Al Sharpton, MSNBC And Journalistic Standards - GlennGreenwald/Salon

[WillyT]

Al Sharpton, MSNBC and journalistic standards
BY GLENN GREENWALD
WEDNESDAY, JUL 27, 2011 08:28 ET

<snip>

On Sunday, Cenk Uygur was interviewed by CNN's Howard Kurtz about Uygur's departure from MSNBC, and Ugyur claimed that Al Sharpton -- widely reported to be his replacement -- vowed in a 60 Minutes interview never to criticize President Obama under any circumstances. When I first heard Ugyur make this claim, I assumed it was hyperbole -- until I watched the video and read the transcript of the Sharpton interview. The 60 Minutes segment was aired on May 19, 2011, and chronicles what it calls Sharpton's "metamorphosis: today he's down right tame. So much so, that he has made his way into the establishment." It includes this:

Sharpton told us that having a black president is a challenge: if he finds fault with Mr. Obama, he'd be aiding those who want to destroy him. So he has decided not to criticize the president about anything -- even about black unemployment, which is twice the national rate.

The segment also described Sharpton as "now a trusted White House adviser" and recounts that "given his loyalty and his change from confrontational to accommodating, the administration is rewarding him with access and assignments."

<And...>

It's true that MSNBC has many hosts who frequently and aggressively criticize the President, but one does have to wonder what message it sends when the most critical of them is removed despite solid ratings and replaced with someone who has taken this vow, someone who is "rewarded" for his "loyalty" by the White House with "access." I've long considered Sharpton to be a constructive political voice, especially the important views he forced into the 2004 Democratic presidential primary. And it's perfectly fine for a political activist to decide that the best way to advance an agenda is through unbroken fealty to the White House. But that is a bizarre attribute indeed for a featured nighttime host of a political program on an ostensibly journalistic outlet.

<snip>

More: http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2011/07/27/sharpton

:kick:

[FLAprogressive]

1. Al Sharpton is a ginormous tool and is one of the biggest and most annoying media whores around.

[CupFullOfTruth]

4. and was so easily forgiven for his "Faggot" remark N/T

N/T

[FLAprogressive]

9. When you're a fake "civil rights activist" I guess it's OK.

[nashville_brook]

2. k and r

[Luminous Animal]

3. Hell, the establishment doesn't even have to pay him for his loyalty.

[jefferson_dem]

5. Oh please.

This never-ending pity party hosted by Cenk and his minions grew old like last week. I've never seen such a cry-baby attitude by a supposed tough guy. So Cenk got canned because he was too often a loud-mouthed asshole? Guess what? That happens... Deal with it. To smear Sharpton for Cenk's failings is not only unfair, it's downright embarrassing.

[WillyT]

Oh The Naivete...

Cenk was offered DOUBLE the money, was offered to be "Developed" into a more "reasonable" talent, and was going to be given half the workload.

And he REFUSED IT!!!

If you were offered twice your pay, for half the work you perform... what would you do?

:shrug:

[Luminous Animal]

6. So it isn't true? Sharpton never said that?

To use your logic, Maddow, posting the actual video of someone's actual words is smearing and she deserves to be sued.

[FLAprogressive]

12. It's like when Obama is quoted as saying something - the same people are here trying to convince us

that he didn't actually say/mean that.

[DainBramaged]

10. -1,000,000

pathetic. Ride that White House horsey.

[FLAprogressive]

13. I'd be trashing Sharpton if he didn't take Cenk's place. He is a grade A media whore.

[KoKo]

24. Jefferson_Dem....why take the attention away from Sharpton's 60 Minutes Interview to

whine about Cenk? You are just deflecting because you perhaps don't like that Rev. Al said he'd never criticize the President.

[ohiosmith]

7. Fuck Sharpton! Two words: Tawana Brawley.

[Motown_Johnny]

22. It isn't as if black women being raped by white men was unheard of

Fine, in that case he believed someone he should not have believed. Standing up for the rights of the (possible) victim was still the right thing to do even if he was wrong in that instance.


He simply exercised his right to peaceful assembly. It isn't as if he organized a lynch mob or something.

[ihavenobias]

8. 5 Myths About Cenk Leaving MSNBC

Myth 1 - Cenk was replaced because Sharpton got better ratings for two weeks while Cenk was on vacation.

Cenk was told he wouldn't be getting the show BEFORE Sharpton filled in for him. This was at the end of June. That in and of itself makes Sharpton's ratings totally irrelevant to this story. In http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5x7o0sNrulg&feature=channel_video_title|his announcement> on TYT Cenk correctly points out that once he (to an extent) started doing the show his way the ratings went up AND that in the 3 months that make up Q2 of 2011 he beat CNN and improved on Schultz'z ratings from last year (he praises Schultz in that clip btw).

Myth 2 - Cenk claims the Obama White House came down on MSNBC.

Cenk never got more specific than what MSNBC president Phil Griffin told him. People in Washington may or may not include someone at the White House, and Cenk made a point to NOT say it was the White House.

Myth 3 - Cenk was demoted, then fired when he didn't accept the demotion.

