum
10 posts - 6 authors - Last post: Aug 20
Comedian Jon Stewart on Wednesday bashed Fox News for parent company News Corporation's $1 million donation to the Republican Governors ...
forums.thedailyshow.com/?page=ThreadView&thread... - Cached
Get more discussion results
►
#
News Corp. defends $1 million donation to Republican Governors ...
Aug 18, 2010 ... News Corp. defends $1 million donation to Republican Governors ... "The people owning Fox News have made a decision that they want to see ...
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/.../AR2010081704338.html
#
News Corp.'s $1 million Republican donation: Fair and balanced ...
Aug 18, 2010 ... s $1 million Republican donation: Fair and balanced? Fox News' parent company made a giant donation to a Republican group. ...
theweek.com/.../news-corps-1-million-republican-donation-fair-and-balanced - Cached
#
News for Fox Republican donations

# Mediaite.com Keith Olbermann Donations to Democrats May Have Violated NBC ...‎ - 1 hour ago
As Politico notes, Olbermann and MSNBC President Phil Griffin have been critical of Fox News over its two $1 million donations to Republican and ...
CBS News - 59 related articles - Shared by 10+
#
Jon Stewart Rips Fox's GOP Contribution, Ignores Viacom's Dem ...
Aug 19, 2010 ... Comedian Jon Stewart on Wednesday bashed Fox News for parent company News Corporation's $1 million donation to the Republican Governors ...
www.newsbusters.org/.../stewart-rips-foxs-gop-contribution-ignores-viacoms-dem-donations - Cached
#
UPDATED FoxPAC: Fox News' corporate parent gave Republican ...
Aug 16, 2010 ... And now we have Fox's parent company donating $1 million to elect Republican gubernatorial candidates. Are there still people who doubt that ...
mediamatters.org/blog/201008160046 - Cached
Fox's media criticism show ignores News Corp. donations to GOP ...‎
Media Matters ad on News Corp.'s $1 million GOP donation to air on ...‎
Stewart on News Corp donation to RGA: "If anything, the ...‎
Fox News silent on News Corp.'s huge donation to GOP | Media ...‎

More results from mediamatters.org »
#
Fox News takes heat for News Corporation's GOP donation – CNN ...
Aug 17, 2010 ... cnn-photo-caption image= caption =" Fox News' objectivity was ...
politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/.../fox-news-takes-heat-for-news-corporations-gop-donation/ - Cached
#
Dems Blast Murdoch's $1M GOP Donation - Fox News parent's move is ...
Aug 17, 2010 ... Now that Bloomberg has reported that News Corp–the parent company of Fox News headed by Rupert Murdoch—has donated $1 million to the ...
www.newser.com/.../dems-blast-murdochs-1m-gop-donation.html - Cached
#
Fox parent's donation causes stir - Keach Hagey - POLITICO.com
Aug 17, 2010 ... s $1 million donation to the Republican Governors Association isn't ... Chairman Rupert Murdoch – the man behind Fox News and the Wall ...
www.politico.com/news/stories/0810/41191.html - Cached
#
Fox News Channel: Does News Corp. donation to Republican Governors ...
Aug 17, 2010 ... Fox News Channel: Does News Corp. donation to Republican Governors Association show Fox News isn't fair and balanced? ...
blogs.orlandosentinel.com/.../fox-news-channel-does-news-corp-donation-to-republican-governors-association-show-fox-news-isnt-fair-and-bala... - Cached
#
Fox News quiet on News Corp's $1m donation to Republicans | Media ...
Aug 20, 2010 ... News Corporation's $1m donation to the Republican Party has, unsurprisingly, attracted a lot of media comment in the States.
www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/.../news-corporation-fox-news - Cached

[w8liftinglady]

6. WTF??? Is That For REAL?

[bullwinkle428]

7. Classic case of IOKIYAR!

http://newsmeat.com/media_political_donations/Sean_Hannity.php

[sasha031]

10. is this a joke!

[Stuart G]

13. It is at the Huffington Post too, here is a link at the HFPost...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/05/keith-olbermann-suspended_n_779586.html

[aquart]

14. God, I hope so.

Please, please, let me have been taken in by an early April Fool or hallucination or hacker.

[virgogal]

81. + 1

[HipChick]

11. I also await the cries from the right of how MSNBC is trampling on Olbermann's free speech rights

[Kalyke]

70. We're not Freepers here.

We know that only the government has to abide by the First Amendment, but I will say that corporations are becoming hyperbolic hypocrites.

My outrage is that corporations can donate to whatever political party they choose, but then turn around and demand that their employees cannot do so. That is some very smelly crap.

