Rev. Jesse Jackson: Shaking Down Imus and MSNBC?
Rev. Jesse Jackson: …now the other side of it is that there is not one black or Latino host of a show on MSNBC... we must now get a look at MSNBC’s hosts and writers and producers and the breadth of its news coverage.
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Rev. Jackson, of course, is upset with Don Imus’ bizarre, bigoted, bumbling characterization of the female Rutgers University basketball players. [See here] and here. But, look, Imus is a jerk who often makes dumb, stupid statements that reflect his various prejudices and broad-based lack of intelligence.
On the other hand, Rev. Jackson has, apparently, not been very upset about those prior statements that reflected, say, Imus’ anti-Semitism, e.g., Imus calling book publishers Simon & Schuster “thieving Jews” [See here]. Nor does Rev. Jackson see much of an analogy between his own anti-Semitic statements and the bigoted statements made by Imus this week. Apparently, bigoted statements by Jackson are okay, if there is less of a pattern, or if they can be put in “context.”
Today Show's Meredith Vieira: ...Rev. Jackson, I apologize... you were running for President and you referred to New York City as "Hymietown,"... [See here].
But, most important of all, is that Rev. Jackson seems to think that Imus’ statement is not so much a problem as an opportunity. An opportunity for Jackson to get guaranteed jobs at MSNBC and perhaps other media outlets for African- Americans and Latinos—all under the guidance of Rev. Jackson.
As any good Chicago pol knows [and at heart, Rev. Jackson, is as much a pol as a member of the clergy], it’s all about the jobs and contracts. Who cares about Imus. It is about Jackson having some leverage to determine who hosts, writes for and produces network “news,” programs. And, so far, Imus will be happy to oblige Jackson, at least nominally, for Imus’ own program [See here].
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Rev. Jesse Jackson: …now the other side of it is that there is not one black or Latino host of a show on MSNBC, so there is no sense of balance, no sense of diversity in the programming options and so we could not settle just for the two week cooling off period [MSNBC’s and CBS’ announced two week suspension of Imus], we must now get a look at MSNBC’s hosts and writers and producers and the breadth of its news coverage.
David Gregory [MSNBC]: Well, you say that there isn’t any diversity on MSNBC. I don’t know that that’s quite a fair charge. There is certainly—in other words, there is not somebody who has a program like his—
Rev. Jesse Jackson: Is there a show on MSNBC hosted by a black?
David Gregory: Alison Stewart is one of our hosts- during the day—yes.
Rev. Jesse Jackson: Uh, name one. [Jackson apparently is not listening to Gregory]. There is Scarborough and there is you and there is Chris [Matthews] and there is not a single show on either network, I might add—MSNBC, CNN—All Day, all Night, all white. It is not fair. We deserve wide access to broaden and diversify more points of view. So, beyond, the aim of the Imus pattern of rather bigoted statements, there is the issue of fair access and that is for all people [but especially for those sponsored by Jackson] .
David Gregory: All right, I just want to point out that Allison Stewart is an African-American anchor at MSNBC TV. I don’t want that to be overlooked by you or anybody else, but nevertheless I think you are trying to make a different point about diversity at MSNBC.
Rev. Jesse Jackson: I am. Does he [sic] host a show? A show host has writers, producers, guests, content, you know we had Arsenio Hall on a night-time comedy show fifteen years ago; we had Max Robinson, the anchor for NBC News about five years ago. That doesn’t exist today. So, it really is a cry-out, really, for participation and for diversity which represents America, a very diverse population.
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Rev. Jesse Jackson interviewed by Host David Gregory, MSNBC’s Hardball, April 9, 2007
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What can Rev. Jackson get from MSNBC, CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX? For Rev. Jackson, the sky is the limit. Thank you Don Imus, says Rev. Jackson. In honor of Don Imus, Jackson will call his new shakedown of media, the Imus Media Project [“IMP”], similar to his La Salle St. Project.
Oh yes, it is all about diversity. Not ideological. Not racial. Not religious. No, Rev. Jackson has just diversified the portfolio of Jackson financial assets.
The Rutgers University female basketball team? Not to worry. Rev. Jackson no doubt has something for them, too.
