GE/FNC: Update…

The New York Times’ Brian Stelter puts out an even more detailed update to his earlier story. Given the fact that Stelter is full of details and the LA Times’ story is lacking in specificity, I have a sneaking feeling that the LA Times story was a plant meant to short circuit Stelter.

“We all recognize that a certain level of civility needed to be introduced into the public discussion,” Gary Sheffer, a spokesman for G.E., said this week. “We’re happy that has happened.”

The parent companies declined to comment directly on the details of the cease-fire, which was led by Jeff Zucker, the chief executive of NBC Universal, and Gary Ginsberg, an executive vice president who oversees corporate affairs at the News Corporation.

Mr. Olbermann, who is on vacation, said by e-mail message, “I am party to no deal,” adding that he would not have been included in any conversations between G.E. and the News Corporation. Fox News said it would not comment.

That last paragraph is going to get a lot of scrutiny and parsing. It would look bad for Olbermann if the story got out that he was muzzled. The part about him not being included in the discussions is a total non sequitur. Of course he wouldn’t be involved in any discussion. This took place at a level above even Olbermann’s pay grade. So that point is meaningless.

The FNC/MSNBC Dial Down: What I was hearing…

Since this story is still in flux, as evidenced by tonight’s not so veiled attack on the New York Times’ reporting by the ubiquitous insider on TVNewser, I’ve decided to post the chronology of events as laid out to me, word for word, over a month ago. Is it accurate? Don’t know. I suspect we’ll never know for sure because this isn’t a story that either FNC or NBC/GE wanted getting out in the first place.

1. GE purchases air time on FNC (commercials for ecoimagination). Deal secured. (spring 2009)
2. Weeks later, Immelt and team notice the attacks on NBC-MSNBC-GE-Obama connection on FNC (which originally exposed by Beck and O’Reilly programs)
3. Immelt and team ask FNC to cutback on GE-Obama connection theory.
4. FNC says it will not alter its programming
5. Immelt and team ask FNC again, this time offering that criticism of FNC and its’ anchors on MSNBC will be cut, reduced.
6. FNC agrees (After 2 week period)
7. MSNBC anchors and editors are asked by high management to phase out criticism over time
8. Dr. Tiller’s death
9. Olbermann uses event #8 as an opportunity to cut FNC criticism, takes one last blow to FNC, asks for quarantine
10. MSNBC essentially cuts FNC criticism at 8PM hour, FNC reduced exposing GM-Obama connection

In Depth: The Story Behind the FNC/MSNBC Feud Tampdown…

The New York Times’ Brian Stelter manages to break through the barrier I’ve been butting my head against for several months and is the first MSM writer to note that there was a high level pow-wow between elements at News Corp. and GE to clamp down on the rhetoric.

News Corp. chief Rupert Murdoch and General Electric chief Jeffrey Immelt met up at — appropriately enough — the Microsoft CEO summit in Redmond, Wash., to figure out how to diffuse tensions between the two channels, Company Town has learned. The primary focus of the chit-chat was the back-and-forth sniping between MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann and Fox’s Bill O’Reilly. The two often exchange insults, Olbermann by name, O’Reilly by insinuation.

If Immelt and Murdoch took their message of peace and love back to their respective news channels, it doesn’t seem to have taken. Olbermann, who generally is the aggressor, has been attacking Fox News and O’Reilly on a regular basis. O’Reilly still takes occasional shots at MSNBC, NBC and General Electric.

What Stelter doesn’t say: ICN reported this story first. I tweeted about this way back on June 7th after being tipped off by a source connected to deep inside NBC Universal. And Stelter is a subscriber to my Twitter feed.

There’s a rumor running around that Olbermann’s boycott of O’Reilly was part of a GE mandate to cut back criticism of FNC.

