Keith Olbermann, No Longer Afraid Of Corporate Parent Interference, Willing To Talk On Air About PIPA/SOPA

from the stand-up-to-the-man dept

We've noted widespread, mainstream media coverage of the massive problems with both SOPA and PIPA (PROTECT IP). With papers like the NY Times and the LA Times coming out against SOPA, this isn't just a fringe issue any more. But you know where it's been almost totally absent? TV news. In particular, cable news has been totally ignoring the concerns with the bill. Want to take a guess as to why? Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that all of the big TV news channels -- Fox News, MSNBC and CNN -- happen to be owned by the very companies that are the biggest supporters of this bill. NBC Universal, of course, has been making a big push to get the bills approved. Think they would allow SOPA/PIPA criticism on the air?

So, it's interesting to see that someone who is willing to discuss this issue on TV is Keith Olbermann. Love him or hate him (and I recognize the strong emotional feelings he brings out in people), he's still a big name in TV news... just not on one of the big channels any more. As you may recall, he had a bit of a "falling out" with MSNBC. One of the points he made when he signed on with Current TV was that he constantly felt some pressure not to piss off corporate ownership:

During the conference call, Olbermann acknowledged another upside in his new arrangement: not being tied to a larger corporation like Comcast or G.E. Olbermann said the “purity of this operation” is that he doesn’t have to worry about whether what he says on air will affect the conglomerate's other non-news businesses.

"There is nothing on my shoulder other than getting the best news, information and commentary show on the air every day," Olbermann said, adding later that in writing practice shows, "I’ve stopped myself from stopping myself."

Thus, it should come as no surprise that while the big cable channels seem to have a blackout on anything criticizing these bills, Olbermann had Senator Wyden come on to discuss the problems with the bill, as well as some of Wyden's suggestions for ways to fix the bill. Wyden also noted that he's working on a bipartisan alternative bill that doesn't involve censorship or breaking fundamental tenets of the internet, and which (hopefully) won't hold back innovation online. We'll certainly be interested to see what he comes up with.

Either way, it kind of makes you wonder how much longer the big cable news channels can continue to ignore the story... and what that says about the editorial independence of their reporters and commentators. Still, the message should be loud and clear for those working at any of those stations: if your corporate bosses get pissed off at you for challenging them on SOPA/PIPA... the internet will be quite happy to embrace you.

Filed Under: journalism, keith olbermann, pipa, protect ip, ron wyden, sopa
Companies: nbc universal