Drama at GE shareholders meeting: No criticism of MSNBC allowed

[Chris]

Drama at GE shareholders meeting

Things got testy Wednesday at the GE shareholders meeting courtesy of several complaints about political bias at its media division, NBC Universal.

First up was a woman asking about a reported meeting in which Immelt and NBC Uni CEO Jeff Zucker supposedly told top CNBC executives and talent to be less critical of President Obama and his policies.

During the woman's follow-up question, her microphone was cut off. Later, during the umpteenth question about MSNBC, another shareholder's microphone was cut, according to multiple attendees.

One specific complaint about MSNBC concerned Keith Olbermann's interview of actress Janeane Garofalo, who likened conservatives to racists and spoke of "the limbic brain inside a right-winger."

"My biggest surprise was the open hostility to MSNBC," another shareholder said. "It was noticeable and loud. I don't remember any of this going on last year."

In some absolutely unrelated, entirely coincidental news...

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow suffers big audience loss

MSNBC show host Rachel Maddow has suffered some steep audience erosion in recent months, down more than 40 percent in viewership from her peak last fall during the election.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Maddow's audience has gone from a high of 1.9 million viewers in the fall to just over 1.1 million in March. That's a big drop.

"I think Rachel is a rock star," Phil Griffin, the president of MSNBC, told the Times.

[Lord Undies]

"I think Rachel is a rock star," Phil Griffin, the president of MSNBC, told the Times.

I think she's a stinky lesbian. 

MSNBC doesn't care about the size of their audience as long as they are quoted by other media.  That's the goal.

[5412]

Hi,

I have met Mr. Immelt on two occasions, very briefly, as GE was a client of mine for several years.  I will refrain from telling you my feeling about him personally, but the fact that he told MSNBC to lay off of criticizing BO reeks to me.  If there ever was a company that was the epitome of capitalism it is GE.  They know how to compete in a competitive marketplace and win, plain and simple.  In addition, I worked for well over 40 of the top 500 US corporations for over 30 years and GE by far was the most EEOC compliant, non discriminatory corporation I have ever seen.  I literally know hundreds of GE executives who each year would donate several days of their time pounding nails, carrying bags of cement, etc. for Habitat for Humanity.  That was just part of their culture.

If Mr. Immelt did tell MSNBC to lay off, were I to GUESS, and that is exactly what I am doing.....he was probably threatened by the government.  Recall that the bailout bill had a provision that any company that took bailout money could not speak out against the check card system the union uses to intimidate voters.  Seems to me that this government is already establishing a track record of playing real hard ball with a lot of US corporations.  One can only imagine what kind of threats BO and friends had in store for GE.

It is one of those things that Immelt could never go public with but the fact that he was supposed to tell MSNBC to lay off BO seems very out of character for him.

regards,
5412


PS:  I just sent out some feelers to old friends on this issue.  Be interesting if they can reply and what they say.  If nothing comes back, it will do nothing but further reinforce my suspicions.