Dobbs and O’Reilly…and CNN…

Mediaite’s Steve Krakauer has emails between Dobbs’ camp and O’Reilly’s about coming on the show and postulates that CNN killed the idea. Not that CNN killing the idea is any big surprise. My question: Which side leaked this to Krakauer? Dobbs’? Or FNC’s? If Dobbs’, then this is not going to go down too well with Jon Klein, particularly after Klein publicly backtracked at the TCA to give Dobbs some cover. If it was FNC then it was just a means to leave Klein twisting in the wind, a position he’s sort of responsible for finding himself in after the TCA backtrack.

All signs point to CNN vetoing the interview.

CNN wanted to shut down the conversation about the birthers as far back as last Friday, with CNN/U.S. President Jon Klein sending an internal memo to Dobbs staffers telling them “it seems this story is dead.”

And although Klein has been very publicly speaking out in support of Dobbs this week, as O’Reilly pointed out on-air Wednesday, the CNN host is a bit of a “renegade.” Last year there were reports of a blow-up between Dobbs and Klein during primary coverage.

If Dobbs were to have appeared on O’Reilly, it would be a personal win-win for the CNN host. He could potentially boost his own ratings after talking to O’Reilly’s top-rated cable news audience, and frame the debate in a way he wants. But for CNN, the appearance would continue a story it just wants to go away. CNN declined to comment to Mediaite on this story.

Free for All: 07/31/09

What’s on your mind?

Fox News Network loses round in FOIA suit…

Reuters’ Grant McCool writes about Fox News Network losing a FOIA suit. If Fox has an appeal option, I expect that they would probably appeal this…(via J$)

“I rule that one document, which the Board determined is not a record, is indeed, a record. The Board shall identify this document and either produce it or claim an exemption,” Hellerstein said in a written order.

“In all other respects, I grant the Board’s motion and deny Fox’s motion, finding that the Board performed an adequate search and that Exemption 4 permits the Board not to disclose the documents that Fox seeks.”

Under Exemption 4 of the FOIA, an agency must demonstrate that the information sought is a “trade secret” or “commercial or financial” in character and “obtained from a person” and “privileged and confidential.”

Update: Reuters updated its story to include Fox response…

Fox said in a statement in response to the ruling: “We respect the judge’s decision, but we will probably appeal.”

CNBC Numbers Down Big in July…

Zero Hedge got its hands on very bad ratings for CNBC for the month of July. I have strong suspicion it was a leak. Why it was leaked to Zero Hedge is another question. I may have to start paying attention to Zero Hedge now. Someone clearly already is…(via J$)

Bill Hemmer Profile…

Time Out New York profiles FNC’s Bill Hemmer. Stupid question: Not picking on Hemmer per se, but why do news anchors have to fold their arms so much for photo/video shoots? The folded arm pose has been done to death. Someone please come up with a new pose… (via J$)

Getting jobs: Applying to be an anchorman is a lot like auditioning for a movie role; you need to send in a reel of clips and oftentimes try out in front of the camera. “When I was applying at CNN, I had to do a live audition where they messed up the teleprompter to see how I handled it on the fly. And they’d send breaking news my way to test my ad-libbing skills.” You also need an agent, explains Hemmer, because they know how to negotiate your contracts when you get hired.

Best story ever: Work has sent Hemmer to Iraq, Afghanistan and other faraway lands, but we made him pick one story he’s covered that has touched him the most. “September 11th was enormously emotional, and it made my relationship with New York even stronger. The impact of emotions we saw on the faces of New Yorkers during that time was indelible. It will never leave you. And if it does leave you, you’re not a human being with a beating heart.”

Free for All: 07/30/09

What’s on your mind?

Blogus Interruptus…

Have a court date tomorrow morning so blogging will be delayed until the afternoon…

The Hazards of Live TV: #25,013

Seems like today’s the day for Hazards. Though this one occurred yesterday apparently. I know talking about Iraq is now passe but putting Egypt in its place is not an improvement. Whoever did this should be fired at FNC. Only an ignoramus could screw this up. After all the years we’ve been focused on the region if you can’t tell Iraq from Egypt you shouldn’t be working in TV news. (via Liz Mazahery)

The Hazards of Live TV: #25,012

Dan could have handled that better. He comes off as rather thin skinned biting on vanden Heuvel’s bait, and after watching him on the air for years I know he isn’t.

