Comcast Apologizes To Reel Grrls Nonprofit Over Tweet Dust-Up

WASHINGTON -- Comcast has apologized to a Seattle nonprofit called Reel Grrls after an executive told the organization that Comcast would no longer fund it because of its Twitter post questioning Comcast's hiring of a member of the Federal Communications Commission.

Comcast said in a statement Thursday that the decision by Steve Kipp, a vice president of communications based near Seattle, was not authorized by the company and that corporate funding for Reel Grrls is "not in jeopardy."

"We sincerely apologize for the unauthorized action of our employee," the statement said. "This is not the way Comcast behaves toward its nonprofit partners."

Reel Grrls teaches cinematography, script writing and other media production skills to teenage girls.

Kipp was reacting to a tweet from Reel Grrls last week about FCC Commissioner Meredith Attwell Baker's plan to join Comcast as a lobbyist soon after voting to approve Comcast's takeover of NBC Universal.

The tweet said: "OMG! (at)FCC Commissioner Baker voted 2 approve Comcast/NBC merger & is now lving FCC for A JOB AT COMCAST?!?"

The FCC cleared the Comcast-NBC Universal deal in a 4-to-1 vote in January, and the deal closed that month.

Baker, one of two Republicans on the five-member FCC, plans to leave the agency next month to become senior vice president of government affairs for NBCUniversal.

Her move has been widely criticized by public interest groups, pundits and others who say it is a clear conflict of interest and a blatant example of the revolving door between government and corporate America.

Comcast has said it did not begin discussions with Baker about a possible job until after the NBCUniversal transaction closed.

In an email sent to Reel Grrls last week, Kipp explained that Comcast could not continue to support an organization that has criticized the company.

"I hope you can respect that this Tweet has put me in an indefensible position with my bosses," Kipp wrote. "I cannot continue to ask them to approve funding for Reel Grrls, knowing that the digital footprint your organization has created about Comcast is a negative one."

Reel Grrls welcomed Comcast's decision to back away from that position Thursday.

"We are pleased that the public debate on this issue has caused Comcast to reconsider this decision and hope to continue the discussion about how we can best ensure that corporations do not play a role in stifling free expression or limiting American's access to information," the organization said in a statement.

Comments

[JavaSavant]

09:16 PM on 05/20/2011

"Comcast has said it did not begin discussions with Baker about a possible job until after the NBCUniversal transaction closed."

As if anything needed to be said at all. There needs to be a 5 year moratorium preventing any regulator from working for any entity that they have overseen.

[Jimbo23]

02:24 PM on 05/20/2011

Does anyone really believe there was no communication RE: a possible future position at Comcast for her before the ruling? It's pretty hard to catch record of a "wink and a nod". As I understand it Conflict of Interest can be based only on the appearance of impropriety. I'd say there is definitely enough "apparent" conflict here even if they had no direct contact before the vote.

[cla65]

12:05 PM on 05/20/2011

It's only fair that comcast can do this. The problem is that they're not in the great pretenders pocket yet. After all, BO threatens all types of businesses and govts on a daily basis.

[mistercrispyusa]

11:13 AM on 05/20/2011

Just like a monolithic, faceless corporation. When they do something stupid, it's NEVER their fault. Some faceless, "unauthorized" executive did it. Nothing to see here, move along.

[the5thhorseman]

09:48 AM on 05/20/2011

Folks, these people in Seattle were just trying to shed a little light on Truth--that's why they got bit...and this is as blatant an example as possible illustrating the incestuous, Chutes N' Ladders relationship between the public/private sector, an institutional structure conceived, implemented, and sustained by moneypower to maintain the status quo, and keep profits high.
How there cannot be a rule in place forbidding this kind of thing is suspect. It's not feasible to have some kind of recusal policy in place...how do we know for/from whom someone is going to seek a future employment opportunity? The only logical choice is to establish a predetermined temporal period preventing any kind of relationship of employment between said parties. And it only works if it's for an extended period of time, minimum 2-3 years. Something like this exists for relationships regarding lobbyists, congressional members and staff, etc., (not that it seems to have helped the people it was designed to help-taxpayers).
This kind of unchecked behavior has led to the disintegration of faith by the American public in our elected political leaders, and appointed societal leaders. It is factual proof that capitalism in this country has run amuck. Further deregulation, tax subsidies, and laissez faire economic policy initiatives will continue to further degrade the quality of life in this country.
My Country Tis Of Me (Long Live Mustaine)

[Reticent2]

09:08 AM on 05/20/2011

Comcast is the WORST monopoly ever to exist. They operate with impunity, have sloppy and irresponsible business practices, and have no long term vision for the "industry" other than the biggest profit turn out possible.

[lamplighter55]

08:09 AM on 05/20/2011

"Comcast has said it did not begin discussions with Baker about a possible job until after the NBCUniversal transaction closed." should be changed.

It should read "Comcast has said it did not begin [formal] discussions with Baker about a possible job until after the NBCUniversal transaction closed."

[apathyman]

12:22 AM on 05/20/2011

Today's lesson from our corporate sponsor. Toe the line or we'll take our money away from you.

[pjwrites]

05:29 AM on 05/20/2011

That's already happened.

[stepintothelight]

11:35 PM on 05/19/2011

This is why government support of non profits has turned into a joke. They fund only to the extent of control!!!

Art for OUR sake it smells like!!!

[apathyman]

12:19 AM on 05/20/2011

I don't know if anyone pointed this out to you, but Comcast is a private corporation

[Chitown HOUSE]

09:19 AM on 05/20/2011

look everyone, the corporate apologists took enough time to remove the corpballs from his throat to say something.

[stepintothelight]

09:54 AM on 05/20/2011

With no Government ties ..... right???

[Freidhiem]

09:58 PM on 05/19/2011

Comcast needs to be taken apart piece by piece. Sent through comcast high speed internet.

[LuLou Murder]

07:48 PM on 05/19/2011

Golf clap. Kabletown can't help itself, can they?