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Here’s the statement that just came out from MSNBC President Phil Griffin. Well, that’s one way to goose the cable network’s seriously sagging ratings:
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.
The lifting of Olbermann’s suspension follows the $7 million-a-year MSNBC anchor’s own first public statement on Twitter today about the ruckus over his making political contributions that violated network policy. Or was he put on ice because, as news reports are suggesting, he wouldn’t deliver an on-air apology? At least this mess is over now:
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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NOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooo!!
Both members of his viewing audience will be trilled.
Keith who?
The stuff left on MSNBC’s face isn’t egg. There was a huge blowback by fans that got over 250,000 signatures in a short period of time. Glad he’s back. MSNBC leans forward alright!
I agree with Keith’s “Rehabilitation,” but absolutely not with the punishment.
SWEET. The voice of reason returns. What he did was against the rules but wasn’t WRONG. He got the appropriate punishment: a slap on the wrist!
Welcome back (will this make Phil Griffin your Worst Person In The World?)
Voice of reason? This guy is as much a voice of reason as Sean Hannity or Glenn Beck is.
Did Phil put a little pouty face on the bottom of the original memo? or did he realize he was being played a fool by Joe Scarborough using his new pals at Politico as a dirty laundry center?
It’s too bad, I hear the Farm Network had an opening. That’s what he’s most qualified to report about.
Whoo-hoo!
Some redneck is probably so angry at this news that he’s beating his wife more then just once tonight. Don’t worry honey, despite what your husband has told you, you have more options in life. RUN!
Glad to know he’s back
Watch Bill O’Reilly’s head explode–Live Monday night on “The Factor”!
Nah, the righties are loving this. Their favorite punching bag is back. They’ll have plenty of fodder for jokes.
I was wondering how long it would take MSNBC to realize their mistake. Good to have him back!
Nothing more than a publicity stunt. Ridiculously sad attempt to gather a viewer (because he has none now).
Publicity stunt?
They’re not that astute.
Remember the guys who hired this Griffin dude are the same corporate overlords who kept Jeff Zucker around for a very long time (by teevee standards).
Welcome back Keith!!
I’d break into song but this makes me very happy indeed. We are going to need your voice leading the charge over the next few years!
It’s great MSNBC is backing off. If any of the brass wanted to make anonymous contributions to candidates, according to Citizens United Supreme Court ruling they can do so. The Supremes say that’s free speech. So when MSNBC suspends Olbermann they are abridging his free speech. That’s against the law. What Olbermann did, regardless of MSNBC’s unconstitutional policy, was within the law.
eads one to wonder if corporate MSNBC’s decision to suspend Keith was because it was a political contribution or because it was a political contribution to Democrats. Are there closet conservatives on the MSNBC hierarchy? Is this policy a way to rein in liberal commentators without being pushed out of that closet?
I wonder if Fox News has such a policy. Did Glen Beck, Bilious O’Reilly or Hannity make contributions to Republican candidates? Did Rush Limbaugh? If MSNBC had never brought it up no one would have cared. They need to cancel that policy before Homeland Security goes after them for abrogating Keith’s freedom of speech.
So you are an expert at contract law I take it. So Olbermann signs a contract that says he must inform the company of any political donations before they are made, that is unconstitional acording too…..YOU.Hmmm, interesting. don’t think so.
The 1st amendment argument is a bit murky as he signed the contract ( though I read the rule itself as being a 1st amendment violation – especially as MSNBC could not claim any irrevocable harm that I can think of that resulted from KO’s low-key donations)
HOWEVER: KO could file 14 AMENDMENT CLASS OF ONE EQUAL PROTECTION CLAIM alleging he was treated by a different standard then other MSNBC on-air hosts who have violated the same contractual rule ( separate from financial contributions, Joe Scarborough was the keynote speaker at the Tuscaloosa County Republican Party 2009 Lincoln-Reagan Dinner, an annual fundraising event). EEOC regulations and NYS Labor Laws support an equal protection violation by NBC/UNI.
I equally love love love my Morning Joe and my Countdown. I am not however, down with double standard.
USA USA USA
I wasn’t aware that there was a freedom of speech proviso in MSNBC’s constitution. Fail.
