NBC boss: Jon Stewart's criticism absurd, unfair

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Source: Reuters

NBC Universal Chief Executive Jeff Zucker fired back at comedian Jon Stewart on Wednesday, saying it was "unfair" and "absurd" for the funnyman to criticize CNBC and question its coverage of financial news.

"Everybody wants to find a scapegoat. That's human nature," Zucker said during a keynote address at a media industry conference. "But to suggest that the business media or CNBC was responsible for what is going on now is absurd."

"Just because someone who mocks authority says something doesn't make it so," Zucker said, describing the comedian's comments as "completely out of line."
...
"TERRIFIC" JOB

Zucker, speaking at the McGraw-Hill Media Summit in New York on Wednesday, said that CNBC's reporters and commentators had done a "terrific" job and the network remained a "go-to" place for financial news.

"It's unfair to CNBC and to the business media in general," Zucker said. "I don't think you can blame what happened here on the business media."

The CEO of NBC Universal, which also owns the NBC broadcast network, cable channels like Bravo and USA, theme parks and a film studio, among other businesses, said the public was tired of hearing the media blamed for its coverage of financial news.

"Frankly, I already think you're seeing a backlash," he said.

Zucker also noted that the financial crisis has bolstered CNBC's audience ratings, and said he expected viewers to stick with the cable network even if the economy remains mired in recession.

"When there is a lot of red on the screen, historically people don't want to watch that," he said. "That is absolutely not the case this time. I don't think this is like those other times."

Read more: http://tv.yahoo.com/contributor/48520/news/urn:newsml:tv.reuters.com:20090318:us_nbc_jonstewart__ER:58578

[MichiganVote]

1. Another executive bully who doesn't deserve a bonus.

[SkyDaddy7]

2. WHAT?

Jon Stewart did not blame CNBC for the mess he blamed CNBC for not reporting the mess which is exactly what Financial News is suppose to do, right?

[Tempest]

3. There's a backlash all right, against CNBC

Their ratings have been dropping since this dust up with Stewart started while his ratings have gone up.

[skooooo]

4. Oh wow..at first I was thinking...

I HOPE JON'S NOT IN TROUBLE!

Then I realized -- NBC does not own Comedy Central (yet). Isn't that awful, when your unconscious assumption is that everything is owned by GE?

[christx30]

30. I wouldn't say it's aweful

I would say it's almost expected. It's not exactly a small, plucky start up.

[tomreedtoon]

5. So...will Stewart now take on Zucker and the rest of NBC?

Seems like they deserve it, don't they? And it's not like NBC News is all that free of bias either.

The question is, will Stewart buckle under corporate and economic pressure? Like Olbelmann did?

[demoborn47]

6. Hey Zucker

FUCK YOU!!! (taking a cue from Jon himself, I won't take all the credit for those words :)

[Jefferson23]

7. I think Zucker may regret this, the Cramer thing was going away and

now this, lol. Stewarts ratings will be on the rise again. I say go for it Jon!

[The Hope Mobile]

14. Sounds right to me!

[wackywaggin]

8. Keep fooling yourself Zucker!!

You and the rest of the cabel of theives and tramps at CNBC will be irrelevant within a few years.

:smoke:

[sofa king]

9. Breaking: Snake twists, unfamiliar with "humor."

[UpInArms]

10. "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."

Mahatma Gandhi

(fixed weird stuff in title line)

[fascisthunter]

29. .

[DebbieCDC]

11. WHAAAAA -- that Jon Stewart is SO mean to me mommy!

Cry me an effing river. The MSM -- complicit up to their eyeballs in Iraq war selling, ignoring torture, Bush cheerleading, on and on. And now they think they are being treated unfairly for their complicity in the financial meltdown of this country? They make me :puke:

[JayMusgrove]

12. Let's make sure we know how much this jerk at NBC got in

bonuses last year, for overseeing a news network that couldn't do a decent job at telling us the real news.

I'm sure we can find out how much this sonovabitch gets paid, and make sure he's out of work and in the unemployment lines by next month.

What a stupid comment to make. Shows that most of these executives are little more than super-annuated college jocks who still hold grudges and don't take criticism, and probably drink and eat too much.

And obviously Jeff Zucker does not even get it, he has no idea what the Daley show was doing, talk about men who protest too much, get defensive, and don't have a clue. I bet he's a Republican, too.

[Alcibiades]

24. According to his bio

he's a Harvard grad who's never worked anywhere else but NBC. Out of touch elitist? You betcha! According to one source:

"Zucker doesn't have to disclose his compensation, but his predecessor in the job, Robert Wright, earned $17.8 million in 2006"

[JayMusgrove]

32. Thanks for the response

I am sure we can find out how much this Shmuck earned in 2008.........for being a totally incompetent executive........NBC should sue him for every penny he ever earned....and 25% more for being an ass.

[No Elephants]

41. I think they mean Wright got paid $17.8 million in 2006. No one EARNS that kind of money

except maybe some people who save lives and some people who teach; but none of them ever gets paid that kind of money.

