Some On CNN Panel Think MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell Attacking NBC Was For Publicity

On Reliable Sources, host Howard Kurtz was eager to praise MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell for taking on NBC (his boss) and demanding to know from them what Donald Trump‘s future plans were. However, two journalists on Kurtz’s panel warned him that even if O’Donnell was sincere, his outage could be viewed as a tactic to generate publicity.

Kurtz concluded, “I give O’Donnell credit, it’s not the easiest thing in the world to go on, look into that camera and blast your own network.” Yet Terence Smith argued, “taking on his own network is – I have to admit – also a very good way to draw attention to yourself.” And Chip Reid agreed with Smith that O’Donnell’s tactic is win-win for everyone. O’Donnell can be viewed as courageous for something he feels strongly about, and it earns Trump and NBC more buzz in the process.

Kurtz wondered if his guests were being overly cynical, since he claimed he spoke to O’Donnell when he wasn’t in front of a camera and that O’Donnell felt just as strongly. Yet in today’s environment, where Trump has learned the more he promotes himself and the more fights he starts, the more headlines he gets, it certainly isn’t bad business for a cable news host to attempt to do the same.

Watch the clip from CNN below:

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!