The Moderate Voice - Latest Comments in Olberman’s Exit Raises Questions of Journalistic Boundaries

Re: Olberman’s Exit Raises Questions of Journalistic Boundaries

kritt11 — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 11:44:14 -0000

Libertarians support other issues besides tax increases, which Obama would
only inflict on those making more than $250,000. They also rebel against
enlargement of the role of government (which occured greatly under President
Bush--so that the next president will inherit a 500 billion dollar deficit!)
and restriction of our liberties and the rights guaranteed in the Bill of
Rights.

Re: Olberman’s Exit Raises Questions of Journalistic Boundaries

bturner — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 04:03:38 -0000

No he is not a Libertarian. If he was why would he ever support Obama? Us real Libertarians would never raise taxes, but abolish the majority of the federal government (department of education, social security, medicare) and never impose socialized medicine. Give the power back to the states.

Re: Olberman’s Exit Raises Questions of Journalistic Boundaries

onleyone — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 21:59:55 -0000

kristol has been, and always will be, a shill for whatever ideas the GOP leadership sends down the pipe. you think obama shifts faster than the eye can see? kristol has more flip-flops than a crowd of san francisco hippies on earth day. he says whatever they tell 'im to say.

but originally, i'd had the same view of o'reilly and olbermann as jazz recounts:

>"Wow!" I thought, "There's a news guy who's really fired up about something and >really stepping outside of the normally neutral tone of news coverage." But it >quickly became obvious that this wasn't a "normal news guy" having a brief >moment of outrage.

but i quickly got over it. both play the same part on Opinion TV: loud-mouthed, megalomaniacal, fawningly partisan, and practically blind/deaf to any "facts" that don't reflect their own views (i think that last one is kind of the same as megalomaniacal, but i'll let it stay).

Re: Olberman’s Exit Raises Questions of Journalistic Boundaries

pblanc — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 19:36:16 -0000

I agree with some of the above comments regarding Chris Matthews. Although I regard him as liberally biased, I felt that, on the whole, he maintained a degree of credibility, occasionally brought out a fresh viewpoint, and was, at the very least, entertaining at times.

Olbermann, on the other hand, is a disgrace to any organization that even pretends to be a legitimate news agency.

This is a man who held an O'Reilly mask in front of his face and his arm up in a clear Nazi fascist salute. He admitted his intention for having done so on the Jay Leno show, and suggested that Brian Williams was somehow responsible by asking him to do "something creative". Then when the Anti-Defamation League objected to his shennanigans, he had the nerve to suggest that he was "only waving to a friend".

Olberman then had the unmitigated gall to "apologize" for the Republican Party after the RNC aired a video tribute to 9/11 with the following:

"“We would be rightly eviscerated at all quarters, perhaps by the Republican Party itself, for exploiting the memories of the dead, and perhaps even for trying to evoke that pain again. If you reacted to that videotape the way I did, I apologize.”

This is not some "subtle crossing over the line." This man has no sense of civility, respect, propriety, responsibility, and no common sense. He also has no credibility or legitimacy.

Brian Williams now makes the hollow gesture of removing Olbermann (and Matthews) from the MSNBC political anchor desk. Well the horse has left the barn. Olbermann has "stunk up" MSNBC so badly, it is going to take a very long time for the air to clear. And if Olbermann is too biased, irresponsible, and inappropriate to report on political events, what news is a man with his lack credibility and responsibility fit to report on?

Re: Olberman’s Exit Raises Questions of Journalistic Boundaries

Michael Merritt — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 19:10:29 -0000

I agree that it was stupid to have Olbermann and Matthews hosting election coverage. They're pundits! They want their views heard. What was MSNBC expecting? That said, there is a difference between having them hosting election coverage and their own shows. At least Countdown is well publicized as a commentary show. When people go for election coverage, they expect the reporting to be separate from the commentary. I have some qualms about the always-analyze-it nature of cable news, but at least have some separation.

As for FNC, Hannity makes me puke. O'Reilly is another story. There's no doubt in my mind that he leans right, and can often be a prick, but he's said a lot of things that've left me shocked. He's not a far-right-winger, that's for sure. And not all conservatives like him. Just look over at Michelle Malkin's blog, and her post about the Obama interview on the Factor. Most of the commenters were disparaging O'Reilly, calling him "in the tank" for Obama.

And if that makes me a nutcase, then I guess I'm a nutcase.

Re: Olberman’s Exit Raises Questions of Journalistic Boundaries

daveinboca — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:05:59 -0000

To compare Brit Hume & Kristol to Olbermann is a totally false comparison. Matthews is being quoted that he will run for the Senate Dem nomination in PA and Olbermann has never said one positive thing about the Repubs, while Hume & Kristol occasionally give the devil their due. They are almost MOR compared to the saliva-flecked tirades of Olbermann & the injudicious silliness of Tweety-bird.

Re: Olberman’s Exit Raises Questions of Journalistic Boundaries

kritt11 — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 13:03:08 -0000

BTW, Olbermann is not a socialist--- he's a libertarian.

