NBC Prez on Olbermann-Scarborough Tiff: Don't Publicly Criticize Colleagues

[TheSarge]

The president of NBC has officially responded to Joe Scarborough criticizing Keith Olbermann for his attacks on Scott Brown.

In a memo obtained by the Huffington Post, Phil Griffin told his on air staff: "We do not publicly criticize our colleagues. This kind of behavior is unprofessional and will not be tolerated."

Griffin was addressing comments made by MSNBC's Scarborough about Olbermann. As NewsBusters reported Monday, the "Morning Joe" host first tweeted his disapproval of the "Countdown" host's comments about Brown -- "How reckless and how sad" -- reiterating on his program Tuesday morning, "Sad and pathetic.

As a result, Griffin sent out the following memo Friday

From: Griffin, Phil (NBC Universal)
Sent: Friday, January 22, 2010 3:02 PM

MSNBC is THE place for viewers to get the best political analysis and opinion in today's vast marketplace of ideas. We don't tell our hosts what to say. We don't have talking points. We encourage our talent to voice their opinions strongly and smartly, always rooted in fact. All of this has brought us great success, culminating in last year's victory over CNN.

Hosts strongly voicing their OWN opinions can no-doubt lead to spirited, substantive disagreements. This debate is encouraged. What we're doing at MSNBC is something our competition is not. And it is difficult. We have many strong personalities with differing, passionate opinions, but it is important to remember that we are all on the same team. I want to reiterate my long-standing policy: We do not publicly criticize our colleagues. This kind of behavior is unprofessional and will not be tolerated.

Let me be clear: I encourage you to keep doing what you do best. Give the viewers your perspective and a vigorous debate on the issues they care about. But do not turn substantive differences into personal ones.

Phil

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2010/01/24/nbc-prez-olbermann-scarborough-tiff-dont-publicly-criticize-colleague#comment-1148679#ixzz0dY6zmhZw

[TheSarge]

Griffin also sent the following to TVNewser:

"An important rule was broken. I spoke to Keith and he said in the spirit of teamwork and the free flow of ideas, he didn't think it warranted punishment or suspension. I also talked to Joe and he apologized to me," said the MSNBC president, adding, "That's why I made the decision that this didn't rise to the level of punishment, but I felt it was necessary to reiterate my long-standing policy."

Pretty obvious where Phil Griffin's sympathies lay and how far to the left he is.

Nothing in that memo takes Olberman to task for his scurrilous comments and outright lies.

Instead he's asking Special Keith if he thinks any kind of punishment needs to be brought against Scarborough.

I think it's pretty clear now why Olberman, Maddow and Schultz are allowed to continually get away with the outrageous things they do and say on TV.

[NHSparky]

I'm guessing if Comcast buys PMSNBC, Madcow and Overbite will be out of there so fast their asses will leave vapor trails.

[DefiantSix]

I'm guessing if Comcast buys PMSNBC, Madcow and Overbite will be out of there so fast their asses will leave vapor trails.

That won't be 'vapor'.  Leastwise not water vapor. 

Probably, at least in the case of Olbermann, be more akin to 'snail-trails'.

[TheSarge]

I'm guessing if Comcast buys PMSNBC, Madcow and Overbite will be out of there so fast their asses will leave vapor trails.

I wouldn't bet on it.

[Doc]

I wouldn't bet on it.

Well....assuming someone in Concast's senior programming management has two functioning neurons left, I would say that it would be a necessity........

As it is, MSNBC is only ratings competitive with CNN, who has sank so low that on cable ratings here in my town, the overnight infomercials get better Nielson share than CNN does in primetime, so if they (Comcast) are going to end up with a business model that will actually allow them to sell advertising, and subsequently create revenue, something is going to have to change.

Right now all broadcasters are scrambling for ad revenue, and there isn't much out there........an easy way to tell is this:

All programming (regardless of network) has pre-programmed commercial breaks.......the length and frequency varies a bit, but the total commercial time slotted in a one-hour show is fixed. Breaks are generally 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 minutes in length, and will contain from 6 to 12 commercial "spots" (depending on whether the client has purchased a 15, 30, or 45 seconds. This is what is called "avails" (time available for sale)........when you watch a show, also watch the commercial breaks, and see how much time is actually sold to clients (a "spot") or filled with "promos", which is filler, generally promoting the networks future shows or events, sometimes PSA's (public service announcements) are also used as filler in the breaks. Promos and PSA's don't generate any revenue for the network/station, and you can generally tell how a network is doing financially by watching them in prime time (the most expensive ad time)..........if their commercial breaks contain more than 30% "promos" they are losing money.......