Question: Has anyone bothered to ask NBC why it allowed Dan to go on the air to pitch the Gossip Cop site when it launched but not Mediaite? What’s the difference in pitching one but not the other? Apparently NBC thought there was but I have no idea why. Is it because NBC had the exclusive but when Mediaite launched the print press had the scoop first the day the site launched?

Update: ABC had the announcement first so no exclusive to NBC. My bad…

J.B.Williams vs. O’Reilly/Hannity…

J.B. Williams challenges Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity in the Canada Free Press regarding the Birther story…

How can you join the chorus of Obama fanatics belittling “birthers” (aka people concerned with the future of this nation under the rule of an unconstitutional Marxist) without taking a few moments to learn the real facts, and then report the other side of the story in a “fair and balanced” manner, at a minimum?

These are very real concerns backed by very real evidence and no matter what you believe personally, the issue is NOT going away until Obama opens his birth, adoption, college and passport records to prove that he is who and what he says he is. The reason he hasn’t and won’t open these files is, he is NOT who or what he claims to be.

Why are you helping Obama run from the truth? The truth is in his files. Why don’t you want to see those files? Why don’t the American people have every right to see those files, under these circumstances?

The Hazards of Live TV: #25,011

I’d say more but then MSNBC asked for this by putting Deutsch on in the first place instead of a journalist… (via TVN)

Get Mike Straka…

Chickaboomer tears into FNC’s Mike Straka…

Mike Straka first caught my attention in a February 2009 NYT piece on FOX’s “Strategy Room.” Straka: “As long as we don’t make it look like TV, I’ll be happy.”

Straka appears to be using his position to make his part of the FOX website look like his own personal fiefdom promoting martial arts sites where he’s an active participant (ranking committee) pimping his FOX News chops in his bio. Like a non sequitur. Site disconnect. WTF? Why is he all over FOX’s website?

His on-air stuff is dull and egoiastic. Straka’s so full of himself his FOX bio stands alone in design from the other talent. It took my computer 25 seconds to load up Straka’s self-serving banner, photo, links.

The Hazards of Live TV: #25,010

Now you see it, now you don’t… (via J$)

Page Six vs. Shuster: Update…

Shuster responds to the “bald spot” thing to The Huffington Post’s Danny Shea…

Over e-mail from California, where he is vacationing, Shuster said, “Never in my career have I ever been a diva or complained about how I’ve been shot or framed” and called the Page Six story a “complete and utter fabrication.”

“I’m the guy who is happy to do anything and NEVER complains, ever,” he said.

He added, “I have no issues with my hair or the spot on my head where I lack some.”

Free for All: 07/29/09

What’s on your mind?

Second Guessing?

The New York Observer’s Felix Gillette writes about the July numbers with some inside MSNBC dirt…

And, at the same time, the defeat might make MSNBC executives rethink their decision to spend so much time covering Mr. Jackson’s death. From what we hear, an internal contigent at MSNBC was pushing to drop the MJ coverage and take the cable news high road (such as it is) by focusing on politics and news while their competitors did round-the-clock MJ coverage.

In the end, MSNBC stuck with MJ and lost out to CNN anyways.

That sounds like some turf fighting between the DC Bureau and 30 Rock to me since its in the DC Bureau’s interest to cover politics. But would it have made a difference if MSNBC had abandoned MJ coverage? No. In fact the damage probably would have been worse as MSNBC would have lost whatever viewers it was gaining by covering MJ. Of course, all the networks went overboard with their MJ coverage. But MSNBC had no choice. They had to cover the story. And it’s not like politics related news was big that week and a half anyways.

