Suspending KO = Effective PR
Am I the only one who thinks that suspending Keith Olbermann is publicity driven bullshit?
My theory: MSNBC got pissed off when Jon Stewart ran a montage at the Rally that drew heavy comparisons between MSNBC and Fox. Since the elections on Tuesday proved that most Americans have no comprehension skills at all whatsoever - there's no point in "refudiating" Stewart with a well presented, clearly articulated logical comparison/contrast. Nothing sensational about that - even if it were presented on Jon Stewart's show. Jon Stewart is busy making friends with Fox's Chris Wallace these days anyhow.
As soon as MSNBC suspended Keith for a couple of campaign contributions, Twitter and Facebook came alive. Outraged liberals from coast to coast started shouting "double standard" and making a bunch of noise about Fox's well known GOP, GOTea fund raising activities. Some tweeple said MSNBC showed favoritism by suspending Keith when other employees made contributions without getting in trouble. As I understand it, those contributions were pre-approved by the network and Keith's weren't - but again - nobody pays attention when that much reading is required.
When the whole incident can gallop ahead in 140 characters or less on Twitter and Facebook Status updates - both providing links to MSNBC or to Michael Moore's emergency petition supporting Keith Olbermann - half the world will be watching MSNBC next week.
I'm thinking there's a special comment from Keith - already in production - where he says being suspended was appropriate because it distinguishes MSNBC from FOX. Then he can go on Jon Stewart and make himself and MSNBC appear to have Moral Authority.
Suspending Keith has been very effective PR so far.
My theory: MSNBC got pissed off when Jon Stewart ran a montage at the Rally that drew heavy comparisons between MSNBC and Fox. Since the elections on Tuesday proved that most Americans have no comprehension skills at all whatsoever - there's no point in "refudiating" Stewart with a well presented, clearly articulated logical comparison/contrast. Nothing sensational about that - even if it were presented on Jon Stewart's show. Jon Stewart is busy making friends with Fox's Chris Wallace these days anyhow.
As soon as MSNBC suspended Keith for a couple of campaign contributions, Twitter and Facebook came alive. Outraged liberals from coast to coast started shouting "double standard" and making a bunch of noise about Fox's well known GOP, GOTea fund raising activities. Some tweeple said MSNBC showed favoritism by suspending Keith when other employees made contributions without getting in trouble. As I understand it, those contributions were pre-approved by the network and Keith's weren't - but again - nobody pays attention when that much reading is required.
When the whole incident can gallop ahead in 140 characters or less on Twitter and Facebook Status updates - both providing links to MSNBC or to Michael Moore's emergency petition supporting Keith Olbermann - half the world will be watching MSNBC next week.
I'm thinking there's a special comment from Keith - already in production - where he says being suspended was appropriate because it distinguishes MSNBC from FOX. Then he can go on Jon Stewart and make himself and MSNBC appear to have Moral Authority.
Suspending Keith has been very effective PR so far.
posted by PENolan at
9:06 AM
15 Comments:
Hadn't thought of that particular take on it, but it seems obvious now. Take nothing at face value these days.
Still can't stop snickering at "refudiate," though :-)
Me neither. I love that word. Reminds me of a bunch of drunks.
Lots of egos at work there, as much as anything, methinks.
BTW-I believe the word is re[fudd]iate.
This thought has certainly crossed my mind - especially given KO's taste for drama. The NBC rule doesn't say that journalists can't contribute to campaigns, they just have to run it by management first and get their okay. No doubt they would have done just that.
JadedJ - like Elmer Fudd?
tnlib - it's all too simple to be straightforward.
On another note, good work on the bi-polar series. One day we'll have to compare notes since I was treated for years as Bi-Polar even though my neurochemistry was not exactly the issue. It was a good example of meds and talk therapy working together - in a way that insurance companies can't stand because talk therapy takes so fucking long. But that's another topic entirely.
Yes, as in Elmer.
Here's a link to a very interesting article by one smart guy.
http://uselesstriviaandmindlessrants.blogspot.com/2010/11/maybe-this-is-what-keith-olbermann.html
I've been slinging links around all over the place to this article.
Thanks for the praise.
PE - linked from my piece about KO to here and with a quote no less.
The PR thing was lost on me, I totally ignored the story.
It occurred to me that it might be a marketing ploy. Make your customers/clients/viewers hate you to get the level of interest up, as in "there is no such thing as bad publicity."
Publicity for everyone! I got quoted by Parsley - that's pretty cool.
How are things in Austin, Blueberry?
V.V. I thought of you and Pat yesterday while I was driving home from Syracuse. Then I got caught in an ice storm west of Roscoe on Rt 17. That was a surprise
I spoke to M last night about making a visit to Pat. She thinks early December might work. Now I need to check with Pat.
Don't know about early December for me since I may have just taken Velvet back after Thanksgiving. At the moment, I'm planning on taking him back to school in mid-January - unless his grades sucked. Then he's in big trouble . . .
I know we've got the Boston conference the first week in January, but don't know of anything after that until March. Which weekend were you taking him back, maybe we can work around that weekend?
V.V. Write me at menopausalstoners@yahoo.com and we'll figure it out from there.
Actually, anybody can write me at menopausalstoners@yahoo.com. We could figure out all kinds of stuff
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