Comments on: MSNBC-Ya Later?

By: Ray Ingles

Ray Ingles — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 03:31:30 +0000

Whatever the case, for Misters Schultz, O’Donnell, and Matthews, as well as for Ms. Maddow, the road ahead looks suddenly uncertain.

I know, if only they worked for Fox! :)

By: Ray Ingles

Ray Ingles — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 03:27:04 +0000

Rich –

It seems shady to have a political candidate on your national viewed television show TWICE not ever a week before the election after you’ve secretly contributed thousands of dollars to his campaigns (Conway).

I don’t understand. If the contributions were secret, how did MSNBC find out about them? Oh, right, because they were disclosed as required by law…

By: Bill Galvan

Bill Galvan — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 21:33:06 +0000

I think Olberman should get his job back now that questions conerning his objectivity can now be firmly laid to rest.

By: pentamom

pentamom — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 04:04:54 +0000

In conformity with the rule, MSNBC needed to suspend Olbermann in order to uphold their standards.

It’s just that it’s insane to have a standard whereby MSNBC is effectively making an inkind contribution worth millions to progressive politicians in the form of a regular infomercial every night of the week via Olbermann’s show, but the “policy” forbids Olbermann from kicking in a few K of his own in the course of a year. And what’s with trying to maintain some kind of illusion of journalist objectivity with Olbermann when it comes to checks written to campaigns, when absolutely no effort is made to uphold or even represent Olbermann as “objective” in any other respect? What is the point of that?

By: Joe DeVet

Joe DeVet — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 03:10:11 +0000

In any case, he won’t be missed. Neither will MSNBC!

By: Rich

Rich — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 20:32:33 +0000

I couldn’t agree more with Tim and Barry. From day one, MSNBC has said Olbermann clearly violated his legal contract. Personally, I hope he doesn’t get his job back. It seems shady to have a political candidate on your national viewed television show TWICE not ever a week before the election after you’ve secretly contributed thousands of dollars to his campaigns (Conway).

By: Tim J.

Tim J. — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 14:56:46 +0000

Based on what’s been disclosed thus far, there’s no reason for the man to lose his job.

This isn’t technically true. The reason is that they had a policy, and he broke it. That the policy is dumb does not make him less bound by it.

I suspect, though, that Olbermann’s breaking of his employer’s policy isn’t so much the reason he was suspended, as the excuse to do so.

By: Barry Arrington

Barry Arrington — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 14:52:32 +0000

Whether the policy is specifically set forth in Olbermann’s contract is legally irrelevant. Most employment contracts contain a clause requiring the employee to abide by the employer’s policies. It is also legally irrelevant whether Olbermann actually knew about the policy. It is standard practice for employers to provide each of their employees with an employee handbook, and presumably MSNBC followed that practice in this case, and Olbermann had a duty to be familiar with the policies in his employer’s handbook, just like the rest of us. In addition, I would be very surprised if MSNBC did not send around a memo this election cycle reminding its employees of this policy.

Add this up: MSNBC has the right to condition employment on compliance with its policies. Olbermann knew or should have known about this policy. He violated the policy (deliberately or negligently, it does not matter). MSNBC disciplined him for violating the policy.

What is wrong with what MSNBC did? Nothing as far as I can see.