The Hazards of Live TV: #25,009

(via TVNewser)

Press Releases: 07/28/09

CNBC (1)

CNBC MEDIA ALERT: CNBC TO BROADCAST “CNBC REPORTS” SPECIAL EDITION, “CNBC REPORTS: REALTY CHECK”

WHEN: TONIGHT, TUESDAY, JULY 28TH AT 8PM ET
WHERE: “CNBC REPORTS”

With positive housing data out today, CNBC, First in Business Worldwide, will broadcast a live special, “CNBC Reports: Realty Check,” tonight, Tuesday, July 28th at 8PM ET.

Anchored by CNBC’s Dennis Kneale, the one-hour special will focus on the new reality of real estate and look at the markets and mortgage rates from coast to coast. Have we finally hit the bottom? Is now the time to buy or sell? CNBC will tell you where housing is hot again.

CNN Announcements…

CNN made a bunch of what appear to me to be TCA related announcements today…

Chistiane Amanpour’s CNNI program “Amanpour” will debut on September 21st…

Amanpour will also host a new two hour documentary called “Generation Islam” on August 13th…

Soledad O’Brien will host a new two night documentary “Latino in America” on October 21st and 22nd…

Deutsch vs. Hall?

National Review Online’s Jim Geraghty reports on a “fight” between Donnie Deutsch and Tamron Hall that occurred today. Anyone got video? I’d like to see this so called fight myself…

Now Donny Deutsch and his co-anchor Hall are shouting at and over each other; she claims he doesn’t care about the poor, he suggests she’s a pawn of McDonald’s and junk-food companies. Poor Kelly O’Donnell shrugs uncomfortably.

Joy Behar at the TCA

Broadcasting & Cable’s Stephanie Robbins posted highlights of Joy Behar’s appearance at the TCA in conjunction with the announcement of her HLN show “The Joy Behar Show” launcing on September 28th…

Ken Jautz, executive VP of CNN Worldwide and Joy Behar spoke about her upcoming Headline News program The Joy Behar Show, which premieres September 28 at 9 p.m. ET, at the Television Critics Association summer press tour in Pasadena, Calif. July 28.

The outspoken View co-host talked about who she wants to interview, her experience with Rosie O’Donnell, the burning question she still wants Sarah Palin to answer and more.

Highlights are below.

On having The View co-hosts on the show

“I’m sure we’ll have them on as guests. They have great stories and opinions.”

Page Six vs. Shuster…

Page Six dishes alleged dirt on David Shuster…

DAVID Shuster is a little sensitive about his thinning hair. Although daytime cameramen at MSNBC have been instructed never to shoot the anchor from behind, the prime-time crew never got the memo. “David went crazy when he filled in for Keith Olbermann last week and was shot from behind, exposing his bald spot,” said a source close to production. “He went crazy and is so upset about it, he’s thinking about getting a rug.” MSNBC had no comment.

July Numbers: CNN…

CNN is noting its July numbers…

CNN Has Best July Ever; While MSNBC Slips to Fourth in Total Day Demo

CNN TOPS MSNBC IN PRIMETIME (M-F) BY 57% AND IN TOTAL DAY BY 61% IN KEY DEMO 25-54 IN JULY

HLN Has Best July Ever

Tops MSNBC in Total Day 25-54 Demo

Nancy Grace Beats Countdown with Keith Olbermann Among 25-54 Viewers in July

Showbiz Tonight Has Best Month Ever Among Total Viewers

CNN Digital is #1 News and Information Destination

Tops all TV News Websites in Unique Viewers, Total Minutes, Time Spent and Share of Online Audience in June

CNN Cross Platform Usage Reaches More People on TV and Web Combined

CNN

In July 2009, CNN had its best July ever in primetime among total viewers and the 25-54 demo (M-F and M-Su). CNN also topped MSNBC in Primetime (M-F) by an impressive 57% in the key demo 25-54 (430k vs. 274k) and by 48% among total viewers (1.284m vs. 868k). In total day, CNN outperformed MSNBC by 61% in the key demo (232k vs. 144k), and by 82% among total viewers (724k vs. 397k). CNN also had the most total day growth of any cable news network among total viewers, up 45% (724k vs. 500k). MSNBC dropped to fourth place among 25-54 viewers in total day in July, behind FNC, CNN and HLN.

