Olbermann in trouble w/ NBC?

[Craig234]

Serious question. What rights can a company require that you give up as a condition of employment?

Surprisingly many, if they are done consistently.

Almost everywhere has 'at-will employment', which does have some limits of course, but they're mainly around 'protected classes' - gender, age, sexual orientation, etc.

Bottom line, if an employer asks you your opinion on Roe v. Wade and doesn't like the answer, and is consistent about it, they can probably fire you for it.

That's not quite like the situation where the Bush administration did exactly that, letting Monica Goodling of a far-right educational institution (from where the Bush administration got hundreds of people to do 'dirty work' as loyalists) give an illegal political loyalty test to potential US Attorneys, including their position on repealing Roe v. Wade. The law has protections there against politicizing the position - even if they were not enforced much, and only a little more later.

 

[CallMeJoe]

Since when do corporate policies trump our constitutional rights? I heard they were unalienable.

Mr. Olbermann was free to make whatever political contributions he wished; per his contract, however, he was not allowed to do so without first notifying his employer.

 

[Analogsoul]

Mr. Olbermann was free to make whatever political contributions he wished; per his contract, however, he was not allowed to do so without first notifying his employer.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/keep-keith_514980.html

from the link:

Perhaps Olbermann violated NBC News “policy and standards.” But NBC doesn’t have real news standards for MSNBC—otherwise the channel wouldn’t exist. It’s a little strange to get all high and mighty now.

Another source has stated that the policy that Olbermann broke only applies to NBC not MSNBC. MSNBC doesn't have any standards in this regard since they are an opinion based news channel.

source: http://gawker.com/5682789/msnbc-doesnt-answer-to-nbc-news-standards?skyline=true&s=i

Also, Joe Scarborough and Pat Buchanan have also given political contributions in the past and they haven't been been suspended.

 

[sportage]

Maybe he did it to force change in the policy. Maybe a court challenge?
Sounds "not right" for your employer to tell you who you can or can not
donate to in the privacy of your own track-like-house easy chair.
That would be like NBC telling employees who they can/cannot vote for
on election day.
HE'LL BE BACK !!!!!

 

[PJABBER]

I don't mind at all someone correcting me when I make a mistake like that. I'd rather be told I'm wrong than be perpetuating false information because of a typo or wrecklessness.

I wish more people fact checked here before hitting that "post" button, but sometimes the pace of discussion is such that it is excusable, if based on honestly faulty memory and done in haste.

It is fun to learn something new and the topics here can be wide ranging enough that looking up something that is referenced will lead to interesting peripheral information. I always look forward to when that happens.

 

[CallMeJoe]

...Another source has stated that the policy that Olbermann broke only applies to NBC not MSNBC. MSNBC doesn't have any standards in this regard since they are an opinion based news channel...Also, Joe Scarborough and Pat Buchanan have also given political contributions in the past and they haven't been been suspended.

I stand corrected. If Mr. Olbermann was not required to disclose his contributions, there is no reason for me to imply he tried to conceal them.

 

[werepossum]

I stand corrected. If Mr. Olbermann was not required to disclose his contributions, there is no reason for me to imply he tried to conceal them.

The people that suspended him obviously think he is required not only to disclose his contributions, but to get prior permission for them. Although of course that doesn't necessarily mean that he tried to conceal them, that doesn't necessarily mean you were wrong either.

 

[Analogsoul]

I stand corrected. If Mr. Olbermann was not required to disclose his contributions, there is no reason for me to imply he tried to conceal them.

This is a fast moving story and I don't think anyone knows the full story yet, so who knows if his contract prevented him from donating without prior authorization or not.

To me, it does make sense that NBC and MSNBC have different standards in terms of donations, or at least they should. This is starting to look like Griffin did this out of spite. Both he and Olbermann have had bad blood in the past.

 

[OutHouse]

Like you would know fairness if it bit your nose off. Olbermann isn't 'impartial', but he has an honest show, something that's a far higher standard than Fox has.

April fools?

 

[werepossum]

April fools?