Re: Olberman’s Exit Raises Questions of Journalistic Boundaries

kritt11 — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:54:09 -0000

ROTFLMAO!

Their ratings are high for the same reason Rush Limbaugh's radio show gets 10-20 million listeners---conservatives love to stay in a bubble-- where we are winning the war on terror, the Bush economy is not in recession, Cheney is our greatest patriot and national treasure, the Democrats are driving the country into the ground, and global warming and evolution don't really exist--they are still just lefty theories.

Re: Olberman’s Exit Raises Questions of Journalistic Boundaries

kritt11 — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:49:35 -0000

jwest--- They had OR as a news anchor at the GOP convention! With no opposing viewpoint.

Colmes may be ok on the radio, and he makes some good points, but he is not a strong enough voice to counter the belligerent Hannity. He very obviously is just on the show so that they can claim that they entertain opposing viewpoints. He never sets the agenda-- as that show virtually ignored many of the Bush and GOP scandals that were covered on other channels. Yes, I would prefer a more boisterous, vigorous lefty-- like Maddow or Schultz- someone of that ilk.

Re: Olberman’s Exit Raises Questions of Journalistic Boundaries

ChrisWWW — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:38:41 -0000

Although I didn’t mention Fox, their rating success might be due to the fact that they always make a provision for opposing views.

Bahahahahaha!

Re: Olberman’s Exit Raises Questions of Journalistic Boundaries

jwest — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:24:51 -0000

Kritt,

At the time the Hannity show started, Colmes was one of the most successful left wing radio talk show hosts in the country.

Should they boot him and try to find someone better?

O’Reily always seems to have people that advocate the other side as guests, always giving them the “last word”.

These two Fox shows have always been opinion shows and they are promoted as such. Olberman’s show was promoted as a “news” show.

To allow someone who displays signs of being clinically unbalanced with a socialist worldview to present “news” or anchor conventions or elections is so far out there that even NBC couldn’t continue.

Re: Olberman’s Exit Raises Questions of Journalistic Boundaries

vwcat — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:23:39 -0000

For someone who is left leaning, this was our oasis in a sea of Fox and the imitators.
While everyone is was trying to be just like Fox and fall all over the republicans and their talking points while dismissing democrats, people like Olbermann was our guy.
And we rewarded them with loyal viewing.
But, MSNBC was too timid by inserting the conservative bobsey twins of Buchanan and Scarborough in to the election coverage and trying to shove the talentless Gregory down viewers throats.
Many people love Chuck Todd for his neutral stand and fairness. And if they put him in as host there would not be the outrage.
The biggest outrage is that on top of removing the only true non conservative on the air in Olbermann, we have insult added to injury with them giving us the hack and gop tool Gregory.

Re: Olberman’s Exit Raises Questions of Journalistic Boundaries

kritt11 — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:15:51 -0000

Did anyone catch the Repub convention on FNC? They had OR as an anchor, which really insults the viewers' intelligence.

Re: Olberman’s Exit Raises Questions of Journalistic Boundaries

kritt11 — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:14:44 -0000

That's not to say that I didn't find both Mattews and Olbermann biased towards Obama during the conventions. Matthews was also insulting to HC on his primetime show. I don't mind opinionated cable news hosts, as long as those who are supposed to be news anchors don't blur the lines. Andrea Mitchell and David Gregory are better at maintaining a neutral tone.

Re: Olberman’s Exit Raises Questions of Journalistic Boundaries

kritt11 — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:10:24 -0000

jwest- You've got to be kidding! Their provision for opposing views is to have the weak and wimpy Alan Colmes go up against a media giant like Sean Hannity. Hannity's agenda rules, and Colmes' comments are more often than not drowned out. And who provides the opposing view on Bill'o's show?

There's a reason that conservatives have made that channel number one in cable news ratings-- and its not because its 'fair and balanced'. Why do you think Dick Cheney always requests that hotels turn the channel to Fox when he travels?

Re: Olberman’s Exit Raises Questions of Journalistic Boundaries

onleyone — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:54:42 -0000

olbermann is definitely out there, but matthews has always seemed to me an equal opportunity basher who regularly takes flack from both Left and Right (that's not to say he doesn't take it too far either way).

that aside, i think many of us -- including, ahem, some of us here -- are guilty of selective accusation, all too ready to jump on attempts at even-handed critiques when the particular commentator picks on "our side".

Re: Olberman’s Exit Raises Questions of Journalistic Boundaries

DLS — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 10:19:56 -0000

T-Steel: While watching the Dem convention and cycling through various channels, I came across none other than Glenn Beck on television(!). I swear he had to have dyed his temple hair gray to try to look more like (the older) Rush Limbaugh. And he had all kinds of odd guests on his show, one guy discussing Armageddon and the Middle East (with the contemporary getting-ugly Russia as a possible instigator in all kinds of follies to come) and another guy describing every other thing Obama or his people have said or done as "Marxist."

Somehow I don't envision Rachel Maddow presenting anything like that on her new show on MSNBC (a network show).

And she's the only one I've heard who's unafraid to say it: "I am a liberal."

http://www.washingtonpost.c...

