Maddow on Olbermann
Jumping in late on the Olbermann thing. Most everything worth saying has been said, but I have to admit I'm disappointed in Maddow's response. I didn't watch the vid at the link but though she said he should be reinstated, the blog post was a bit weak on defending Keith and bit too strong on excusing the corporate policy.
She sequed nicely into busting any false equivalency between MSNBC and Fox but not a word about the unequal application of said NBC policy towards Scarborough and Keith. The post seemed to imply Joe asked for permission first, but I haven't seen that stated as fact anywhere. I have seen MSNBC's ever evolving justifications for treating the two differently.
I understand she can't exactly bust her employer and that's the problem with corporate control of the mega-media. As good as Maddow is, she's still constrained by her job depending on not pissing off the owners. And the owners are invested in protecting their power and keeping their profits. I suspect the big issues of media consolidation and net neutrality won't be addressed on her show. Though she's thoroughly fact based and pushes certain truths into the narrative, it's not all that different otherwise from Beck or O'Reilly. Not to diminish her good work, but in the end she and Keith are still just a side show to entertain the lefty base.
[More posts daily at the Detroit News.]
She sequed nicely into busting any false equivalency between MSNBC and Fox but not a word about the unequal application of said NBC policy towards Scarborough and Keith. The post seemed to imply Joe asked for permission first, but I haven't seen that stated as fact anywhere. I have seen MSNBC's ever evolving justifications for treating the two differently.
I understand she can't exactly bust her employer and that's the problem with corporate control of the mega-media. As good as Maddow is, she's still constrained by her job depending on not pissing off the owners. And the owners are invested in protecting their power and keeping their profits. I suspect the big issues of media consolidation and net neutrality won't be addressed on her show. Though she's thoroughly fact based and pushes certain truths into the narrative, it's not all that different otherwise from Beck or O'Reilly. Not to diminish her good work, but in the end she and Keith are still just a side show to entertain the lefty base.
[More posts daily at the Detroit News.]
posted by Libby Spencer at 5:40 PM
4 Comments:
Firing Randi Rhodes was the thing that killed off Air America. Getting rid of Olbermann will destroy MSNBC. Firing popular hosts on flimsy grounds is corporate suicide.
Have to disagree libhom. Air American was a real liberal station. MSNBC isn't. If you read you the next post above I did expanding on my thoughts, I think this is just the next step in media consolidation. You have to remember the owners are all rich cats. GOP is very good to them.
I wonder if the day will come when the people who have been saying: this will lead to monopoly, this will lead to oligarchy, to theocracy: this will end free speech, freedom of religion, impoverish the bulk of the citizenry and crush opportunity, will be credited with being right.
Of course if we're right, we won't even be remembered except as enemies of the state.
Cons seem to have a genetic inability to admit they're wrong -ever. So unlikely anyone will ever admit the dirty lefties were right.
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