‘High Level’ MSNBC Source: Olbermann Tainting ‘Face of NBC News’

[Augustus McCrae]

‘High Level’ MSNBC Source: Olbermann Tainting ‘Face of NBC News’

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/rich-no...-face-nbc-news
By Rich Noyes | June 3, 2008 - 18:31 ET

A “high level source inside MSNBC” tells the TVNewser blog that network stars like Tim Russert and Chris Matthews are “upset” and “pissed” that the far-left Keith Olbermann is tainting the network’s credibility with his “activism,” such as blogging for the hard-left Daily Kos site.

“What’s it going to be like in the general election now that everyone knows we’re the in-house network of Barack Obama,” TVNewser’s Steve Krakauer quoted the MSNBC insider as fretting. The source suggested Olbermann was allowed to get away with his activism because the network fears the Countdown host would quit:

“They are convinced that he will walk. He behaves like a man who has nothing left to lose. He is not central to MSNBC, he is the center of the MSNBC ratings strategy. We hang the entire schedule on him."

A network spokesperson dismissed the complaint, telling TVNewser, "Your source is ill-informed and the assertions are laughable."

Excerpts from the June 3 posting, which went up before tonight’s primary coverage began:

Tonight may be the last of the primaries, but the discussion of the cable news coverage will no doubt continue for months to come. MSNBC has bore the brunt of much of the criticism, from a candidate, a competitor, and many voices in between. Now, TVNewser speaks with a high level source inside MSNBC, who sheds light on some of the inside rumblings.

"Every Tuesday night Keith is up there as the face of NBC News. That's a problem," says our source. "[Tim] Russert is upset about it. Russert has spent 20 years building credibility. All of a sudden he's taking questions from Keith Olbermann, the Daily Kos blogger?"

The insider says Olbermann's election night partner has reservations as well: "Chris Matthews is quite pissed about it. He knows a lot about politics and he takes it seriously. He's so close to it that he's not that political. He's not an activist — Keith's an activist. That's the difference."

Suspending excerpt: Okay, I'll concede that Matthews, unlike Olbermann, has a true political insider's grasp of politics, but it's absurd to claim that Matthews is "not that political." Back on February 12, when he admitted getting thrills up his leg from hearing Barack Obama speak, it was actually Olbermann who told Matthews to "steady."

Resuming excerpt:

With the primaries finished, the focus moves to the general election. "What's it going to be like in the general election now that everyone knows we're the in-house network of Barack Obama?" asked our insider.

"There's a huge difference between rooting for one side in a Democratic primary, and another one to take sides in a general election and go out and openly root for a candidate. You can't do that," said the insider. "You think Russert is going to put up with that? Election night coverage in November with Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann?

"The key is his willingness to quit," says our source about Olbermann. "And he means it. He has convinced management of that. They are convinced that he will walk. He behaves like a man who has nothing left to lose. He is not central to MSNBC, he is the center of the MSNBC ratings strategy. We hang the entire schedule on him."

TVNewser has also posted a response by NBC News Senior Vice President Phil Griffin, which you can find here.

[platinumblondelife]

I love Keith Olbermann!

[Augustus McCrae]

Originally Posted by platinumblondelife

I love Keith Olbermann!

This does not come as a suprise to anyone.

[platinumblondelife]

Originally Posted by Augustus McCrae

This does not come as a suprise to anyone.

nope

[Family Fan]

Originally Posted by Augustus McCrae

‘High Level’ MSNBC Source: Olbermann Tainting ‘Face of NBC News’

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/rich-no...-face-nbc-news
By Rich Noyes | June 3, 2008 - 18:31 ET

A “high level source inside MSNBC” tells the TVNewser blog that network stars like Tim Russert and Chris Matthews are “upset” and “pissed” that the far-left Keith Olbermann is tainting the network’s credibility with his “activism,” such as blogging for the hard-left Daily Kos site.

“What’s it going to be like in the general election now that everyone knows we’re the in-house network of Barack Obama,” TVNewser’s Steve Krakauer quoted the MSNBC insider as fretting. The source suggested Olbermann was allowed to get away with his activism because the network fears the Countdown host would quit:

“They are convinced that he will walk. He behaves like a man who has nothing left to lose. He is not central to MSNBC, he is the center of the MSNBC ratings strategy. We hang the entire schedule on him."

A network spokesperson dismissed the complaint, telling TVNewser, "Your source is ill-informed and the assertions are laughable."

Excerpts from the June 3 posting, which went up before tonight’s primary coverage began:

Tonight may be the last of the primaries, but the discussion of the cable news coverage will no doubt continue for months to come. MSNBC has bore the brunt of much of the criticism, from a candidate, a competitor, and many voices in between. Now, TVNewser speaks with a high level source inside MSNBC, who sheds light on some of the inside rumblings.

"Every Tuesday night Keith is up there as the face of NBC News. That's a problem," says our source. "[Tim] Russert is upset about it. Russert has spent 20 years building credibility. All of a sudden he's taking questions from Keith Olbermann, the Daily Kos blogger?"