[pgodbold]

15. WTF?

[SemiCharmedQuark]

16. WTF!?

Isn't Olbermann like their biggest draw? I only watch Maddow and Olbermann if I'm watching MSNBC..

[Angry Dragon]

17. How soon is palin and her buddies going to jump

on this and claim his 1st amendment rights were violated??

Ohhhhhhhh .......... I forgot that only applies if you are on their side

[Poboy]

18. Wow, this is unbelievable. We are really fucked now. -nt

[treestar]

19. Why did he do it if he knew he could not by contract?

:rofl:

[SemiCharmedQuark]

21. They said there isn't anything forbiding it, he just needed to get approval from NBC beforehand

Weird.

[treestar]

77. Yes, weird - he could have just gotten the approval.

Why not just do it? He could have avoided this whole problem.

Now we are all deprived of his greatness!

[Kalyke]

79. Probably forgot.

Knew in the back of his mind it wasn't forbidden, but forgot about the approval process.

[EFerrari]

20. The right wing shills couldn't wait a week to take a stab at Keith.n/t

[A wise Man]

69. They hate...

TRUTH..IT MAKES THEM CRAZIER THAN THEY NATURALLY ARE.

[malaise]

22. So GE and NBC can contribute

but it's employees can't - WTF????

[EFerrari]

40. GE PAC for 2010

http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.php?strID=C00024869&cycle=2010

[saigon68]

44. The Mother Fuckers gave Cantor for Congress $10,000.00

[EFerrari]

52. There are a lot of big egos in entertainment

on and off stage. I hope this blows over. Keith might even get a bump out of it eventually.

[uncommon]

23. Are you serious??? Who cares what he does with his own money?

Does his contract say he can't do this?

[eleny]

24. If they make this permanent they're shooting themsleves in the foot

Give him a slap on the wrist and call it enough.

[deminks]

25. Has he tweeted? They probably shut down that account, too.

Nothing on the Maddow blog. We may still have Rachel. Time for KO and David Shuster to have their own show somewhere else. He donated to worthy causes, at least! KO still speaks for me! Who needs GEM$NBC anywhoo.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

27. No, but on the link, he made a short statement

[SoCalDem]

30. "somewhere else."...um where would that be?

That's the problem we have with corporatist media..It's so consolidated, that there is nowhere else for anyone to GO.

Now that the election is over, watch for the knives to come out for Rachel & Uyger & Ratigan..

Bland is the favorite color that media prefers (except for Fox)

[BeFree]

60. I hate to say this

But they are the professional left that Gibbs so roundly told to get lost.

[SoCalDem]

92. exacty..

we are "screwn" :(

[arcane1]

31. And Phil Donahue too! :(

[LoKnLoD]

26. Wonder if Cenk from TYT will fill in for him?

[HipChick]

33. I can't stand Cenk...I hope the ratings drop to the level of Morning Joe

[pgodbold]

39. Principals before personalities please. nt

[EFerrari]

53. Cenk on MSNBC isn't as good as on TYTs and I can't figure out why

except maybe that all that staging is wonderbreading him.

[WingDinger]

28. They had OTHER reasons why they wanted him gone.

As with every one of us, that would pontificate, they would grow to hate us. Our bloated salaries, and power. So, when we arent paying attention, they find cause to fire. Like Rick Sanchez. Like Donahue. Like Blitzer. Like Rather. Like Like. They would rather, pun intended, ruin your legacy if it gets you out the door cheaper.

[Meatball]

35. ahhh IDK about that.

He gets a lot of ratings and I bet they wouldn't have 'suspended' him if they wanted him gone. they would have outright fired him.

[HipChick]

47. Wasn't Schuster was suspended indefinitely...

[Meatball]

58. true

he was suspended indefinitely for saying the Clinton's "pimped out" their daughter. LOL

[Meatball]

29. well... dammit

Why did he do that? i mean, i know why, but he must have known that MSNBC does not allow this and how it looks now because he is critical when the other side does it. ugh.. have your wife or kids make the donations or do it in their names. I know he's smarter than this, its like he was asking to be caught. :shrug:

:think: maybe... he is doing it in protest of msnbc rules..... which seem kind of outdated considering...

[BurtWorm]

32. Cynical theory: This is a ploy to get a lot of hopped up Olbermann fans to tune in

when the suspension is suspended. Maybe the pay suspension will float for a while to save the company some bucks. But maybe they just want to get angry people to tune in to KO.

[slackmaster]

49. I think BurtWorm is correct

It may be cynical but it's not far-fetched.

[IDemo]

34. He just needs to incorporate

He should be covered under Citizens United then...

