Kurtz: Vicious Infighting at NBC News (re: Olbermann)

Vicious Infighting at NBC News
by Howard Kurtz
Howard Kurtz is The Daily Beast's Washington bureau chief.

Keith Olbermann was having dinner with his manager at an Upper East Side restaurant, chewing over their battle to lift his suspension at MSNBC, when Phil Griffin called. Michael Price stepped out of the Atlantic Grill to talk to MSNBC’s president, leaving his client with a platter of 18 oysters. It was Sunday, Nov. 7, and Price informed Griffin that if they couldn’t resolve their differences quickly, Olbermann would take his complaints public by accepting invitations from Good Morning America, David Letterman, and Larry King.

Keith Olbermann was having dinner with his manager at an Upper East Side restaurant, chewing over their battle to lift his suspension at MSNBC, when Phil Griffin called. Michael Price stepped out of the Atlantic Grill to talk to MSNBC’s president, leaving his client with a platter of 18 oysters. It was Sunday, Nov. 7, and Price informed Griffin that if they couldn’t resolve their differences quickly, Olbermann would take his complaints public by accepting invitations from Good Morning America, David Letterman, and Larry King.

“Why are you putting us in the position where you’re daring us to do this?” Price demanded, his voice rising. “If you go on GMA, I will fire Keith,” Griffin shot back. Such a move was clearly grounds for dismissal.

. . .

Even those who admired Olbermann’s broadcasting skills felt that his behavior, such as making his staff leave notes outside his door rather than speaking to him, had gone too far. He was a royal pain, they said, and management had become exhausted trying to rein him in.

. . .

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-11-14/keith-olbermanns-civil-war-with-nbc-executives-over-campaign-donations/?cid=hp:mainpromo4