LOL. It's going to be quite awkward when Craig and Fidel are snug under their blankie with popcorn freshly buttered and they have nothing to watch at 8 PM.

 

[HomerJS]

KO did nothing different then Roger Ailes except on a smaller scale. If he violated MSNBC's rules he should suffer the consequences.

Maybe Fox News should hace some standards....fat chance

 

[trenchfoot]

KO did nothing different then Roger Ailes except on a smaller scale. If he violated MSNBC's rules he should suffer the consequences.

Maybe Fox News should hace some standards....fat chance

Fox has standards alright, but their standards obviously aren't like anyone else's, because it seems their contracts prohibit any of their employees from telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth....you know, like how their employees handled Pres. Obama's trip to India...lol

Scream out the obvious lies in concert for maximum damage to their victims and whisper out the inevitable retractions for minimum damage to themselves...Seems as though that's in their contracts too.

 

[werepossum]

Fox has standards alright, but their standards obviously aren't like anyone else's, because it seems their contracts prohibit any of their employees from telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth....you know, like how their employees handled Pres. Obama's trip to India...lol

Scream out the obvious lies in concert for maximum damage to their victims and whisper out the inevitable retractions for minimum damage to themselves...Seems as though that's in their contracts too.

This election has obviously driven you insane. You should seek professional help, no point in being bitter.

 

[chucky2]

Here's how this really went down:

Democrat Pundit 1 (we'll call her...say...Meeee-Shel ((Everywhere else in America other than a certain public radio show pronounced differently)) Norris): Wow, the our base really didn't come out like they did in '08, and the Independents swung the other way, we got killed!

Democrat Pundit 2 (we'll call him...say...Chris "Got a tingle up my leg" Matthews): Yeah, it was a bloodbath. Don't these people understand that the science is decided on this?!!?! That The Messiah doesn't need public scrutiny to be trusted with implementing the 'transperant' Hope and Change (TM)??? God damn it, I can't feel my leg, I can't feel my leg!!!

Dem Pundit 1: What we need, what our base really needs, is something that will just cut through all the noise in their lives, you know? Like, something, like, well, like, you know, like, something that will like, give them a tingle up their legs!

Dem Pundit 2: Exactly! Because when they get that tingle, nothing, I mean nothing can stop Us!!!! Er, I mean, Them!

Dem Pundit 1: Right! What could that be though? I mean, our party has totally blown it, blown it worse than Monica slobbering on Slick Willy. What could capture their attention from their 122nd week of Unemployment and get them back keeping us employ....er, I mean, Getting The Country Back On Track (TM).

Dem Pundit 2: I'm drawing a total blank here...not only can I not feel my leg, I can't feel my brain! F*CK! Did I ever have a brain?!?!?

Dem Pundit 1: It's OK Chri, er, I mean, Dem Pundit 2! Our party isn't like the Republican party, it doesn't require voters to have brains, just vote, and, vote often!

Dem Pundit 2: <droooollll>

Dem Pundit 1: I know! I know! I have the perfect thing, it's so perfect, I'd pronounce it: Peeerfect!

Dem Pundit 2: I got a tingle! I got a tingle! What is it??!!?

Dem Pundit 1: The I'm A Total DumbF*ck Fake Rage Wannabe, aka, Olbermann, act is getting old. I mean, the monotone we're Dem's w/o saying we're Dem's and we're PC so we speak in monotone so as to try and not sound biased NPR act is why people listen to NPR. But Keith, he's not inciting the rage in our base that he usually has. Chr, gosh!, I mean, Pundit 2, you could say 'he's lost that tingle'. My postulation is thus (notice how I used a big word to say idea, making me sound smarter, just like Meee-shel makes me sound different, even though I'm a loser like everyone else): Lets get Keith to be fired for some totally rediculous reason - to our base at least - and that will get them fired up since our party basically sucks and can't do it by our achievements alone, even though we had a Supermajority.

Dem Pundit 2: Full Tingle! Full Tingle!!!

The End.

And that folks, is how this came to be....

Chuck

 

[MotF Bane]

Like you would know fairness if it bit your nose off. Olbermann isn't 'impartial', but he has an honest show, something that's a far higher standard than Fox has.

lmao.

