Jeff Zucker, Top NBC Brass Concerned About CNBC's "Conservative," "Anti-Obama" Image: Report

The New York Post's Page Six reports Thursday that GE and NBC execs are worried about the CNBC becoming the "Obama-bashing network," and that they recently held a top secret dinner in New York to discuss the topic.

Page Six reports that CNBC execs and some on-air talent were called to meet with GE CEO Jeff Immelt and NBC Universal President Jeff Zucker for "an intensive, three-hour dinner at 30 Rock." According to Page Six's source, Zucker himself called the dinner, which featured "a long discussion about whether CNBC has become too conservative and is beating up on Obama too much."

In the past few months, two on-air personalities — "Mad Money" host Jim Cramer and correspondent Rick Santelli — have come under fire in the media and have come to define the CNBC brand.

Cramer, for instance, said President Obama was "taking cues from Lenin" and accused him of the "greatest wealth-destruction I've seen by a President."

Santelli, of course, helped spawn the "tea party" movement with his February rant against President Obama's foreclosure plan.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs has taken on CNBC, and Santelli directly, over the course of this extended fight.

Zucker came out in defense of Cramer after he was hammered by Jon Stewart on "The Daily Show," calling Stewart "incredibly unfair."

CNBC's Brian Steel confirmed that there was a dinner but denied that it was for the purpose of network soul-searching, telling Page Six instead:

"The dinner was to thank CNBC for a job well done in our in-depth reporting throughout the financial crisis. As far as our coverage is concerned, we are built for balance and we are unabashedly pro-investor."

Compiled by Danny Shea

Comments

[bigmacha]

Zucker's defense of Cramer is as bogus as Cramer (I hope NBC and GE are reading these blogs/comments). What is unfair about playing back Cramer's very own words? It seems to me that NBC has been doing this (playing back someone's words in an interview) for oh, about 50 years or so - it is called MEET THE PRESS ! Zucker - you don't even know what your own network is doing - are you sleeping in on Sunday morning?



NBC - a General Electric property - established this concept of having an interviewee comment on his own words. Tim Russert was the past master of this. I believe that Zucker was at Russert's memorial (or should have been) and he easily should understand this concept.

Whining and complaining because one of your "stars" has gone off the reservation is very juvenile - grow up NBC or is it too late?

[bigmacha]

Zucker's defense of Cramer is as bogus as Cramer (I hope NBC and GE are reading these blogs/comments). What is unfair about playing back Cramer's very own words? It seems to me that NBC has been doing this (playing back someone's words in an interview) for oh, about 50 years or so - it is called MEET THE PRESS ! Zucker you are as big a dummy as Cramer because you don't even know what your own network is doing - are you sleeping in on Sunday morning or just hung-over?

NBC - a General Electric property - established this concept of having an interviewee comment on his own words. Tim Russert was the past master of this. I believe that Zucker was at Russert's memorial (or should have been) and he easily should understand this concept.

Whining and complaining because one of your "stars" has gone off the reservation is very juvenile - grow up NBC or is it too late? The problem with CNBC - if you had been paying attention - is that they have been the hand maiden of Wall Street for the last 20 years. CNBC fawns and preens over its interviewees and endlessly repeats whatever tripe the Street hands out. As I am a Street veteran it was an open joke that CNBC was the Street's pipeline to Main Street - whatever crap you wanted to get Main Street to buy (research, IPOs, etc) you just shoved down the CNBC pipe and force fed

[Mickey7]

CNBC is bad at what they do and that's why they're failing. They had one job--provide analysis and in-depth reporting on financial issues. Instead they 'palled around' with corporate criminals and supported the system that resulted in the current financial mess. Once their perfidy was discovered, they had the gall to get defensive and try to distract viewers with fake 'tea party' movements (exposed as the right wing corporate baloney that they were) and ridiculous "nobody could have known" excuses. NBC should be scared. By demonst rating they were willing to allow CNBC to operate sans even basic standards for journalist integrity, they sullied the reputation of their entire organization.

[flossophy]

Isn't it interesting that all the major news networks are failing... except for Fox. Their earnings and audience are growing.

Perhaps people want a more accurate take on the world... the left's narrative of current events is not very informative, and dangerous when it doesn't vet a presidential candidate very well.