The insider says Olbermann's election night partner has reservations as well: "Chris Matthews is quite pissed about it. He knows a lot about politics and he takes it seriously. He's so close to it that he's not that political. He's not an activist — Keith's an activist. That's the difference."

Suspending excerpt: Okay, I'll concede that Matthews, unlike Olbermann, has a true political insider's grasp of politics, but it's absurd to claim that Matthews is "not that political." Back on February 12, when he admitted getting thrills up his leg from hearing Barack Obama speak, it was actually Olbermann who told Matthews to "steady."

Resuming excerpt:

With the primaries finished, the focus moves to the general election. "What's it going to be like in the general election now that everyone knows we're the in-house network of Barack Obama?" asked our insider.

"There's a huge difference between rooting for one side in a Democratic primary, and another one to take sides in a general election and go out and openly root for a candidate. You can't do that," said the insider. "You think Russert is going to put up with that? Election night coverage in November with Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann?

"The key is his willingness to quit," says our source about Olbermann. "And he means it. He has convinced management of that. They are convinced that he will walk. He behaves like a man who has nothing left to lose. He is not central to MSNBC, he is the center of the MSNBC ratings strategy. We hang the entire schedule on him."

TVNewser has also posted a response by NBC News Senior Vice President Phil Griffin, which you can find here.

I noticed Ubermans head is getting fatter last night. Of course you can only comment on weight when it's Limbo. MSNBC might as well call itself the Left @hole station. I watch it for comedy relief. Still, it was better than watching Larry King last night who had Arianna'Zsa Zsa'Huffington, a woman so clueless she was married to gay guy for years, berating McCain and real Americans. Seriously, if there is any justice, Arianna and Uberman will be taken hostage by Al Qeada members who agree with them on Bush and America.

[benjamoon]

I think Olbermann is as nuts as Hannity and Limbaugh on the other side but I think NBC News gets some unfair criticism because some people like Russert, Matthews, Brokaw, Williams, etc really do know their stuff even if some of them (Matthews) get a little opinionated... they have some very good commentators who understand what they're talking about

[Fleet]

Originally Posted by platinumblondelife

I love Keith Olbermann!

I don't.

[Family Fan]

Originally Posted by benjamoon

I think Olbermann is as nuts as Hannity and Limbaugh on the other side but I think NBC News gets some unfair criticism because some people like Russert, Matthews, Brokaw, Williams, etc really do know their stuff even if some of them (Matthews) get a little opinionated... they have some very good commentators who understand what they're talking about

I don't see it. Hannity pales by comparison and Limbo is a 'comedian.' Russert is the only one who is even sane on that list. Brokaw is another liberal hack, and Williams never met a suicide bombing he didn't advertize as failure of the war. As for Matthews, the mans eye's twitches and he has maniacal laughter when he has a guest or anyone attacking Republican on, the man is 'certifiable.' NBC is a disgrace, as is the entire TIME/Warner, ABC, CBS, PBS, the whole freak'n News establishment should just disappear. I hate them almost on the same level as Bin Laden, they are an enemy of Freedom.

[Tweety]

Let me get this straight:

Chris Matthews, who admits to getting a "tingle up his leg" when Obama speaks, is worried about MSNBC's credibility????

Like we really need Olberman blogging for Daily Kos in order to figure out that NBC is in the tank for Obama?

Russert's also in the tank for Obama, and has been for some time.

Every one of these guys is a joke. Russert is the only one who's ever come close to being an actual journalist, but he's pretty open about his political beliefs now. But in Russert's case, he's probably only doing it because his new boss is far, far, far left loon.

[Fleet]

Originally Posted by Tweety

Let me get this straight:

Chris Matthews, who admits to getting a "tingle up his leg" when Obama speaks, is worried about MSNBC's credibility????

Like we really need Olberman blogging for Daily Kos in order to figure out that NBC is in the tank for Obama?

Russert's also in the tank for Obama, and has been for some time.

Every one of these guys is a joke. Russert is the only one who's ever come close to being an actual journalist, but he's pretty open about his political beliefs now. But in Russert's case, he's probably only doing it because his new boss is far, far, far left loon.

Lol. No wonder Fox News is #1!

[benjamoon]

Originally Posted by Family Fan

I don't see it. Hannity pales by comparison and Limbo is a 'comedian.' Russert is the only one who is even sane on that list. Brokaw is another liberal hack, and Williams never met a suicide bombing he didn't advertize as failure of the war. As for Matthews, the mans eye's twitches and he has maniacal laughter when he has a guest or anyone attacking Republican on, the man is 'certifiable.' NBC is a disgrace, as is the entire TIME/Warner, ABC, CBS, PBS, the whole freak'n News establishment should just disappear. I hate them almost on the same level as Bin Laden, they are an enemy of Freedom.

Do you really think NBC News is any more left-wing than Fox News is right-wing because the way I see it, people only get mad at one or the other because they go against their beliefs and yet fail to see it on their own network of choice. I personally watch both and I don't think either is terrible in their news coverage but their commentary programs on BOTH networks CLEARLY lean heavily in one direction - it also does come up in the news - Fox will always cover McCain speeches more often and longer than MSNBC and it's the same for MSNBC for Obama

Do you really not see the similarities?