 

[raildogg]

MSNBC is not thinking long term by doing this. Keith is a great asset and provides a spark to the network, which is sorely needed. There should have been internal discussion about the donations but this punishment is too severe. MSNBC will regret not having him there.

Which other host on the network can successfully replace Keith, even if it is temporarily?

 

[chucky2]

Define: "successfully"

 

[Lanyap]

It would be ironic if his co-workers did the same thing and were also indefinitely suspended.

 

[CallMeJoe]

Here's how this really went down...

If you were only half so clever as you obviously think you are, you might have been able to concoct an intelligent post for that space.

 

[dmcowen674]

He is no Murdock but he thought about it.

 

[OCGuy]

lol

 

[trenchfoot]

This election has obviously driven you insane. You should seek professional help, no point in being bitter.

I was attempting to mimmick what Fox is obviously good at and, apparently, I'm not.

 

[trenchfoot]

Here's how this really went down:

Democrat Pundit 1 (we'll call her...say...Meeee-Shel ((Everywhere else in America other than a certain public radio show pronounced differently)) Norris): Wow, the our base really didn't come out like they did in '08, and the Independents swung the other way, we got killed!

Democrat Pundit 2 (we'll call him...say...Chris "Got a tingle up my leg" Matthews): Yeah, it was a bloodbath. Don't these people understand that the science is decided on this?!!?! That The Messiah doesn't need public scrutiny to be trusted with implementing the 'transperant' Hope and Change (TM)??? God damn it, I can't feel my leg, I can't feel my leg!!!

Dem Pundit 1: What we need, what our base really needs, is something that will just cut through all the noise in their lives, you know? Like, something, like, well, like, you know, like, something that will like, give them a tingle up their legs!

Dem Pundit 2: Exactly! Because when they get that tingle, nothing, I mean nothing can stop Us!!!! Er, I mean, Them!

Dem Pundit 1: Right! What could that be though? I mean, our party has totally blown it, blown it worse than Monica slobbering on Slick Willy. What could capture their attention from their 122nd week of Unemployment and get them back keeping us employ....er, I mean, Getting The Country Back On Track (TM).

Dem Pundit 2: I'm drawing a total blank here...not only can I not feel my leg, I can't feel my brain! F*CK! Did I ever have a brain?!?!?

Dem Pundit 1: It's OK Chri, er, I mean, Dem Pundit 2! Our party isn't like the Republican party, it doesn't require voters to have brains, just vote, and, vote often!

Dem Pundit 2: <droooollll>

Dem Pundit 1: I know! I know! I have the perfect thing, it's so perfect, I'd pronounce it: Peeerfect!

Dem Pundit 2: I got a tingle! I got a tingle! What is it??!!?

Dem Pundit 1: The I'm A Total DumbF*ck Fake Rage Wannabe, aka, Olbermann, act is getting old. I mean, the monotone we're Dem's w/o saying we're Dem's and we're PC so we speak in monotone so as to try and not sound biased NPR act is why people listen to NPR. But Keith, he's not inciting the rage in our base that he usually has. Chr, gosh!, I mean, Pundit 2, you could say 'he's lost that tingle'. My postulation is thus (notice how I used a big word to say idea, making me sound smarter, just like Meee-shel makes me sound different, even though I'm a loser like everyone else): Lets get Keith to be fired for some totally rediculous reason - to our base at least - and that will get them fired up since our party basically sucks and can't do it by our achievements alone, even though we had a Supermajority.

Dem Pundit 2: Full Tingle! Full Tingle!!!

The End.

And that folks, is how this came to be....

Chuck

Hey, I just heard the bulk of your post on Fox. Wow, this internet sh*t really works!

 

[trenchfoot]

Rachel Maddow just mentioned that Keith is "temporarily" suspended.

 

[chucky2]

Hey, I just heard the bulk of your post on Fox. Wow, this internet sh*t really works!

Well since you're a Republican (else why would you be listening to Fox?), congrats on the elections! :thumbsup:

I don't listen to Fox, did they at least give me credit?