[Mickey7]

Did you miss the headline and point of this article? CNBC is concerned about losing their credibility because of their conservative bias, not their "left narrative." I'll give you a "growing audience," thanks in large part to Glenn Beck. He has brought in some viewers to be sure, but that's hardly due to his incisive analysis and informative commentary. I've recently become a devotee myself because it isn't often you get to see real-time descent into serious mental illness on national TV. Watching Mr. Beck's (and other Fox luminaries) contorted logic, sudden emotional outbursts and fits of outright paranoia is instructive--not for his take on current events, though. It is instead a priceless educational opportunity for students of aberrant psychology, who no doubt make up a good portion of his new and growing audience.

The right's narrative of events has been pretty lousy since the inception of Fox News. The entry of Fox into the national media market marks the first time an entire national news organization devoted itself to abetting lying and law breaking in the highest office in the land. Not sure I'd be so quick to hold them up as standard bearers for responsible, informative journalism.

[auburnmrj]

"abetting lying and law breaking..."

I love it when absurdly left people who are laughably inept at understanding legal and political matters say things like this.

As for the subject of the article, Zucker should worry about growing conservative association. They've worked hard to make MSNBC into the radical, credibility-lacking entity that it is.

[nana4g]

This is the last place I go, in fact I do NOT go to, for financial info with which to make a decision. They are entirely too emotional, too subjective, to off the wall. They are in worse shape over there than those of us who are trying to live with this meltdown. They are cracking up more over there than we are. It would be insane for anyone to try and use any advise they might offer, inbetween their emotional meltdowns and ranting raves.

This is not a credible financial news network.

[sueno]

This is not about "Obama"!
This is about the lack of "qualified" staff on CNBC!
I just watched Cramer "screaming & "bug-eyed"
yelling about 401k's, this has to stop.
This is about confidence in CNBC as a network-

[HighPlainsJoker]

Cramer was a farce first time I saw him. How could any rational investor see his show and follow his advice? Now he is desperate to save his show and his dignity. Jon did well to dispose of most of the latter.

CNBC is shown in Europe, one of few English language stations. I started to watch it about two months ago. Hey, its late night poker show ain't bad. Seems they are big into betting and casinos, early and late.

[ccsammy]

CNBC FIRE CRAmwer and Rick santelli Jim Keren from Squwak box Obama cutters also the bald man on squwak box is a Obama slammed too .didnt your rating go low enoubn fire Santelli and the rest Santeklli is a joe of hte week speakingfor Bush Library lost cause judge ruled again bushs whole project

[larmar]

CNBC should be totally dismantled.

[jimrs6]

Increased ratings are against the strategic direction of NBC

[Bankenstein]

That's because NBC would much rather report the news than employ publicity stunts for a mere ratings boost!

[marka]

I used to watch CNBC regularly. I had to screen out all of the right-wing propaganda to do so--but I did watch. After a time I grew tired of hearing such a one-sided workd view and had to give it up. I bet that I'm not alone. Their ratings won't improve trying to be Fox lite. I think that they are slowly getting the message.

[billw8017]

The mainstream media plays to business interests just as the politicians do and for the same reasons. Business funds them. In point of fact, the United States is a representative democracy and business people are citizens, too. Their voices deserve to be heard. Many business people are well intentioned, smart, and patriotic.

The national Republicans, Chambers of Commerce and Industry, right wing think tanks like Cato and Heritage, and entertainers like Russ and Hannity go beyond reason to play up their love for business. They are like the kids described in Freekonomics who become violent killers in order to make a name and advance in the organization.Who they shoot is not so significant as their willingness to kill for the firm. Sensible people will call them outlaws.

Boring facts and reality will rear their "ugly heads." You can get away with being evil, but stupidity will be punished bye and bye.

[jk4]

I used to think I could at least watch MSNBC at night, but last night, Chris Matthews called Sean Hannity one of his good friends. How can any sane news person consider Hannity a friend? Now, I am left with Ed Schultz, Rachel Maddow, and Keith Olbermann. If Olbermann were ever to leave, I would completely drop the NBC news programs from my viewing. Even our local NBC affiliate in Madison played to the Tea Party nuts while the CBS affiliate provided straight coverage and pointed out that the tea parties were promoted by FOX. NBC has dropped a long way from the days of Huntley and Brinkley.

[Antifascist-08]

CNBC "business" news = how to gamble at the Wall St. Casino.

[Antifascist-08]

So, after encouraging their people to do this stuff, they are now seeing the results of their work and have had second thoughts? And maybe they are going to want some bailout money?

I'm SOOOO encouraged by the new morality at GE/CNBC.