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| Olbermann |
Possibly overriding that, however, is the policy's guidance on avoiding conflicts of interest: "A 'conflict of interest' exists when a person’s private interest interferes in any way with the interests of the company. A conflict situation can arise when a director, officer or employee takes actions or has interests that may make it difficult to perform his or her company work objectively and effectively."
That would apply especially to editorial employees such as Olbermann, who can influence news content of newspapers, TV stations and websites. An example: A reporter who writes about politics might be perceived as biased if they gave money to one political party over another.
Gifts by GCI execs
Campaign contributions are a matter of public record under federal election law. That's how I found the following donations by GCI executives to candidates and groups active in politics. These are some of the biggest contributions made during the 2007-2008 and 2009-2010 federal campaigns, according to the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks such donations. (Donor lookup tool.)
Kurt Wimmer, then-General Counsel
Recipient: Barack Obama. Date of contribution: 3/17/07. Amount: $4,600. Rick Boucher of Virginia (Democrat): 2/26/07, $500.
Lynn Beall, broadcasting executive
National Association of Broadcasters: 12/19/07, $2,500; 8/18/08, $2,500; 10/16/09, $2,500.
Chris Saridakis, then-Chief Digital Officer
Michael Castle of Delaware (R): 2/18/10, $2,400; 12/9/09, $1,000.
Dave Lougee, Broadcasting President
National Association of Broadcasters: 8/18/10, $1,000; 12/2/09, $1,000; 6/9/08, $500.
Michael Maness, design and innovation executive
Obama: 9/25/08, $1,000. Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee: 3/22/10, $250
Doug McCorkindale, retired Chairman and CEO
Ben Quayle of Arizona (R): 5/18/10, $1,000
Note: These are contributions only to federal campaigns such as for president or Congress; they don't include those for governor or other state or local offices. I couldn't find any gifts during those elections by CEO Craig Dubow, Chief Operating Officer Gracia Martore, or U.S. newspaper division President Bob Dickey. Also, my search today didn't include members of the board of directors.
As a shareholder in December 2008, I filed a complaint with the board of directors in which I asserted CEO Dubow had violated the company's ethics policy over his management of the Gannett Foundation. In particular, I cited the company's failure to disclose to federal regulators an executive benefit under which Dubow and other top executives could earmark foundation money for charity. The benefit was not disclosed in the compensation section of the annual proxy report to shareholders.
ReplyDeleteThe board referred my complaint to an outside law firm, which found in favor of Dubow and the company. However, the next proxy report with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission after my complaint disclosed the benefit. Coincidence? I don't know.
If it is not a part of the contract that employees of Gannett shall not make contributions to politicians, then this post has no meaning.
ReplyDeleteApparently, it was part of the contract of Keith Olberman that he shall not make political contributions. Nobody said that Keith Olberman could not make political contributions. It was said that he could not be employed at NBC if he did.
No. As I wrote, MSNBC employees such as Olbermann can make political contributions, but only after getting permission first.
ReplyDeleteOlbermann broke a rule of his employee. I don't like the rule, so I'd probably choose not to work there or choose to have a relative make my political donations for me.
ReplyDeleteThe donors at Gannett didn't break any rules, it doesn't look like, when they contributed to political causes.
Now Dubow is quite another story. He, it appears, broke Gannett's rules and got by with it. That's horrible, but not surprising.
I suspect KO threw himself under the bus on purpose, to draw attention to the fact that most legitimate news organizations expect some separation between news gatherers and those they cover - unlike his nemesis Fox.
ReplyDeleteThe question is whether Gannett -- as a supposed news organization -- should have such a rule in place ... at least for employees working as journalists.
ReplyDeleteIt figures that McCorkindale would donate to Ben Quayle. Quayle's only experience, before being elected to Congress, was writing for an adult themed, misogynistic website called DirtyScottsdale (now "covering" more than Scottsdale and called just "thedirty.com"). He was so proud of his work he used the pen name "Brock Landers." I am not making this up.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure McCorkindale sees in Brock Landers the kind of wordsmith work he wants to see at Gannett. Brock's most quotable passage? "My moral compass is so broken I can't find the parking lot." This is the kind of person we Arizonans elected to Congress this year.
"My moral compass is so broken I can't find the parking lot." Sounds like the leadership of Gannett, too. LOL!
ReplyDeleteWonder if that native Hoosier can spell P-O-T-A-T-O-E?
ReplyDeleteOn the topic, I see no problem with Gannett retirees donating to politicians. It's the journalists that I think should think twice before making donations.