Cenk was offered a weekend show/contributor role for double the money. Can you think of any other jobs in which you get less responsibility and exposure and a gigantic raise? Also, the NY Times reported that he was well liked at MSNBC but more importantly here's a direct quote from an http://www.huffingtonpost.com/democracy-now/cenk-uygur-leaves-msnbc_b_906708.html|MSNBC spokesman>:

...we were working on a new contract, to develop him into an even bigger television talent.

Myth 4 - MSNBC wouldn't let go of Cenk for his harsh criticism of politicians and then go on to hire a firebreathing bull like Sharpton.

In a recent 60 Minutes interview http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/25/cenk-uygur-al-sharpton-is_n_908385.html|Sharpton vowed not to criticize president Obama>. Leave it to HuffPo to make the headline more inflammatory but there it is.

Myth 5 - Cenk is unemployed/he hosts some obscure web show.

Glossing over the fact that Cenk has been interviewing Senators (Ted Kennedy, Bernie Sanders, Harry Reid, etc.), Congressman (long list), former presidents (Jimmy Carter), Fed chairmen (Alan Greenspan), talk show hosts (Rachel Maddow, Lou Dobbs, Stephanie Miller, Thom Hartmann, etc.), filmmakers (Michael Moore, Robert Greenwald), journalists/reporters (Matt Taibbi and people from the NY Times, WaPo, HuffPo and everything in between) there's this:

http://news.tubefilter.tv/2011/07/15/the-young-turks-breaks-500-million-views-1-million-in-revenue/|The Young Turks Breaks 500 Million Views, $1 Million in Revenue>

[mirrera]

11. Cenk did the right thing but if he was my husband I would kill him!

Man, a week-end show, twice the pay! I would have been plying him with Cappuccino/martinis saying "couldn't you work your way in and still be truthfull?"

Still I love Cenk and his turn down has gotten him some much deserved exposure. I watched Rachel Maddow on Air America, saw Robert Redford in the Chase with Jane Fonda before he was famous... I can't wait to brag about Cenk... and you iHavenoBias!

[Mimosa]

19. Mirrera, in TV a 'contributor' status is a demotion, no doubt about it. n/t

[mfcorey1]

16. I like Cenk but the excessive public whining demeans his professionalism. He single handely closes

doors where we really need his voice. Others will be reluctant to hire and liberal voices are already diminished in the news market. No, I did not mean capitulate, but his initial statement was enough. The rehashing is what bothers me. Sharpton will eventually look the media ax in the face. It is the nature of the business and he now joins an elite group who have moved beyond it and expanded their careers.

[ihavenobias]

17. Gleen Greenwald wrote the article, not Cenk, so how is Cenk "whining"?

I don't understand the objection. Because other media figures are writing about new developments in the story that reflects poorly on Cenk? That's incredibly illogical.

[mfcorey1]

18. My reference is to the interviews I have seen him give.

[ihavenobias]

20. He accepted an initial around of interview requests.

I don't see why he should've said no to Olbermann, Amy Goodman, etc. Describing a small round of interview requests being accepted within one week of a major story (large cable news network offering someone double pay for a reduced role after the insider/outsider/Washington talk) as "whining" doesn't make much sense.

Whining is a very specific adjective that suggests that someone is complaining about something minor and insignificant. Honestly it sounds like you're simply tired of the story. You have your mind made up so when you see a related story you think "oh boy, this again?". That's fine, but if that's the case I would say that (ok, enough of this story, let's move on, etc.) instead of incorrectly describing it as "whining".

Especially considering the fact that this is a thread about Greenwald's story about Sharpton that only has a side note regarding Cenk.

[20score]

14. K&R!

[McCamy Taylor]

15. "They came away with government jobs."

From the film I'm Gonna Get You Sucka

[Motown_Johnny]

21. How about we talk about then Speaker Pelosi promising not to impeach Bush no matter what?

Oh No.... not the white lady refusing to do her sworn duty!

How about we talk about the black man who doesn't want to be used as a weapon against someone he supports.

Journalistic integrity is so important! Just Look At FOX News! It isn't as if we don't have a standard by which to measure all other "journalist's" morals.






There is an "Even Al Sharpton Critized......." effect.

I can respect the Reverend's choice in this matter.

[TheKentuckian]

23. I don't because it makes you more of an errand runner or a cheerleader than a journalist.

Who's first loyalty is to this country and her people or just the truth?

No nothing to applaud here. There is nothing noble about placing someone into the unaccountable status, certainly not a politician.

[Supersedeas]

25. funny how Kurtz is so aggressive about a liberal bias at MSNBC, but didn't and doesn't

have peep to say about the close ties between Bush officials and FOX News 'analysts'

Kurtz is a right wing establishment coward

[gauguin57]

26. I get a kick out of Al Sharpton ... he makes me laugh.

And sometimes (not always) his big mouth is useful in standing up for the voiceless

... BUT ...

The man is no broadcaster. He has trouble reading the teleprompter, and stumbles over his words. Can't stand watching him.

When he ran for president in the past, however, he adds the necessary comic relief to the debates.