And I'm not a "crazy liberal" - my candidate of choice in 2008 was Mike Huckabee, but I also like to consider myself a realist and able to see clear bias on BOTH sides and it just depends where you fall on the political spectrum if you think it's poor journalism

[ABlairican Pie]

Originally Posted by platinumblondelife

I love Keith Olbermann!

Keith Olbermann is excellent!! He's got a great voice, very commanding. He tells it like it is.

[Family Fan]

Originally Posted by ABlairican Pie

Keith Olbermann is excellent!! He's got a great voice, very commanding. He tells it like it is.

LOL!! This is a joke, right? Please say it's a joke. Uberman wouldn't know 'like it is', if it had a Neon Sign in his face. The man is a monument to what the Left has done to media news and media in general. Next you'll be telling me Arianna 'Zsa Zsa' Huffington makes sense.

[Family Fan]

Originally Posted by benjamoon

Do you really think NBC News is any more left-wing than Fox News is right-wing because the way I see it, people only get mad at one or the other because they go against their beliefs and yet fail to see it on their own network of choice. I personally watch both and I don't think either is terrible in their news coverage but their commentary programs on BOTH networks CLEARLY lean heavily in one direction - it also does come up in the news - Fox will always cover McCain speeches more often and longer than MSNBC and it's the same for MSNBC for Obama

Do you really not see the similarities?

And I'm not a "crazy liberal" - my candidate of choice in 2008 was Mike Huckabee, but I also like to consider myself a realist and able to see clear bias on BOTH sides and it just depends where you fall on the political spectrum if you think it's poor journalism

Well, that's hard to say, since NBC is a tip of a Leftist iceberg of media, and FOX is a lone exception, at least on TV. Actually, I saw Obama all day on FOX, in the last few months, long speeches were covered. My view is that the so-called 'Right' in this country goes too far in media, academia to accommodate the Left, cause Left-leaning opinion has an overwhelming control of the popular culture.

Actually, I don't see being a 'liberal' as being a bad thing, and I range from a Reagan 'conservative' to seeing that Joe McCarthy having a 'point.' I'm a realist, and see that the culture worldwide, and increasingly in the USA, is being controlled by self-flaggelating , guilty, wealthy Lefties, who will get us all killed, by ignoring and even excusing real enemies, like they did Communists during the Cold War and the current conflict, with Islamic extremism. They have gone around the world amplifying the errors of the 'West', in media, movies, books, 'schlockumentaries.' They have managed to make the terrorists look like 'reasonable' people, while those who oppose them as evil and fascist. In my own city of NYC, waving the American flag, I've had several ripped from my car, including a POW/MIA flag, is looked downed. I put all this directly at the feet of the NYT/TIME/Newsweek media giants and their hundreds of brethren. FOX and five guys on radio, is hardly equal time, they know it, but, even those few outlets, they don't ideologically control is considered 'too much.'

[benjamoon]

Originally Posted by Family Fan

Well, that's hard to say, since NBC is a tip of a Leftist iceberg of media, and FOX is a lone exception, at least on TV. Actually, I saw Obama all day on FOX, in the last few months, long speeches were covered. My view is that the so-called 'Right' in this country goes too far in media, academia to accommodate the Left, cause Left-leaning opinion has an overwhelming control of the popular culture.

Actually, I don't see being a 'liberal' as being a bad thing, and I range from a Reagan 'conservative' to seeing that Joe McCarthy having a 'point.' I'm a realist, and see that the culture worldwide, and increasingly in the USA, is being controlled by self-flaggelating , guilty, wealthy Lefties, who will get us all killed, by ignoring and even excusing real enemies, like they did Communists during the Cold War and the current conflict, with Islamic extremism. They have gone around the world amplifying the errors of the 'West', in media, movies, books, 'schlockumentaries.' They have managed to make the terrorists look like 'reasonable' people, while those who oppose them as evil and fascist. In my own city of NYC, waving the American flag, I've had several ripped from my car, including a POW/MIA flag, is looked downed. I put all this directly at the feet of the NYT/TIME/Newsweek media giants and their hundreds of brethren. FOX and five guys on radio, is hardly equal time, they know it, but, even those few outlets, they don't ideologically control is considered 'too much.'

I definitely agree with your point on academia. I think a lot of the elite colleges are full of professors with very left-leaning views and someone with conservative views in the academia community is looked down upon or not taken seriously - that is definitely a problem in our country

As far as the media goes, I do think it is left-leaning but not as much as you do. I think those radicals that you refer to are not swayed by what people on MSNBC because the views are so far gone and you wouldn't see those kind of actions being supported by people like Russert, Williams, Matthews, Brokaw, etc (maybe Olbermann) - I think most of the commentators for NBC are good and honest people with a left view just as FOX commentators are mostly good and honest people with a right view.

I think there are plenty of good people on both sides and I think part of the problem is that people like you (and don't take this personally, I mean people like you as in your views) tend to lump smart and kind and America loving liberals with the crazy, flag-burning, America hating ones. I also think liberals do the same thing to conservatives