[WilliamPitt]

36. MSNBC link

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40030687

[Hekate]

50. Thanks for the link.Crap. I hope this blows over, & that Keith can keep his mouth shut until it does

Crap.

[David Zephyr]

37. They were looking for any excuse to do this. Now they found one.

Keith was the single individual who put their cable news network on the map, the man who made MSNBC money when Jack Welsh (who tried to fire Keith) couldn't, the man who was a lonely voice against the illegal war in Iraq has now been put aside.

The executives there were looking for any excuse to take him out.

And here's a word to Mr. Jon Stewart: Perhaps you can crack a joke or two at this very good man's expense over the next week or two and thereby aggrandize yourself and make yourself look like you are the balanced voice.

[Poboy]

42. to Mr. Jon Stewart: Perhaps you can crack a joke or two at this very good man's expense

And here's a word to Mr. Jon Stewart: Perhaps you can crack a joke or two at this very good man's expense over the next week or two and thereby aggrandize yourself and make yourself look like you are the balanced voice.


Indeed. Laugh it up Jon. Its all fun and games.

[dave29]

56. uhh, how is this Jon Stewart's fault

does he get credit whenever anyone in the media gets in trouble?

I'm more concerned about Jon attacking Obama using the same tactics as FoxNews (clips out of context, completely, whining about lack of strength while calling for cordiality among everyone else).

Still, Keith stepped in it on this one, if he went against policy. If MSNBC were like FOX they would have handed over 2 million to the Republicans and not thought twice. Keith has himself to blame, hopefully he is not fired, and maybe it will do some good to see what happens when your own team turns against you.

[Poboy]

63. I didn't, nor the poster I quoted, say that it was 'Jon's fault'. What was said was

Jon can laugh about it and make fun of him. Laugh it up!

[David Zephyr]

85. General Electric has given political donations for decades, just like Fox.

NBC, like Fox News are divisions of corporations.

Fox News did not give $1 Million dollars to the GOP. NewsCorp did.

NBC doesn't give poltical contributions, but GE has for decades.

As to Jon Stewart, his drawing an arbitrary "moral equivilancy" between Glen Beck and Keith Olbermann for a cheap, self-serving laugh was and still is pathetic. Not funny, just pathetic.

[Goblinmonger]

64. It is a little hypocritical on Keith's part, isn't it?

He called out Fox News and anchors for doing it.

That's the take I would expect Stewart to take.

[Poboy]

67. I hope he has a huge series of punchlines for ya. Oh, what fun!

[Goblinmonger]

71. Do you disagree on the point of the hypocrisy?

Kind of hard for Keith to argue that donating to politicians is a good thing when he called Fox anchors bad for doing it, isn't it?

Plus, he signed the contract. Surely he is smart enough to have read it and know that all he had to do was inform his bosses and all was cool.

But, hey, whatever works for you, I guess. We should clearly hold ours to a different standard than theirs (and Fox doesn't have that clause in their contracts--which is certainly part of the problem but this is a contract issue).

[Poboy]

72. The move is heavy handed and excessive. But hey, Chris Wallice rocks! -nt

[Kalyke]

74. You don't see the difference?

News Corp is a corporation owning Fox News in its entirety. It's not a PRIVATE citizen.

The hypocrites are MSNBC who, through GE PAC can make political donations, but then turn around and demand that their employees do not. It should be unconstitutional for an employer to dictate to whom his/her employee can give their own money.

[Goblinmonger]

86. They didn't say he couldn't

just that he had to notify them if he did.

[David Zephyr]

87. I just made the same points before I read your posts. Thank you, Kalyke.

+1

[slackmaster]

78. They could have terminated him any time without an "excuse"

Your theory makes no sense.

[David Zephyr]

88. Oh please. I wasn't speaking of a legal "excuse", it was a PR excuse.

Does that make sense?

[Tatiana]

38. OMG. I think this is a bit excessive.

Have no employees donated to any political candidates during their tenure @ MSNBC?

I find that hard to believe.

That said, Keith had to know this was a violation of this parent company's policy, so I also wonder if he did this to make a point???

[arcane1]

41. He's apparently supposed to get "approval" from NBC executives

which seems silly.

[uncommon]

43. "Silly" is one word for it. It's creepy and fascist.

[Tatiana]

54. Unreal. So did Tweety get "approval" to possibly run for Senate in Pennsylvania?

I do agree that if Keith were anchoring the nightly news, it would be unseemly for him to be donating to political candidates. However, Keith is a commentator, paid not only to deliver the news, but for his opinions about the news.

Somebody at GEMSNBC is clearly out for him.

