So there's been a lot of talk about how MSNBC's suspension of Keith Olbermann is ridiculous and outrageous, since right-wing commentators like Joe Scarborough and Pat Buchanan have made numerous contributions to candidates over the years that far outweigh Keith's 3 donations. And if the donations were the reason why he was suspended, it would be ridiculous. But as anyone with a bit of common sense understands, this is an excuse to go after Keith for a far worse offense... Threatening the bottom line.
If you haven't read Noam Chomsky and Ed Herman's Manufacturing Consent, I highly recommend it. The book is a scientific analysis of the institutional structure of the mass media, and how it is designed to serve the interests of the corporate elite. The book identifies the system within which the media functions as the "Propaganda Model," and describes how information must go through 5 "filters" in order to be presented to the public.
While all of the filters are very important, for this specific instance I am going to focus on the 1st Filter: Ownership.
As you probably know, General Electric (the largest conglomerate in the world) owns NBC Universal, which in turn owns MSNBC. GE also happens to be a major contractor to the US military, and as such had a massive financial interest in war.
You may remember that before the Invasion of Iraq, Phil Donahue had a show on MSNBC. He was the only personality on cable to question the war that promised to make GE billions in profits, and out of sheer coincidence happened to get canceled.
Ashleigh Banfield, another NBC employee that questioned the war, was also removed from GE's organization.
So NBC is obviously no stranger to firing employees for political reasons related to the bottom line of its parent company, the all-powerful General Electric. That's why Keith Olbermann's ascendancy to the top of MSNBC's lineup seemed so incredible. He managed to fight against the institutional forces at work within MSNBC in order to bring the American people the truth about the war, and nothing seemed to bring him down.
Until today.
Now, GE didn't get rid of Olbermann because of his criticism of the Iraq War. This would be a nonsensical time to do it. GE has already gotten everything it could out of the plunder in Iraq, and has found MSNBC's role as the "center-left" cable network to be harmless. But as Olbermann became more powerful, and in many ways more anti-corporate in issues such as campaign finance and internet freedom, he became threatening to Phil Griffin, Jeff Zucker, and ultimately Jeff Immelt, and had to be removed.
Olbermann has the best ratings on MSNBC though, so NBC was always reluctant to do anything about him. But now that Steve Capus is the head of NBC and Comcast is in the process of taking over, corporate pressure built up to the point where something had to give.
I understand that this may sound conspiratorial, but the idea that MSNBC fired its leading personality for making meaningless contributions is far more insane.
Whether this is a measure designed to intimidate Keith and the other hosts at MSNBC or the beginning of a plan to exert more control over the network to keep it in line is unclear. But if you really want Keith back, don't waste your time petitioning MSNBC.
Go straight to the top.