NB Publisher Bozell to Comcast Chairman: Time to Clean House at MSNBC

Editor's Note: What follows is a letter sent by Mr. Bozell to Comcast Chairman Brian L. Roberts earlier today.

Dear Mr. Roberts,

By now, you are well aware of the Media Research Center’s (MRC) concerns with MSNBC.  Last week, I wrote letters to both you and Mr. Griffin asking for Ed Schultz’s termination because of highly controversial and deplorable comments he routinely makes about women and conservatives. Yesterday, I posted an open letter to Mr. Griffin about equally controversial and appalling comments made by Al Sharpton; comments that are blatantly racist and xenophobic, and which in one instance led to the death of an innocent bystander.

Because of these well documented instances of unacceptable comments made by both Sharpton and Schultz, I have called for their termination.  I have also called for Mr. Griffin to resign as president of MSNBC.  In my March 15 letter I called on you to clean house at MSNBC.

As unrealistic as it may appear, perhaps it is the case that you were unaware of their statements. Now you know. Why, then, after all the evidence we have provided on Ed Schultz and Al Sharpton’s unacceptable track record, have you done nothing?  Why are mudslingers like Schultz and Sharpton still at MSNBC, when there are thousands of promising, talented young journalists who would objectively report on the big news of the day?  

Because of your silence, I can only assume you think we will cease our efforts.  And/or you agree with Al Sharpton’s and Ed Schultz’s racist, xenophobic, and misogynistic bombast.

Let me assure you, we will not stop our campaign to hold MSNBC responsible for disseminating hate.  You would be well advised to consider the impact this campaign will have on Comcast’s reputation, as well as the reputation of Comcast’s subsidiaries, such as NBC. Comcast owns MSNBC. You own the content. Take responsibility for it.

Do you agree with the hateful remarks made by Ed Schultz (here is our most recent letter about him)?

Do you agree with the racist remarks made by Al Sharpton (here is our most letter about him)

Let me allow you to set the record straight. Your response will be reprinted, in full.

If you choose not to respond, I will assume you, along with Al Sharpton, think that it is okay to throw around the N word.  I will assume that you agree with Ed Schultz that women who disagree with you are “sluts.”   I will assume that you agree with all the other hate filled rhetoric these hate mongers spew on a regular basis.

As the Chairman of MSNBC’s parent company, Comcast, you are ultimately responsible for Ed Schultz’s and Al Sharpton’s unhinged and uncivil tirades. Ed Schultz and Al Sharpton have been at the forefront of a breathtakingly disingenuous and hypocritical campaign to fire Rush Limbaugh over controversial comments he made about Georgetown Law student and leftwing activist Sandra Fluke. For two of the most vicious and vulgar MSNBC hosts to declare war on Rush Limbaugh over a remark he later apologized for, pushes the limits of hypocrisy.

Mr. Roberts, the ball is in your court. So far, Phil Griffin refuses to take responsibility for his hires. As the chairman of Comcast, I hope that you would agree that Comcast should not give a platform to rabble rousers like Al Sharpton and Ed Schultz to engage in slander, hate, and divisiveness.

I want to give you another opportunity to do the right thing on behalf of your board and your shareholders and immediately ask for Phil Griffin’s resignation. By hiring and promoting unhinged, unrepentant hatemongers, Mr. Griffin has demonstrated beyond any doubt that he is unfit to oversee a news network.

You are welcome to set the record straight about any of the issues we raised at any time.  I will post your comments on MRC’s website.  However, at this point, since I have not heard from you I am taking my message directly to Comcast’s Board of Directors.  They will soon hear from the hundreds of thousands of Americans who agree with me that hate speech from the likes of Ed Schultz and Al Sharpton has no place in a news organization.

Sincerely,

L. Brent Bozell III
Founder and President
Media Research Center