[Brickbat]

45. While I've never agreed with the policy, the vast majority of newsrooms have this policy.

Journalists are expected to give up their First Amendment rights as part of their employment. Policies forbid donations, attending party caucuses or conventions, and some even prohibit yard signs and bumper stickers.

I hate the policy and fought it when I was in a newsroom. But it is there.

[Kalyke]

80. It wasn't a policy in any of the newsrooms I worked in.

It wasn't advised to attend a rally or advocate and show your face, but what you did with your money was you're own business.

On edit: And, if you did, they wouldn't suspend you, they would just remove you from covering a particular beat that may be seen as a conflict of interest.

[Brickbat]

83. Interesting. It's become much more common in the past 10 years.

Where did you work?

[RamboLiberal]

46. Fuck MSNBC

Stupid policy when that part of their lineup is not exactly being journalists. Like anyone with a brain cell can't figure out that Keith, Ed, Rachel & Lawrence aren't liberal. Even Chris Matthews where it was no secret that he was considering a run for PA US Senator as a Dem.

I can understand that policy for the NBC side of the news.

So go ahead and shoot yourselves in the ratings foot.

Ok, he violated your policy. Give him a short suspension and be done with it.

Anything else MSNBC I hope KO is calling CNN & setting up his new show there. And that he takes Rachel & others from your lineup with him.

Damn this is turning out to be a shitty week!

[JustAnotherGen]

48. I already

Wrote them a nasty missive.

[glowing]

51. Will they really lose a guy who has made them? He a reason they all lean forward

Maybe he pays a fine and they pop him back on.

[Yeshuah Ben Joseph]

57. This is fucking bullshit.

2/3 of the people on FAUX are declared presidential candidates.

Kasich was just elected (or at least Diebolded) Governor of Ohio. Did he quit FAUX before he ran for that office?

Rove still works there, and his CrossBurners GPS foreign money laundering scheme ran how many hate & slander ads on behalf of Repuke candidates??

[Kalyke]

82. CrossBurners GPS

:rofl:

[mvd]

59. I'm writing MSNBC today.

They need to know we want Keith back. Even if he did violate the stupid policy (why should it pertain to him - he's a commentator and not a news deliverer), a fine should be the most he gets. I have a feeling Comcast, a Repuke-friendly company, is behind this.

[ipaint]

61. I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did.

Time for the media corporations to line up on the right so their paid politicians get as little push back as possible. They will take Rachel down eventually too.

Bread and circuses.

[katnapped]

66. Of course, and makes sense too

Being the left lost (and is "marginalized" according to the MSM), why bother supporting their views anymore?

Wouldn't be at all surprised if Comcast's directive is to upheave the talent and jockey for some of FauxNoise's viewers.

[Kalyke]

76. CNN tried that

and they are in third place amongst the big three in the evenings.

If MSNBC, which is NOT on the basic cable channels in many markets and, therefore, backed up against a wall, attempts this, they will fail - big time.

[RamboLiberal]

62. David Kurtz: This Is Gonna Be Tricky

If MSNBC president Phil Griffin is going to suspend every on-air personality who violated the company's policy against making political contributions, we may be seeing a lot of new faces on the air. More soon ...

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2010/11/this_is_gonna_be_tricky.php?ref=fpblg

[Kalyke]

65. My outrage meter is blowing. DAMN!

[A wise Man]

68. What the hell is goin on here...

A whole network and their so call commendators claiming to be a NEWS station ie (FOX) can buy, sale and contribute to any nut job rethug and MSNBC CENSORS a real reporter of facts. HELL HAS NO FURY LIKE IDIOTS IN CORPORATE MEDIA....BOUGHT AND PAID FOR. Revolution is at hand my friends..we can't take to much of this kind of BS from these assholes.

[NotThisTime]

73. MSNBC is dead to me, sorry Rach, you're the last one standing...

[lightningandsnow]

84. I'm sad to see him go, but this is what happens when you violate a contract.

I used to work as a receptionist for a temp agency. When I started working there, I signed a contract saying that, for up to a year after I leave the company, I'm not allowed to work for any of our client companies, or any competitive agencies. I left about a month ago, and it's kind of a bummer that there are several major companies I'm not allowed to work for, and I can't do agency work at all, even if I really need a job this summer. It sucks, but it's what I agreed to.

They might have been overly harsh, but he did violate his contract.

[Doctor_J]

90. APparently it's what happens when you're a DEM who violates the contract

Scar, Buchanan, Mika, all donate too

[nc4bo]

91. Not going to watch MSNBC any time soon. Sorry Ed, Rachel - this is outrageous

What he did was small beans.