Keith Olbermann and the hypocrisy at MSNBC

[Shady]

You know it's bad when the mainstream media notices, and responds...What the hell is going on over there???

Keith Olbermann and the hypocrisy at MSNBC

I am coming late to this rodeo, but there's a good reason for that. I have been on this nasty horse before, long before many of my colleagues, and I have promised myself I would not mount again without taking 24 hours to first think about it.

Well, the 24 hours are up, and here I come to write once again about what a reckless TV figure Keith Olbermann is -- and how irresponsible MSNBC and NBC News management are for giving him a national platform and the network's credibility to spread his innuendo, invective and smears. Olbermann tries to talk like he's Edward R. Murrow, but he operates in the dirty tradition of Joe McCarthy.

But first let me commend the short-lived MSNBC guest host Donny Deutsch for essentially saying this week what I have been saying the last two years: That if you want to talk about the inflammatory rhetoric that poisons our media today, you better include Olbermann in that discussion along with Glenn Beck of Fox News and syndicated radio host Rush Limbaugh.

Only Deutsch and his producer "said" it by including video of Olbermann in a montage on MSNBC showing "angry" speech, and got sent home in the middle of a planned weeklong guest-hosting run. As much of a shock as this will be to some of my colleagues, it does appear based on what happened to Deutsch that there is more room for self-criticism on Fox News than there is on MSNBC. Think about it -- I did for 24 hours before writing that sentence.

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You can read Stelter's coverage here, along with the words of Olbermann. The former sportscaster, whose ratings only look good if you compare them to CNN's as opposed to those of the hosts on Fox who bury him, has already done damage to the reputation of MSNBC and NBC News with the reckless words he spewed on the night Scott Brown was elected to the Senate.

As they say in 24/7 Cable TV Land, I think I'll leave it right there for now, and let his words speak for themselves -- the ones that called Brown an "irresponsible, homophobic, racist, reactionary, ex-nude model, tea bagging, supporter of violence against women and against politicians with whom he disagrees." Is that angry and inflammatory enough for you?

Baltimore Sun

I also stumbled onto this recently as well...

Craig Crawford leaves MSNBC…Longtime MSNBC analyst Craig Crawford has left the network

For those who might be interested – and you have every reason not to be – I am no longer with MSNBC. Three months short of my current contract I sent the following to the boss, Phil Griffin: “Phil, Just wanted to give you the heads up that my situation with MSNBC has become so unrewarding for me that I’ve decided to move on. — Craig”

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Can’t tell ya how hard this choice was to make. I’ve had a difficult time with MSNBC since the presidential primaries, should have pulled the trigger long ago. but my scotch-irish blood keeps me loyal long past the bitter end, which has long past, sadly.

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I simply could not any longer endure being a cartoon player for lefty games, just gotta move on to higher ground even if there’s no oxygen.

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Thanks bethy, i have never and never will forgive Chris for calling me a racist after the West Virginia primary (the last time I will ever go on air with him). Probably should have resigned then and there, but better late than never.

Link

It's kind of sad what MSNBC and NBC News has become. Tim Russert was my favourite political host/commentator. He was about as fair as anyone I've watched or listened to in the industry. Unfortunately, after he passed away, things over there seem to have really gotten bad. I think he'd be rolling in his grave right now. :angry:

[BubberMiley]

Yes, partisan hacks are ridiculous on all sides. What's more ridiculous though is partisan hacks complaining about other partisan hacks for being partisan hacks.

[Michael Hardner]

I agree with Bubber. The article even points to the fact that the left-wing Hog Caller has only a fraction of the attention devoted to the right-wing behemoths.

You can't decry one without decrying all of 'em.

[Shady]

You guys are completely missing the point. It's not about partisanship, it's about the ability to be self-critical. Something MSNBC is completely lacking.

[Michael Hardner]

You guys are completely missing the point. It's not about partisanship, it's about the ability to be self-critical. Something MSNBC is completely lacking.

But... NONE of those vehicles are self-critical ?

[bloodyminded]

You know it's bad when the mainstream media notices, and responds...What the hell is going on over there???

I also stumbled onto this recently as well...

It's kind of sad what MSNBC and NBC News has become. Tim Russert was my favourite political host/commentator. He was about as fair as anyone I've watched or listened to in the industry. Unfortunately, after he passed away, things over there seem to have really gotten bad. I think he'd be rolling in his grave right now. :angry:

Lefty Glenn Greenwald has been criticizing Olbermann for years. With much more insight than is done here.