Sad to see you’ll be back so soon. For such a left wing liberal who thinks everyone else should live by the rules, your damn lucky your sorry a** station took you back.
Before you advocate more cuts in education spending, learn the difference between “you’re” and “your.”
Keith Olbermann has his 1st Amendment rights. However, he did screw up by giving money to a political campaign.
That’s bad news–I thought we had seen the last of the self-absorbed, bloviating Olbermann. Lawrence O’Donnell is great, Rachel M. too, Olbermann and his sophomoric bile just stink up the joint….as he did so egregiously on election night.
WELCOME BACK, KEITH! We love and miss you. So nice to have intelligence, maturity, TRUTH and FACTS on TV. And passion. With wingnut teabaggers inventing their own version of realty and facts, America needs you now more than ever to speak the truth.
LOL…I am a liberal and Olbermann is corporate whore who sells the corporate line and doesn’t have the spine to call Obama Bush III.
The same stuff I am upset at Bush II for….Obama has either renamed or doubled down on it.
Please…speak the truth…LOL…the man is without honor to have spent years pounding Bush II and then meekly…sometimes…on a rare occasion Olbermann says something about Obama. Usually without using his name and in a general admin…not his fault kind of way.
Olbermann speaks the truth…LOLOLOLOL….thanks for the laugh.
It was lame what MSNBC did….but they lost the plot long ago too.
Publicity stunt = epic fail. Just like Olberdorff himself. Pathetic
This guy wouldn’t know the truth if it was tattooed on his face. Well-informed people have already made their decision as evidenced by his pathetic ratings as well as MSNBC’s overall performance. The venom he spews consists of quotes taken out of context, distortions and pure fabrication. There’s good reason people like Tom Brokaw and Brian Williams are embarrassed by MSNBC. Comcast will make changes soon because they will want a return on investment and MSNBC is in the ratings cellar. They will seek to reclaim the prestige of NBC News which has been badly tarnished by the likes of Chris Matthews, Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann.
I think many of you may want to actually listen to conservatives before you comment ( if you’re concerned about accuracy). Many conservatives defended Olbermann ( see National Review, Weekly Standard for examples). I thought he was being treated poorly by msnbc and that their policy was stupid, and I am a conservative talk show host. Olbermann is obnoxious, and I don’t care for his show or his politics– and I think most conservatives feel the same way. But the issue of his suspension was about a policy not the man. And as for those of you thinking O’Reilly would explode at Keith’s return, the truth is msnbc is obliterated by Fox regularly and Olberman’s show exists as the “anti-O’Reilly”– also, google the recent comparative study regarding O’Reilly and Olbermann. You’ll learn O’Reilly has a more diverse guest lineup in ideology, gender, and ethnicity.
I didn’t even know he was still on the air. This is the guy who would constantly indignantly and hatefully insult Bush back when Kerry was “running?”. His schtick hasn’t worn to thin? Interesting. Good for him!
7 Milliion?
This self-righteous hack gets 7 Mil a year?
That is what is wrong with America.
I am a Democrat and I find Keith offensive as I find Rush and Beck of the ultra right imbeciles offensive.
Obermannn is a self-righteous, know it all, male chauvinistic ass who should be reporting on sports rather than
serious issues in the world.
I’m really amazed at how many Liberals know less about the Constitution than Christine O’Donnell. Allow me to educate you:
The First Amendment stops Congress from making laws inhibiting freedom of speech. MSNBC can make any rule it wishes preventing its on-air anchors from making political donations. Olbermnann did not have any Constitutional rights violated as ignorant commenters (Jack, luckypuck) said.
The real joke is that MSNBC considers that by having such a rule it somehow makes it impartial.
Why do clowns keep asserting MSNBC has no viewers as if it can’t be looked up? If it’s supposed to be a joke, it’s pretty lame.
MSNBC’s ratings aren’t “sagging” either. MSNBC was the only cable news network to grow in October. Yes they’re still second to Fox, but they topped CNN for the fourth consecutive month. The trend has been, and continues to be, upward.
How could so many buy in to the MSNBC ratings ploy in order to boost a small audience.