Re: Olberman’s Exit Raises Questions of Journalistic Boundaries

DLS — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 10:12:27 -0000

Thom Hartmann (left-wing talk show host) recently disparaged a poll that had given results with which he disagreed, and made an interesting point: "Those are land line telephone polls of people who watch nightly evening news with Geritol commercials."

MSNBC's extra-leftward shift is likely to appeal in large numbers to _whom_? Why, the young, those who have been deserting the networks more than anyone else.

And as Chomsky's money-making cottage industry of radical drivel illustrates, there's a new crop of naive, reachable-with-farther-left-viewpoints young people every year.

Maybe one or more of the major (print) newspapers needs to think about this.

Re: Olberman’s Exit Raises Questions of Journalistic Boundaries

T-Steel — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 10:07:43 -0000

Keith Olbermann was embarrassing. My majority Obama supporting family had a consensus that Olbermann may have hurt Obama a little with all his blubbering. But hey, we have folks on both sides doing it so...

Re: Olberman’s Exit Raises Questions of Journalistic Boundaries

DLS — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 10:07:26 -0000

The networks are liberal, with the occasional to frequent (heretical) exception of Fox (which is treated accordingly when it is heretical, including on this Web site). Only the dishonest and the "disabled" deny the liberal politics expressed routinely and even methodically by journalists and editors.

MSNBC is daring to shift to the left of the other left-biased networks, which as a marketing decision is quite interesting. I don't suspect it will become like Democracy Now! or Alternative Radio, or that it will win the acceptance of FAIR (whose name is a laughable lie) and be retaliatory ammunition for "Counter[-]Spin" [sic], but MSNBC certainly wants to be bold and brazen. The "big picture" view I have of this is that it is more evidence of a very recent upsurge in viability of seriously left media programming as a major market item. After nearly twenty years of failure, left-wing radio is starting to do well -- not only in major markets such as here in Detroit, but in the form of various talk hosts who are developing a following, enabling them to gain entry to markets nation-wide. It seems that these people are doing well enough that one of the hosts, Rachel Maddow, is ready to risk a television show, and a network, MSNBC, is willing to risk presenting it as part of a larger movement to go noticeably more to the left of the other liberal networks.

Olbermann is a prick (and has no credibility) and obviously went too far, but I believe hosting an opinion show like Maddow's is something much more noteworthy.

Re: Olberman’s Exit Raises Questions of Journalistic Boundaries

jwest — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 09:44:33 -0000

Although I didn’t mention Fox, their rating success might be due to the fact that they always make a provision for opposing views.

My point is that there is no problem being partisan, as long as you maintain a high level of credibility.

Re: Olberman’s Exit Raises Questions of Journalistic Boundaries

djshay — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 09:33:16 -0000

@jwest: Crazed left wingers? FOX has been pushing this BS for YEARS!! "Obama's baby momma", "Terrorist Fist Jab". WTF?? It's ok to be a partisan if your a republican? Jeebus you people are blind.

Re: Olberman’s Exit Raises Questions of Journalistic Boundaries

jwest — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 09:01:56 -0000

Tom Brokaw, Brian Williams and even David Gregory were openly embarrassed by the brazen partisanship of Olberman during the Republican convention. It’s a safe bet that management (above Phil Griffin) realized that NBC was heading down the path of CBS in the loss of credibility that followed the Dan Rather debacle.

Matthews seems to have suffered his open bias problem due to the publicity Olberman was receiving. He saw that Olberman was the “star” of MSNBC and he must have thought that by imitating the hard left wing line he could regain some of his lost cache.

Credibility, even with a partisan point of view, is the key to any media success – which translates to money – which this is all about. Rush Limbaugh makes more each year than all the hosts of NBC and MSNBC combined, largely due to the credibility he has with his audience. If Olberman couldn’t even hold the confidence of his fellow NBC employees, he certainly couldn’t make it with the public. The niche of crazed left wingers is too small to cater to if that pandering ruins the credibility of the entire NBC organization.

Re: Olberman’s Exit Raises Questions of Journalistic Boundaries

shaun — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 09:01:04 -0000

This is less a matter of left, right or center. These guys were inappropriate outside of their roles as commentators, and Fox News is Exhibit A in this regard. MSNBC did the right thing. Fox, of course, never will.

Re: Olberman’s Exit Raises Questions of Journalistic Boundaries

DLS — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 08:43:22 -0000

There was no question of their liberal bias, more liberal than the norm among journalists and editors in the networks, which is often far from subtle. They were worse than normal this year, and what was worse than the blatant liberal opinion and politics in place of "objective" reporting was what Keithy did when Obama made his big speech to end the Democratic convention. The Obama campaign (stupidly) released the text of the speech before the speech itself was made by Obama, and, *** ON THE AIR ***, our pal Keigthy not only openly gushed about the speech and about Obama, but he READ EXERPTS OF THE SPEECH ON THE AIR before the speech was made. All of us in the group that was awaiting Obama's speech, both liberal and non-liberal viewers, began shouting at the television. He was disgusting.