Changes
On January 28, 2011 Comcast, America's largest cable operator, purchased NBC Universal, which includes MSNBC, from former parent company General Electric.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/01/business/media/01deal.html New York Times; With Deal, G.E. Clears Path to Sale of NBC]</ref><ref>[http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20101028/ARTICLE/10281045/2055/NEWS?p=2&tc=pg Sarasota Herald-Tribune; Corporate Report]</ref><ref>http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/done-deal-fcc-department-of-justice-approve-comcast-nbc-universal-acquisition_b48942</ref> Comcast acquired a 51-percent stake in NBC Universal, creating a $30-billion business that would include broadcast, cable networks, movie studios and theme parks.<ref>http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110118/bs_nm/us_nbc_comcast_13</ref> Some liberals fear that Comcast might turn into a more conservative outlet.<ref>http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2010/11/09/socialist-senator-wants-comcast-nbc-deal-blocked-due-olbermanns-suspe</ref><ref>http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/11/6/145630/235</ref> Some critics and supporters of [[Keith Olbermann]] blame Comcast for his firing from MSNBC. In addition, on July 2012, Microsoft also dropped MSNBC from its ownership, although it was still allowed to retain the name.<ref>https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/15/microsoft-nbc-news-dissolve-msnbc-joint-venture_n_1675071.html</ref><ref>{{cite news | first=Brian | last=Stelter | date=July 15, 2012 | title=Microsoft and NBC Complete Web Divorce | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/16/business/media/msnbccom-renamed-nbcnewscom-as-microsoft-and-nbc-divorce.html | work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>
MSNBC is blatantly [[Communist]]. One of their anchors, [[Melissa Harris-Perry]], was featured in an MSNBC promotional video explaining that children "belong to whole communities" instead of their parents.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2013/04/09/critics-slam-msnbc-hosts-claim-that-kids-belong-to-community-not-parents/</ref> The promo is part of the Marxist "Forward" (MSNBC refers to it as "Lean Forward") campaign that has been going on since the late 19th century.<ref>https://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2012/apr/30/new-obama-slogan-has-long-ties-marxism-socialism/</ref>
===DNC handmaid===
MSNBC has been criticized regarding the channel's [[liberal]] slant. The media watchdog group the Media Research Center<ref>[http://www.mediaresearch.org/about/aboutwelcome.asp About Media Research Center] www.mediaresearch.org</ref> has cited MSNBC shows by [[Keith Olbermann]], [[Dan Abrams]] and [[Chris Matthews]] in its criticism of the network's biased reporting. Among the networks network's daily lineup, liberals include Matthews, [[Rachel Maddow]], [[Melissa Harris-Perry]], [[Lawrence O'Donnell]], and [[Chris Hayes]]. [[Joe Scarborough]], a liberal-leaning RINO Republican who was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Florida, is purported to be the sole conservative voice with a show on the network. Having several liberals and one RINO is clearly not balanced.
Olbermann has denounced President [[George W. Bush|Bush]] and the [[Republican Party]], calling the latter a "terrorist organization". He has called on President Bush and Vice President [[Dick Cheney|Cheney]] to resign.<ref>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19588942/</ref>
Olbermann has conducted post-debate interviews of Republican presidential candidates and led live coverage of presidential primaries. In the February 2008 issue of ''Men's Journal'' magazine, a senior executive at MSNBC stated that Olbermann "runs MSNBC" and that "because of his success, he's in charge" of the network.<ref>http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/msnbc/olbermann_talks_office_politics_other_politics_74648.asp</ref> Olbermann has since left the network and returned to sports journalism at [[ESPN]]
The [[left-wing]] advocacy group Media Matters for America<ref>[http://mediamatters.org/ Media Matters for America homepage] www.mediamatters.org</ref> has criticized the MSNBC's commitment to promoting a left-wing agenda since the channel has had shows hosted by [[Libertarian|left-libertarian]] [[Tucker Carlson]] and former moderate [[Republican]] Congressman [[Joe Scarborough]]. Ironically, on August 16, 2007 , Scarborough revealed an incident in which people in the MSNBC newsroom ceaselessly booed [[President of the United States|President]] [[George W. Bush|Bush]] during a State of the Union address.<ref>http://newsbusters.org/node/14899/print</ref>
[[Image:Msnbc dem.jpg|right|150px]]
In the past, MSNBC shows have featured [[Mitch Albom]], [[Ann Coulter]], [[Phil Donahue]], [[Bill Moyers]], [[Maury Povich]], and [[Michael Savage]], among others. That varied programming was gradually reduced as MSNBC veered more [[leftist]] in its point-of-view. Among MSNBC's 2008 lineup, [[Patrick Buchanan]] was perhaps the most conservative voice.
In July 2013, former MSNBC senior producer Jeff Cohen attacked MSNBC for being what he called the “official network of the [[Obama]] White House.” <ref>https://www.breitbart.com/Big-Journalism/2013/07/08/former-producer-rips-msnbc-as-obamas-official-network</ref>
MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace accused [[President Donald Trump]] of "talking about about exterminating Latinos" during a Monday episode of ''Deadline: White House''.<ref>https://freebeacon.com/politics/msnbcs-nicolle-wallace-trump-talking-about-exterminating-latinos/</ref>
===The MSNBC – White House connection===
===The MSNBC – Media Matters connection===
[[Media Matters for America]] is a very popular source of information within MSNBC's prime time lineup. Some might argue MSNBC is a de facto mouth piece mouthpiece for the organization.<ref>[http://bigjournalism.com/sright/2011/07/12/media-matters-propaganda-watch-the-tax-exempt-research-department-of-msnbc-martin-bashir-edition/ Media Matters Propaganda Watch: The Tax-Exempt Research Department of MSNBC, Martin Bashir Edition]</ref> In prime time primetime alone, since 2005 Media Matters has either been booked as a guest and/or mentioned on the network nearly 200 times. Media Matters has been particularly popular with MSNBC's producers during the last 2 years.
Below are some interesting tid bits about Media Matters and its growing relationship with MSNBC's prime time programming:
* 197 guest appearances and/or on-air mentions on MSNBC's prime time since January 2005
* Of the roughly 390 broadcast evenings on MSNBC since July 2010, Media Matters has either been booked as a guest and/or mentioned on -air 26% of the possible broadcast evenings (1 out of every 4 days).
* In 2011, on average, a Media Matters representative appeared on MSNBC at least once per week
* Eric Boehlert has been the most popular Media Matters representative on MSNBC, accounting for 43% of all Media Matters appearances on the cable network
==References==
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[[Category:Media]]
