Washingtonian magazine has just published a juicy tell-all dishing up multiple savory courses that lay open the behind-the-scenes politicking leading to the change of hosts for one of broadcast TV’s most prestigious shows about politics, “Meet the Press.”
Entitled “How David Gregory Lost His Job,” the ambitious article explores Gregory’s fall from network grace and his replacement at the MTP moderator desk by his chief rival, NBC White House correspondent Chuck Todd.
But many people will find that a subplot buried deep within this extensive exposé actually holds more interest and offers more relevant insight than the Gregory-Todd story. It’s a subplot that purports to tell how Al Sharpton landed his job as the host of “Politics Nation” on MSNBC.
You may recall that, in 2009, NBC was part of the General Electric family of companies. Not knowing that much about the TV biz or big-stage, high-stakes news reporting, GE decided to sell a controlling stake in NBC Universal to cable giant Comcast.
With NBC at the time struggling in fourth place in the front-line ratings game, Comcast wanted to control not only distribution but also content production in order to try to improve the network’s prospects and profitability.
What stood in the way of that goal, according to the article in Washingtonian, was Washington itself — regulators and lawmakers who would have to be convinced that this move would not stifle competition.
Concerned also were minority advocates who pounded the drum for more “diversity” in the major broadcast media — meaning, of course, more minorities in visible and prestigious positions. The strategy that Comcast adopted was relatively simple — start handing out campaign cash and politically expedient donations.
Advocacy groups that benefited from the Comcast cash would, in turn, write letters to federal decision makers supporting the Comcast deal to take over and start programming NBC Universal.
Among the recipients of some of those funds was an organization founded by Al Sharpton — records indicate that $155,000 went to Sharpton’s outfit, and a letter from Reverend Al — who was and is a close friend and ally of Barack Obama — went to D.C. regulators.
The strategy paid off, as the article notes. In January, 2011, Washington approved the deal. And lo and behold, Al Sharpton — who had virtually no professional broadcast experience but did have a long history of legal entanglements and ethical quandaries — landed a prime-time show on MSNBC.
Not only would Reverend Al have the kind of “legitimate” pulpit from which he could pontificate with an assumed air of “credibility,” he could also enjoy a reboot of sorts — a network-sanctioned passage out of the shadow of his past troubles.
And Obama’s White House could have its loyal advocate and ally in place to carry forward the narrative five nights a week.
Now, no matter how deeply Sharpton inserts himself into and tries to influence raging racial controversies…no matter how much criticism is directed his way…no matter how many goofs and gaffes he racks up on his show, Sharpton seems to be a protected entity.
His place on the cable net appears to be safe and secure. After all, if the Washingtonian article is to be believed, Al Sharpton helped seal the deal for one of the biggest ever broadcast sales while giving the White House a direct line to cable news viewers.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
Read more at http://www.westernjournalism.com/revealed-last-mystery-al-sharpton-got-msnbc-gig-just-solved/#WDax9RmCI6oAVfij.99
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