Shortly After Major Bush Donor Takes Over MSNBC, Network Selectively Applies Rules To Suspend Olbermann
Earlier today, MSNBC declared that it would be suspending progressive host Keith Olbermann because he violated NBC’s ethics rules by donating to three Democratic candidates for Congress. As many bloggers have noted, conservative MSNBC host Joe Scarborough has donated to Republican candidates for Congress while promoting the same candidate on air, but has never been disciplined. Moreover, Gawker notes that MSNBC has been exempt from the formal NBC ethics rules for years. It is still a mystery why MSNBC selectively applied NBC’s ethics rules to Olbermann. However, it important to realize that MSNBC has undergone a fundamental change in leadership in the last two months.
Late last year, Comcast — the nation’s largest cable provider and second largest Internet service provider — inked a deal taking over NBC Universal, the parent company of MSNBC. Comcast moved swiftly to reshuffle MSNBC’s top staff. On September 26th of this year, Comcast announced perhaps the most dramatic shift, replacing longtime MSNBC chief Jeff Zucker with Comcast executive Steve Burke. Burke has given generous amounts to both parties — providing cash to outgoing Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) as well as to Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) and other top Republicans. But as Public Citizen has noted, Burke has deep ties to the Republican Party. Public Citizen’s report reveals that Burke served as a key fundraiser to President George Bush, and even served on Bush’s Council of Advisers on Science and Technology:
Comcast – the country’s largest provider of cable TV and broadband Internet services – has increased its political giving along with its mergers and acquisitions. CEO Brian Roberts was a co-chairman of the host committee at the 2000 Republican Convention. Comcast Cable President Stephen Burke has raised at least $ 200,000 for Bush’s re-election campaign. [...] Comcast’s political giving has increased along with its mergers and acquisitions. The company was a “platinum sponsor” at the 2000 GOP convention, and Roberts was a co-chairman of the host committee at the Philadelphia event. Burke was appointed to the President’s Council of Advisers on Science and Technology in 2002.
Why would Comcast be interested in silencing progressive voices? Historically, Comcast has boosted its profits by buying up various telecommunication and media content companies — instead of providing faster Internet or better services (overall, American broadband services are far slower than in many industrialized nations). Many of these mergers, as Public Citizen and Free Press have reported, have been allowed by regulators because of Comcast’s considerable political muscle. Comcast’s latest regulatory battle has been to oppose Net Neutrality — a rule allowing a free and open Internet — because the company would prefer to have customers pay for preferred online content.
Olbermann has been a strong voice in favor of a free and open Internet. Republicans, on the other hand, have supported the telecommunication industry’s push to radically change the Internet so corporate content producers have the upper hand over start-ups like blogs, independent media, small businesses, etc. As Reuters has reported, the incoming Republican Congress has signaled that it will vigorously side with companies like Comcast against an open Internet.
It is not clear why MSNBC has selectively suspended Olbermann indefinitely without pay — but the move showcases the limits of the corporate media. While modern technology has created a seeming multitude of entertainment and television choices, the reality of corporate media consolidation has resulted in fewer investigative news options and less voices in the media with a critical perspective on powerful business interests. Olbermann has stood out as a voice for working people in a media universe dominated by “reality television” and business lobbyists posing as political pundits. It is unfortunate that Comcast and MSNBC have chosen to suspend him.
Terrific: Jihadi all-star Anwar al-Awlaki had lunch at Pentagon shortly after 9/11
What could go wrong?
How nice that he got to see Bin Laden’s handiwork close up. Anwar Al-Awlaki may be the first American on the CIA’s kill or capture list, but he was also a lunch guest of military brass at the Pentagon within months of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, Fox News has learned… The incident was [...]
DHS Official: Investigation Into Leak on Obama’s Aunt Will Conclude Shortly
An investigation into whether any officials from the U.S. Office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement improperly disclosed the legal status of the aunt of then-Sen. Barack Obama shortly before the 2008 election will come to a conclusion shortly, TPMMuckraker has learned.
The Office of Professional Responsibility at ICE is expected to make a recommendation in the coming days and weeks, a Department of Homeland Security official speaking on condition of anonymity told TPMMuckraker.
The matter was referred to the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General and ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility on Nov. 1, 2008.
ICE, which is a part of DHS, ultimately handled the investigation, according to the official. The results of the probe will likely have to be obtained via Freedom of Information Act request, which are typically redacted.
If the Office of Professional Responsibility determines the law was broken due to the disclosure of law enforcement sensitive information, the office could recommend punishments as harsh as termination or even referral for prosecution.
Whatever recommendation is made would be referred to Assistant Secretary John Morton, who heads up ICE.
The original Associated Press story that spawned the investigation cited two sources, including a federal law enforcement official, and was authored by Eileen Sullivan and Elliot Spagat. Neither reporter immediately returned an e-mail seeking comment.
As TPMMuckraker previously noted, it is not certain that the leak came from ICE, as the information would also be available to the Justice Department, which has a role in immigration proceedings.
When the story was published three days before election day, the AP said it could not establish whether any official at a political level in the Bush administration or an official from the presidential campaign of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) was involved in the release of the information.
Immigration Judge Leonard I. Shapiro, a Republican nominee, allowed Zeituni Onyango to stay in the U.S., ruling that the disclosure of her status as an asylum applicant would expose her to increased threats in her home country of Kenya.
Barack Obama - United States - United States Department of Homeland Security - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - President
