MSNBC Yanks Anchor After Criticism Of Keith Olbermann

[DToTheJ]

Donny Deutsch, who had been filling in for suspended MSNBC anchor (David Shuster) in the 3 PM hour, is himself headed to the bench after a segment in which he and his guest, conservative radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt, were criticizing both MSNBC evening hosts Keith Olbermann and Ed Schultz, whom Hewitt dubbed "the biggest hate mongers on television." To which Deutsch replied, "I'm not taking the side of either one."

In response to the segment, Olbermann himself was quoted as saying: "[Network President] Phil Griffin phoned me yesterday enraged at what was on that show and I didn't disagree with him."

Deutsch is scheduled to be sidelined for the rest of the week, at the very least.

Full story:
http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser...after_criticism_of_keith_olbermann_159147.asp

 

[oldiesfan6479]

When did Olbermann become holier than thou, other than in his own mind? :

 

[quadraphonic]

Apparently Phil Griffin thinks he's pretty holy too. At least sacred.

 

[azumanga]

Donny Deutsch, who had been filling in for suspended MSNBC anchor (David Shuster) in the 3 PM hour, is himself headed to the bench after a segment in which he and his guest, conservative radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt, were criticizing both MSNBC evening hosts Keith Olbermann and Ed Schultz, whom Hewitt dubbed "the biggest hate mongers on television." To which Deutsch replied, "I'm not taking the side of either one."

Now they're penalising personnel who are being neutral on issues? I know Keith is MSNBC's star performer, but does the network insist on their hosts and anchors lionising him at each open opportunity?

 

[DToTheJ]

I know Keith is MSNBC's star performer, but does the network insist on their hosts and anchors lionising him at each open opportunity?

Reminds me of the old radio wars of days gone by when jocks would take potshots at other DJ's. I can remember a time where radio hosts who worked on the same station as Howard Stern would be suspended for talking smack about him on the air. Maybe instances such as the one from Mr. Deutsch is exactly what MSNBC needs to give it a ratings boost. You can have Chris Matthews turn up on Maddow chewing out Ed Schultz; Schultz can appear on Olbermann calling out Matthews... it would certainly get more people tuned in (similar to when President Obama called out Fox News).

 

[travisl5678]

i cant stand olbermann

 

[Markxxx]

Unfortunately this is just a sign of the time. Many ordinary companies now have policies which prohibit any negative or neutral comment, made in a public forum. This is in response to blogs and such. In my company the employee handbook specifically forbids ALL comments made to anyone, when asked in a public forum you are to always reply "No comment."

 

[FreddyE1977]

i cant stand olbermann

Can't stand him either, but I will say I don't think it is at all unusual for a TV or radio network
to not want their hosts to trash other hosts or programs on their own network. (after all they
spend an awful lot of $$ to market and promote them)

 

[RadeoEngineer]

Olberman is a smug arrogant plick.

 

[searadiofreak]

I know Keith is MSNBC's star performer, but does the network insist on their hosts and anchors lionising him at each open opportunity?

Reminds me of the old radio wars of days gone by when jocks would take potshots at other DJ's. I can remember a time where radio hosts who worked on the same station as Howard Stern would be suspended for talking smack about him on the air. Maybe instances such as the one from Mr. Deutsch is exactly what MSNBC needs to give it a ratings boost. You can have Chris Matthews turn up on Maddow chewing out Ed Schultz; Schultz can appear on Olbermann calling out Matthews... it would certainly get more people tuned in (similar to when President Obama called out Fox News).

Good point. The Howard Stern-Don Imus feud was legendary when they were both on WNBC. I always wondered how much of that was real and how much was manufactured for promotional gain.

 

[ContactLenz]

Deutch screwed this up...and here is why.

For him to let Hugh Hewitt say that and not challenge Hewitt...not that Donny needed to defend Schultz or Olbermann, but to not call out Hewitt for doing the same things he is now whining about being done by the other side is what likely got him pickled.

No host who is trying to be somewhat middle road can allow someone to make such a statement when the person making the statement is as guilty or more so of the same thing...Deutch was caught flat footed...he didn't challenge Hugh on his record of saying hateful and stupid things himself.

Also I don't think MSNBC has their hosts kissing Olbermann's ring...during the early part of the pres. campaign Chris Matthews let Olbermann have it on air for some remark he made in regard to Matthews....and Olbermann himself has been called out by some of his colleagues on the air and behind the scenes.