[valerief]

13. Another thieving asshole. nt

[alsame]

15. Yeah, well, CNBC is absurd and unfair. eom

[Ian David]

16. Whaaaaah! The guy whose show follows puppets making prank phonecalls was mean to me! n/t

[Fresh_Start]

17. CNBC: Comedian criticized for being absurd

CNBC viewers criticize CNBC management for supporting cheerleading rather than accuracy in reporting

I miss the days when news wasn't supposed to be entertainment

[ms liberty]

18. He misses the point in this blurb...we don't blame them for what happened...

we blame them for cheerleading, and getting cozy with the very people they are tasked to watch and report on for The People. There's a reason A Free Press is mentioned in such a prominent place in the Bill of Rights, and corporatization of the media has subverted it.

[pmorlan1]

19. Zucker is a liar

The CEO of NBC Universal, which also owns the NBC broadcast network, cable channels like Bravo and USA, theme parks and a film studio, among other businesses, said the public was tired of hearing the media blamed for its coverage of financial news.

"Frankly, I already think you're seeing a backlash," he said.

There is absolutely no evidence to back up this stunning statement. This clown just made it up. Now we know why the talking heads on cable do this all the time. They are always telling us what WE THINK. The truth is they don't have a clue about what we think and what's more they don't care. The only backlash I see is the one against CNBC not in favor of it.

[No Elephants]

42. Say it often enough and many people accept it, though.

[daleo]

20. Sometimes, I think the upper classes need to remember history

This culture of corruption and refusal to accept responsibility has led to unpleasantess in the past - i.e. 1789 and 1917 to name just two.

[pmorlan1]

21. Use Twitter To Send a Message to Zucker

If you guys are on Twitter...you should send twitter messages about Zucker to anyone affiliated with NBC, CNBC, MSNBC. I'm sure the employees would get a big kick out of seeing our comments about the boss. I'm also sure they'd just love to pass those comments on to him. LOL

[Roland99]

22. CNBC was as reponsible for letting the AIGs of the world scam us as the media was re:the Iraq War

Fuckers.

[Doctor_J]

23. Uh, Zucker? No one BLAMED CRNC for the problem

You emply a bunch of right-wing GOP whores. If you will admit that, we'll give you a pass on lying constantly.

[rpannier]

25. The only backlash I'm seeing (against Stewart) is coming from network and print media people

As far as regular people are concerned, they seem to be still angry at business people and their enablers

[Jim Sagle]

26. Stewart's reply: "I'm gonna git you, Zuckah!"

;)

[OwnedByFerrets]

27. Too late you idiot....the damage has been done...now

you just look like an utter fool.

[AlbertCat]

28. So, the business world is absurd and life is unfair.... grow up Zuckey!

[Hansel]

31. "Whaaa. It's our province to make absurd, unfair statements."

Like blaming the people who bought homes that have an extra bathroom for the mortgage crisis and calling for a tea bag populist movement against um, the population?

What a moron.

[Mari333]

33. Zucker gets slammed in LA times blog

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/the_big_picture/2009/03/nbcs-jeff-zucke.html

[mitchum]

34. Saith the purveyor of shit and garbage

[New Dawn]

35. The corporate media does not tolerate dissent.

[depakid]

36. Yet another poster child for media divestment and re-regulation

Arrogance on the level of AIG, B of A and Citi.

[HughMoran]

37. sleazy salesman-like viewpoints go over well with the general public

Boilerplate bullshit.

[John Q. Citizen]

38. Typical strawman argument in attempt to divert Stewert's knockout punch.

Stewert never claimed CNBS caused the crisis. Only that they were far behind the curve in picking up on it.

[MrMickeysMom]

39. Zucker... hmmmm....

rhymes with Tucker... and Fucker...

[No Elephants]

40. Liar. Stewart never said you folks are responsible for what is going on. He said

you did not report on it accurately and fairly. And he showed video to prove it. And Cramer basically admitted it. So, sit down. (Maybe that'll put out the fire from your trousers.)

[hatrack]

43. Well then I guess it really did sting, didn't it?

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[NorCalDem]

44. I see NBC still does not understand...

the point Jon was making (even though the general public figured it out long ago.).

To quote the article:

"Everybody wants to find a scapegoat. That's human nature," Zucker said during a keynote address at a media industry conference. "But to suggest that the business media or CNBC was responsible for what is going on now is absurd."

NO YOU FUCKING RETARD, EVERYBODY KNOWS YOU ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MESS, BUT YOU ARE COMPLICIT IN IT!!

Jon NEVER was trying to say you caused the downfall, just that you severely failed at your job as a JOURNALIST because you didn't report anything factual leading up to the collapse. You traded fact based reporting and journalistic integrity for access and brownie-points with the worlds greediest CEO's, then spouted the corporate line across the nation AS IF it were news!

CNBC, and the media in general, apparently still does not understand how horribly they have failed at their jobs for 8 years, and even when someone as intelligent as Jon Stewart explicitly points it out to them, they still don't get it. This begs the question, why should we listen to people whom we are smarter than?