So Much For Media Unity…

Variety’s Alex Stedman writes about CNN swooping in and taking NBC’s lost GOP debate slot. Shame…

CNN is replacing NBC News as the host of the Republican National Committee’s Super Tuesday debate in February, it was announced on Monday.

“The Republican National Committee has decided to move forward without NBC’s participation in our February debate in Houston, Texas. The RNC has awarded the debate to CNN, who will broadcast it on Thursday, February 25th in Houston at a location to be decided,” RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said in a statement released by CNN.

CNN was opportunistic when it shouldn’t have been. CNN should have refused the debate because it sets a bad precedent where political parties can shop their debates just to punish networks regardless of the validity of the “crime”.

NBC did nothing wrong here. CNBC did. NBC News does not have oversight of CNBC. Even the original GOP statement on dumping NBC acknowledged this point.

All the networks should have stood firm in supporting NBC given the circumstances (NBC being punished for something it had no part of). Now, because CNN chose to put money ahead of the GOP’s childish tactics, a precedent has been established. The political parties now know they can divide and conquer the networks because the GOP just successfully did that very thing. Shame.