I guess it is all perception...but the bigger point is Donny Deutch didn't act the good host/moderate by not "checking" his guest and allowing Hewitt to say something that at the very least is hypocritical in regard to political commentary on both the Right & the Left.

 

[travisl5678]

I know Keith is MSNBC's star performer, but does the network insist on their hosts and anchors lionising him at each open opportunity?

Reminds me of the old radio wars of days gone by when jocks would take potshots at other DJ's. I can remember a time where radio hosts who worked on the same station as Howard Stern would be suspended for talking smack about him on the air. Maybe instances such as the one from Mr. Deutsch is exactly what MSNBC needs to give it a ratings boost. You can have Chris Matthews turn up on Maddow chewing out Ed Schultz; Schultz can appear on Olbermann calling out Matthews... it would certainly get more people tuned in (similar to when President Obama called out Fox News).

Sorry, nothing can boost MSLSDs ratings

 

[Ultimajock]

Sorry, nothing can boost MSLSDs ratings

...you misspelled CNN, Trav...

 

[arnoldevns]

I didn't see the episode in question so it's a little hard to make a judgement about whether Deutch acted appropriately. What I do know is that the appearance has been created that MSNBC does not allow any criticism of its star anchors on the air. It appears they want only one political viewpoint on the air and they will not tolerate anyone saying something contrary to that.

Any pretense that MSNBC is a news network or practices journalism in any way is now out the window.

 

[cyberdad]

Deutch screwed this up...and here is why.

For him to let Hugh Hewitt say that and not challenge Hewitt...not that Donny needed to defend Schultz or Olbermann, but to not call out Hewitt for doing the same things he is now whining about being done by the other side is what likely got him pickled.

No host who is trying to be somewhat middle road can allow someone to make such a statement when the person making the statement is as guilty or more so of the same thing...Deutch was caught flat footed...he didn't challenge Hugh on his record of saying hateful and stupid things himself.



I guess it is all perception...but the bigger point is Donny Deutch didn't act the good host/moderate by not "checking" his guest and allowing Hewitt to say something that at the very least is hypocritical in regard to political commentary on both the Right & the Left.

Bingo!  That's the problem. 

I speak both as an ex-journalist and as someone who's politically independent.  Lots of whoppers being told and lots of ridiculous mudballs being hurled by both the right and the left these days.  A good moderator needs to call these out.  Any-would be journalist who permits this stuff to just ride unchallenged deserves a time-out IMHO.

 

[DToTheJ]

Lots of whoppers being told and lots of ridiculous mudballs being hurled by both the right and the left these days. A good moderator needs to call these out...

I believe there was a show that used to be on the air that had this premise, it was called "Crossfire" - and it used to be on now-fourth-place CNN...

 

[searadiofreak]

Lots of whoppers being told and lots of ridiculous mudballs being hurled by both the right and the left these days. A good moderator needs to call these out...

I believe there was a show that used to be on the air that had this premise, it was called "Crossfire" - and it used to be on now-fourth-place CNN...

Yep, CNN's Crossfire, while perhaps not the very first, was one of the trendsetters of this form. With their ratings maybe they should revisit the concept! Even so, I remember Crossfire as more civil than what passes for debate today.

 

[Ultimajock]

I believe there was a show that used to be on the air that had this premise, it was called "Crossfire" - and it used to be on now-fourth-place CNN...

Yep, CNN's Crossfire, while perhaps not the very first, was one of the trendsetters of this form. With their ratings maybe they should revisit the concept! Even so, I remember Crossfire as more civil than what passes for debate today.

...CNN's Crossfire was actually a video version of a program Pat Buchanan and Tom Braden, both at the time syndicated newspaper columnists, had started in 1978 on Washington's (then) NBC-owned radio station, WRC. An earlier attempt at the same basic idea on television was the "Point Counterpoint" segment on CBS' 60 Minutes from 1971 to 1979, featuring conservative James J. Kilpatrick and liberals Nicholas von Hoffman and Shana Alexander; Andy Rooney's commentaries, which replaced the segment outright during the summer of 1978, started alternating weeks with "Point Counterpoint" in 1978-79 before replacing it altogether. A hilarious spoof of "Point Counterpoint" was included in Ken Shapiro's 1974 satirical movie The Groove Tube...

 

[searadiofreak]

And who can forget the brief parody of point-counterpoint in the movie "Airplane"? One of many lol moments!

 

[landtuna]

Shana! Shana! Shana!