The goal of broadcasting is generally profit (unless you are NBC, with GE's vast resources behind you), and a losing programming format will only last so long until total collapse ensues.........Ask Air America how well leftist ideological programming works.......

doc

[5412]

I wouldn't bet on it.

Hi,

The word came down from the president of GE to support Obama because they would be in the catbird seat if crap and tax got passed.  That went to the president of NBC.  Now Comcast, being in the cable business would be subjected to some serious democrat blackmail if they turned the network into Fox.  At the same time the high priced shills are why their ratings are so bad.

regards,
5412

[Chris_]

Hi,

The word came down from the president of GE to support Obama because they would be in the catbird seat if crap and tax got passed.  That went to the president of NBC.  Now Comcast, being in the cable business would be subjected to some serious democrat blackmail if they turned the network into Fox.  At the same time the high priced shills are why their ratings are so bad.

regards,
5412

Actually no, as the cable industry is subject to FAR less FCC regulation than the over-the-air broadcast industry is........otherwise the Dems would have put the screws to Fox long ago......Comcast can tell the Dems to pound sand.....

doc

[5412]

Actually no, as the cable industry is subject to FAR less FCC regulation than the over-the-air broadcast industry is........otherwise the Dems would have put the screws to Fox long ago......Comcast can tell the Dems to pound sand.....

doc

Hi,

Need to help me on this one.  Comcast, unlike Fox, is primarily a cable provider with lines spread all over the country.  In most places they have monopolies and their competition is satellite, phone company but not another cable company.  Now those "franchises" are normally granted by a local government, city, county whatever.  We have Comcast in Illinois as our provider. 

Well I made my remarks because if they took over the broadcasting of mess-NBC and started broadcasting a more realistic message; how long before Cook County and all the other heavily inner city democrat organizations would be taking aim at their cable rights?  All they would have to do is raise their taxes on cable bills and make it such that people switch to satellite or something.

Help me on this one, that is what I was referring to.

regards,
5412

[Doc]

Hi,

Need to help me on this one.  Comcast, unlike Fox, is primarily a cable provider with lines spread all over the country.  In most places they have monopolies and their competition is satellite, phone company but not another cable company.  Now those "franchises" are normally granted by a local government, city, county whatever.  We have Comcast in Illinois as our provider.  

Well I made my remarks because if they took over the broadcasting of mess-NBC and started broadcasting a more realistic message; how long before Cook County and all the other heavily inner city democrat organizations would be taking aim at their cable rights?  All they would have to do is raise their taxes on cable bills and make it such that people switch to satellite or something.

Help me on this one, that is what I was referring to.

regards,
5412

It is true that local communities grant the franchise to a cable provider for service in their area, however, MSNBC is a cable broadcaster, not unlike Fox or CNN, and the communities don't have the authority to regulate the "content" of what is carried on the cable service in that community. They have some say over the rates, but for the most part, cable rates for "basic" service are fixed by federal statute, and the remainder are subject to the regulation of the state, much like electric or gas rates on any monopolistic public service provider.  For a community to attempt to censor what a cable company provides to its customers (partiicularly in the area of news and public affairs) would likely end up in court as a First Amendment issue.

Therefore, should Comcast purchase MSNBC, and change their ideological bent to compete directly with Fox (which would be a really good move for both them, and the consumer), there would be little that the communities that Comcast serves could do about it........couple that with the fact that all of the other cable systems would be carrying the same MSNBC feed as well, a community that threw out Comcast and changed to  (for example) Time Warner, would accomplish nothing, as Time Warner would also be carrying the same MSNBC feed.......

doc

[DumbAss Tanker]

Scarborough, Joseph.  Convicted of thoughtcrime in MiniTru hearing, January, 2010.  Not sent to penal labor battalion, but sentence at MSNBC extended indefinitely.

 

[Chris_]

Scarborough, Joseph.  Convicted of thoughtcrime in MiniTru hearing, January, 2010.  Not sent to penal labor battalion, but sentence at MSNBC extended indefinitely.

 

Yeah.....I've watched him a couple of times, and he's basically a flake.......format issues or not, his show is boring, and he lacks any real talent as a commentator........his sentence to remain is likely in the best interests of us all (discounting, of course all three of his viewers).

doc