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NBC-Comcast Fires Another One

M

MattParker

This time, it's nobody you ever heard of. What did he do? He posted a video clip from 1994 of Bryant Gumble and Katie Couric asking "What is the Internet anyway?" Bryant also complains about those email addresses that have an "a" with a circle around it in the middle. (Maybe he confused @ with the ABC logo.) The video went viral and was posted on multiple sites. NBC looked stupid (again), so somebody had to go. Nobody is saying exactly who it was who got fired but I bet it's somebody whose job it was to get buzz for NBC online.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/02/it-wasnt-all-that-long-ago-that-answering-the-question-of-what-is-the-internet-was-pretty-tough-to-do-in-this-clip-posted.html
 
Remember when the famous Bill O'Reilly outtake from "Inside Edition" was leaked online a few years ago? I wonder if Bill ordered somebody from Fox News to fall on the sword, just for spite.
 
How exactly does NBC look stupid in this? Both Bryant Gumble and Katie Couric are no longer with NBC. They look stupid. I could see if they still worked at NBC. Then NBC would have an interest in havning their hosts not looking stupid, because it reflects on their show. This reflects more on CBS.
 
My question is why is posting this video even wrong? From what I can tell, this actually aired live on television. It's not like it's a leaked video that viewers never saw originally. Plus I'm sure Bryant Gumbel wasn't the only one who did not understand what the Internet was in 1994. The Internet didn't really hit big until at least 4-5 years later. If NBC is going to fire someone over this, I think thousands of people are lucky to still have their jobs for posting videos on Youtube that aren't exactly flattering. Give me a break.
 
I saw the clip I believe they were off air and you have to love the guy who uses this thread to bring up bill o'reilly.
 
radioguy555 said:
My question is why is posting this video even wrong? From what I can tell, this actually aired live on television. It's not like it's a leaked video that viewers never saw originally. Plus I'm sure Bryant Gumbel wasn't the only one who did not understand what the Internet was in 1994. The Internet didn't really hit big until at least 4-5 years later. If NBC is going to fire someone over this, I think thousands of people are lucky to still have their jobs for posting videos on Youtube that aren't exactly flattering. Give me a break.
Click to expand...

Even before You Tube, renegade TV technicians would acquire tapes embarrassing to someone (usually a commercial sponsor) and secretly distribute them. At the time, You Tube didn't exist. But they wanted to embarrass the creeps they worked for.

One category is local advertisers who just can't resist doing a "joke" commercial - meant to remain secret - that trashes their customers or the company they work for. Here's 2 from the Bay Area:

Ed Barbara (Furniture USA) insulting his customers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XK-w5_UJTjk

Used car huckster Chick Lambert insulting his boss, and telling you that he'll rip you off:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkr5SOxjihI
 
There must be some kind of Comcast employee law against posting things on the Internet.
It was also probably posted from an NBC computer, and was in direct violation of some employee handbook rule.
Other than that, it makes zero sense for NBC to fire anyone over this video.
 
Lkeller said:
Even before You Tube, renegade TV technicians would acquire tapes embarrassing to someone (usually a commercial sponsor) and secretly distribute them. At the time, You Tube didn't exist. But they wanted to embarrass the creeps they worked for.
Click to expand...
...and often the target would be the air talent, too. Jessica Savitch was nailed that way both locally at KYW-TV/3 Philadelphia and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpVuxgSxFFE nationally at NBC; Casey Kasem's tantrum http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24idzRZ-_o8&feature=related has become a pop culture staple...
 
Ultimajock said:
Lkeller said:
Even before You Tube, renegade TV technicians would acquire tapes embarrassing to someone (usually a commercial sponsor) and secretly distribute them. At the time, You Tube didn't exist. But they wanted to embarrass the creeps they worked for.
Click to expand...
...and often the target would be the air talent, too. Jessica Savitch was nailed that way both locally at KYW-TV/3 Philadelphia and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpVuxgSxFFE nationally at NBC; Casey Kasem's tantrum http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24idzRZ-_o8&feature=related has become a pop culture staple...
Click to expand...

And thanks for those. I just love the Casey Kasem tantrum. For some reason, it's hysterical hearing swear words come out of that normally syrupy and 'G' rated voice. And from what I understand, it's out of character because Kasem is supposedly a nice guy. He's somewhat of an enigma - a vegan with very left-wing radical political views, yet socially and morally very conservative.
 
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