MSNBC President Griffin Says David Shuster Suspension “All About Loyalty”

exclusive

by Steve Krakauer | 7:01 pm, April 12th, 2010

» 12 comments

We published an email exchange Thursday night between MSNBC President Phil Griffin and a David Shuster fan about his anchor’s indefinite suspension.

Mediaite spoke exclusively with Griffin today about the reasons behind the suspension, emailing with viewers and more.

“I said all along that this was about loyalty and looking out for this network and not our competition,” Griffin told Mediaite, who said in an email Thursday afternoon (obtained by Mediaite today), “We don’t pay David to help CNN figure out how to beat us.”

“Really, what upset me about this whole thing was how unfair it was to people who were loyal to the company,” he said. “That’s at the heart of this thing, that’s what makes it so difficult to get beyond.”

Griffin said he had emailed with several viewers who reached out to him regarding Shuster, but “I don’t think I will anymore.” He told Mediaite, laughing, “I do like engaging our viewers, I don’t like it when they immediately direct it to you.”

We received the email correspondences by way of the Facebook group, “Punish David Shuster with his own show!” a fan group with 298 members and counting. Obviously, these viewers who have reached out to Griffin and the fans on Facebook are upset Shuster has been taken off MSNBC. “I am too,” said Griffin. “I’d prefer we weren’t in this situation.”

As for whether Shuster returns to MSNBC during the remainder of his contract, Griffin said, “Dave and I have to work that out.”

On one level, it’s refreshing to see the President of a company engage with its customers at such a personal level. Obviously, it wasn’t an easy decision to take a long-time employee who anchored 10+ hours a week off the air. Directly addressing it with fans is rare. With Shuster’s future at MSNBC up in the air, the next question becomes where he goes next – although since he’s under contract for the remainder of 2010, we may have to wait several months to get any answer.

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David Shuster, David Shuster suspension, msnbc, Phil Griffin

felixw

What ever happened to that huge story Shuster was covering about the new Watergate? As I recall, those guys were bugging government offices. And Shuster had rock solid evidence that Andrew Breitbart was funding the operation. Funny, I heard all about it on MSNBC, CNN and Mediaite…and then nothing more. Are those guys in prison now?
http://www.facebook.com/people/Gary-Stewart/1032630109 Gary Stewart

So why not ask Griffin where a reliable and dynamic anchor that he refuses to advance or give a branded show to, would go? It’s nice that Griffin gave you an exclusive, but if he’d honestly “prefer we weren’t in this situation,” he could remedy it simply by recalling Shuster.
TylerDurdin

Who really cares? Let both of them lose their souls.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Gary-Stewart/1032630109 Gary Stewart

Griffin is NOT demanding loyalty from his 600 “team members (what, did 100 of them jump ship between these emails and the one from later in the evening calling Shuster “Immoral?). He’s demanding loyalty from his progressive demographic by making sure those who can’t bear to watch the likes of Morning Joe, at very least have no acceptable option.
This isn’t between Griffin and Shuster. It’s between Griffin and progressives.
SteveMG

It”s hard to ask for loyalty from your people when your promote an Eliot Spitzer as a news anchor.

I mean MSNBC has dozens of hard-working and qualified journalists who’ve spent years crafting their trade and to bypass them and give the job to Spitzer is an insult.

And it has nothing – from my view – to do with Spitzer’s personal problems. It has everything to do with the fact that he has no qualifications for the job (although I do admit he wasn’t bad the short time I saw him).

Reward your people, Mr. Griffin. Loyalty goes both ways.

Or it should.
blueblogger

Spitzer wasn’t half bad and in fact I am tired of Dylan’s ranting and raving every day so Spitzer was a welcome relief for two days. As far as Shuster goes he needs to find another job anyway. MSNBC treated him like you know what. They tend to do that to their people as far as one can tell from watching. There a few good ones but the majority of their news people are not watchable (yes I made that word up). Olberman drew his pay for a year or more after he was fired from FOX and I would think David is also being paid. If he goes back there in the same capacity he is crazy. His wife was on the campaign trail all during the election and David worked hours and hours during the entire time. That has to be worth something. Oh well!!!

Another corporation that walks all over little people.
Jamestaylor

Loyalty? Loyalty? There hasn’t been loyalty in employment for years. Companies cut people at the drop of the hat and then reward the CEO’s for cutting costs. Employees leave companies everyday for better pay. Look at college football coaches.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Gary-Stewart/1032630109 Gary Stewart

@Jamestaylor:
but, but, but mediaite has pulled out the tiny violins for Griffin because he gave them an “exclusive” and the poor guy got harsh emails from irate fans. Damn these thoughtless media consumers and their loyaltys! It’s loyalty to the corporate overlords that is supposed to concern us. Not to the audience, or to journalism, itself.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Fred-C-Mark/1636011381 Fred C Mark

It’s over david!
http://www.facebook.com/people/Gary-Stewart/1032630109 Gary Stewart

It’s over, Phil! Progressive are loyal to our causes and working people, not suits. We value a strong work ethic, a good product (journalism) and fair play. You are not the protagonist here. You are the epitome of what corporate personhood has gotten us.
annejaa

There is no where loyalty today in employment because employees leave companies everyday for better pay and MSNBC has lots of hard-working and qualified journalists who are working for years crafting their trade and to bypass them to give them a better output.
acekard 2i
StewartIII

ChickaBOOMer| David Shuster: Dance With The One Who Brung You
http://chickaboomer.blogspot.com/2010/04/david-shuster-dance-with-one-who-brung.html