I won't say Comcast had a hand in Keith Olbermann's firing, that's unknown. But, I wonder if Comcast would've tolerated his long running feud with Bill O'Reilly and Fox.
Barry Nolan, who worked for Comcast's Boston CH8, was appalled that the local chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences was going to give its Governor's Award to Bill O'Reilly.
"He’s delusional," Nolan said of O’Reilly. "He's a man that mangles the facts. He inflates and constantly mangles the truth, and his frequent target is the 'left-leaning' media — the ones who do report the news fairly."
He went to the event and handed out fliers -- 6 pages of Bill-O's outrageous statements, plus excerpts from his sexual harassment suit.
O'Reilly sent a letter to Comcast's CEO, Brian Roberts, reminding him of their common business interests.
"We at The O’Reilly Factor have always considered Comcast to be an excellent business partner and I believe the same holds true for the entire Fox News Channel. Therefore, it was puzzling to see a Comcast employee, Barry Nolan, use Comcast corporate assets to attack me and FNC." Telling the Comcast CEO that Nolan had attended the Emmy Awards "in conjunction with Comcast."
Nolan was suspended 2 days after the event and fired a week later.
Other documents, however, filed in connection with Nolan’s lawsuit strongly suggest that O’Reilly’s letter to Roberts was a key factor in his firing. Once Comcast was in receipt of the O’Reilly letter, e-mails, talking points, and memos went flying from one jittery Comcast executive to another. Should they call O’Reilly? Who should call? Should they send a letter? Who should draft it? Who should sign it? And don’t forget to CC Roger Ailes. Roberts himself was very much in the loop, but waited until May 22—two days after Nolan’s firing—to send O’Reilly an apology letter of his own.
Nolan filed a wrongful termination lawsuit (he lost). His lawyers extracted this written reason for the firing from Comcast:
… Mr. Nolan’s protest at the NATAS Award Ceremony and of William O’Reilly as the recipient of the Governor’s Award jeopardized and harmed the business and economic interests of Comcast in connection with its contract with Fox News Channel, and its contract negotiations with Fox News that were ongoing at the time.
The O’Reilly Factor - How the Fox host used raw corporate power to crush a criticBarry Nolan - The Story Behind My O’Reilly ProtestNolan tangled with O'Reilly/Fox and lost. Olbermann got away with it (but not without causing
acrimonious battles between GE and Fox execs). He had the juice to prevail.... and he didn't work for Comcast.
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