It never ceases to amaze me how some executives are so hasty and irresponsible in the decisions they make. Phil Griffin reinstatement of Keith Olbermann after 2 days off the air sure does not sound like the spirit of an indefinite suspension.
My hunch is that giving the uproar both by the liberal blogosphere as well as other reputable journalists forced his hands not to speak about the potential permanent loss of upset viewers. Ultimately Griffin looks weak on all counts and what he has done is empowered Keith Olbermann as his suspension ignited over a quarter million supporters in just one day.
We do not have too many real advocates on the liberal side. Having Keith as brash as he is, is much more helpful than not. MSNBC made the sensible decision
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Keith Olbermann will return to the air on Tuesday after being suspended without pay for two shows (this past Friday and the upcoming episode on Monday).
The host of MSNBC’s "Countdown" was given an indefinite suspension last week after his boss, network president Phil Griffin, discovered that Olbermann had made political contributions without seeking prior approval, as per NBC News policy.
A network spokesman released the following via email:
STATEMENT REGARDING KEITH OLBERMANN – SUNDAY, NOV. 7
From Phil Griffin, President of MSNBC:
After several days of deliberation and discussion, I have determined that suspending Keith through and including Monday night’s program is an appropriate punishment for his violation of our policy. We look forward to having him back on the air Tuesday night.
Earlier on Sunday, Olbermann broke his silence via Twitter, telling his followers "Greetings From Exile!" and thanking people for their support.
Over the past few days, a number of public figures have rallied behind Olbermann, who gave a total of $7,200 to three Democrats running for federal office. Even reporters and conservative pundits defended the MSNBC host. CNN’s Eliot Spitzer called the punishment "ridiculous." Another MSNBC host, Rachel Maddow, immediately called for his reinstatement and used the opportunity to illustrate that her network is "not a political operation" like Fox News.
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News Corp., which owns Fox News, has made multiple million-dollar donations to conservative groups, and progressive watchdog Media Matters has identified more than 30 instances of Fox News employees or personalities supporting Republican causes.
Olbermann defended his actions on Friday, noting that "I did not privately or publicly encourage anyone else to donate to these campaigns nor to any others in this election or any previous ones, nor have I previously donated to any political campaign at any level."
As reported earlier on HuffPost:
Olbermann donated the maximum legal amount of $2,400 each to Reps. Raul Grijalva and Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona, and to Kentucky Senate contender Jack Conway. All three were in tight races with their Republican counterparts. The MSNBC host made the donations on Oct. 28, the same day that Grijalva made an appearance on "Countdown."
Another MSNBC host, Joe Scarborough, made several thousand dollars in political contributions during the 2006 election — prior to a change in company policy, which currently reads:
Anyone working for NBC News who takes part in civic or other outside activities may find that these activities jeopardize his or her standing as an impartial journalist because they may create the appearance of a conflict of interest. Such activities may include participation in or contributions to political campaigns or groups that espouse controversial positions. You should report any such potential conflicts in advance to, and obtain prior approval of, the President of NBC News or his designee.