Free for All: 07/28/09

What’s on your mind?

Way too Early with Willie Geist Review…

The New York Times’ Alessandra Stanley likes the new Willie Geist show. I think. Actually, it’s kind of hard to figure out what she really is intending since she praises the show in one paragraph and then attacks the network in the next…

Mr. Geist brings a touch of “Daily Show” irreverence to the pomposity of cable news, which is one reason he does so well as a foil to Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski on “Morning Joe”; his rapport with younger viewers is what led MSNBC to give him his own platform. Mr. Geist joked that “Way Too Early” is “brewed by Sanka,” a poke at “Morning Joe,” which recently took some heat from Jon Stewart and others for openly plugging the coffee of its sponsor, Starbucks. (Just before a break on Monday’s episode of “Morning Joe,” a screen pop-up titled “Playing Fair” announced that in 2009 Starbucks would purchase 40 million pounds of fair-trade coffee.)

“Way Too Early” provided a good mix of straight news headlines and humorous asides about Ms. Palin, the Tour de France and even the HBO show “Entourage,” and the tone was low-key, good-natured and not too forced.

But the atomization of cable news shows, which are themselves small-bore spinoffs of network news programs, can at times seem alarmingly forced. And MSNBC, which recently introduced a “Morning Joe” chaser, “Morning Meeting” with Dylan Ratigan, is particularly ruthless about stretching its talent pool. There are fewer and fewer hours of straight news, and more and more one-rant programs like “The Ed Show,” a soapbox for the opinions of Ed Schultz, a popular radio host, or niche-seeking missiles like “Dr. Nancy,” a health show hosted by Dr. Nancy Snyderman, the chief medical editor of NBC News.

Press Releases: 07/27/09

MSNBC (1), CNBC (1)

MSNBC

PROGRAMMING NOTE: FORMER DNC CHAIR HOWARD DEAN GUEST HOSTS “COUNTDOWN WITH KEITH OLBERMANN” TUES. JULY 28 AND WEDS. JULY 29

NEW YORK – July 27, 2009 – Former Vermont governor and Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean will guest host on MSNBC’s “Countdown with Keith Olbermann” this week, Tuesday, July 28 and Wednesday, July 29. Dean is a contributor for CNBC and author of “Howard Dean’s Prescription for Real Healthcare Reform” (www.deanshealthcare.com). The founder of Democracy for America, Dean currently serves as Chairman of the Progressive Bookclub and is an independent consultant to McKenna Long & Aldridge.

Also this week on “Countdown,” Lawrence O’Donnell guest hosts tonight. MSNBC analyst Richard Wolffe guest hosts Thursday and Friday. Keith Olbermann will return next week.

“Countdown with Keith Olbermann” telecasts weeknights, 8-9 p.m. ET on MSNBC, repeating at 10 p.m. ET. Izzy Povich is executive producer.

CNBC

CNBC’S “ULTIMATE FIGHTING: FISTFUL OF DOLLARS” will premiere on Wednesday, July 29th at 10PM and 1AM ET.

Talking Head Primetime Invades Daytime: Chapter 8…

Donnie Deutsch is filling in for David Shuster this week on MSNBC Dayside. That would be non-journalist Donnie Deutsch. MSNBC has so many other people it could have brought in who are journalists; Peter Alexander, Jeff Rossen, Amy Robach, Natalie Morales, Lester Holt, Chris Jansing…hell Monica Novotny isn’t doing much these days. It’s just mind boggling that MSNBC would pick Deutsch. But they already have one non-journalist anchoring news these days (Carlos Watson) and another who occasionally does (Dr. Nancy) so what’s another non-journalist on the air?

This says a lot about the state of MSNBC Dayside and what the network wants to do with talent these days. And none of it is any good…