Diversity is fine: Racial, religious, ideological, gender, sexual orientation. You just have to wonder if Rev. Jackson’s shakedown route is the best avenue to get society there.
******************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
*****************************************
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Rev. Jackson, of course, is upset with Don Imus’ bizarre, bigoted, bumbling characterization of the female Rutgers University basketball players. [See here] and here. But, look, Imus is a jerk who often makes dumb, stupid statements that reflect his various prejudices and broad-based lack of intelligence.
On the other hand, Rev. Jackson has, apparently, not been very upset about those prior statements that reflected, say, Imus’ anti-Semitism, e.g., Imus calling book publishers Simon & Schuster “thieving Jews” [See here]. Nor does Rev. Jackson see much of an analogy between his own anti-Semitic statements and the bigoted statements made by Imus this week. Apparently, bigoted statements by Jackson are okay, if there is less of a pattern, or if they can be put in “context.”
Today Show's Meredith Vieira: ...Rev. Jackson, I apologize... you were running for President and you referred to New York City as "Hymietown,"... [See here].
But, most important of all, is that Rev. Jackson seems to think that Imus’ statement is not so much a problem as an opportunity. An opportunity for Jackson to get guaranteed jobs at MSNBC and perhaps other media outlets for African- Americans and Latinos—all under the guidance of Rev. Jackson.
As any good Chicago pol knows [and at heart, Rev. Jackson, is as much a pol as a member of the clergy], it’s all about the jobs and contracts. Who cares about Imus. It is about Jackson having some leverage to determine who hosts, writes for and produces network “news,” programs. And, so far, Imus will be happy to oblige Jackson, at least nominally, for Imus’ own program [See here].
********************************************
Rev. Jesse Jackson: …now the other side of it is that there is not one black or Latino host of a show on MSNBC, so there is no sense of balance, no sense of diversity in the programming options and so we could not settle just for the two week cooling off period [MSNBC’s and CBS’ announced two week suspension of Imus], we must now get a look at MSNBC’s hosts and writers and producers and the breadth of its news coverage.
David Gregory [MSNBC]: Well, you say that there isn’t any diversity on MSNBC. I don’t know that that’s quite a fair charge. There is certainly—in other words, there is not somebody who has a program like his—
Rev. Jesse Jackson: Is there a show on MSNBC hosted by a black?
David Gregory: Alison Stewart is one of our hosts- during the day—yes.
Rev. Jesse Jackson: Uh, name one. [Jackson apparently is not listening to Gregory]. There is Scarborough and there is you and there is Chris [Matthews] and there is not a single show on either network, I might add—MSNBC, CNN—All Day, all Night, all white. It is not fair. We deserve wide access to broaden and diversify more points of view. So, beyond, the aim of the Imus pattern of rather bigoted statements, there is the issue of fair access and that is for all people [but especially for those sponsored by Jackson] .
David Gregory: All right, I just want to point out that Allison Stewart is an African-American anchor at MSNBC TV. I don’t want that to be overlooked by you or anybody else, but nevertheless I think you are trying to make a different point about diversity at MSNBC.
Rev. Jesse Jackson: I am. Does he [sic] host a show? A show host has writers, producers, guests, content, you know we had Arsenio Hall on a night-time comedy show fifteen years ago; we had Max Robinson, the anchor for NBC News about five years ago. That doesn’t exist today. So, it really is a cry-out, really, for participation and for diversity which represents America, a very diverse population.
************************************
Rev. Jesse Jackson interviewed by Host David Gregory, MSNBC’s Hardball, April 9, 2007
******************************************
What can Rev. Jackson get from MSNBC, CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX? For Rev. Jackson, the sky is the limit. Thank you Don Imus, says Rev. Jackson. In honor of Don Imus, Jackson will call his new shakedown of media, the Imus Media Project [“IMP”], similar to his La Salle St. Project.
Oh yes, it is all about diversity. Not ideological. Not racial. Not religious. No, Rev. Jackson has just diversified the portfolio of Jackson financial assets.
The Rutgers University female basketball team? Not to worry. Rev. Jackson no doubt has something for them, too.
Diversity is fine: Racial, religious, ideological, gender, sexual orientation. You just have to wonder if Rev. Jackson’s shakedown route is the best avenue to get society there.
******************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
*****************************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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