The following loyal (or should we say former loyal) viewer of MSNBC sent the below email to Phil Griffin, President of MSNBC, expressing her disappointment with the demise of a once powerful Progressive voice in the media. Way to go Ms. Samelson!!!
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Letter from Linda Samelson to Phil Griffin, President of MSNBC.
From: Linda Samelson
Date: August 4, 2015 at 6:00:09 AM CDT
To: phil griffin <Phil.griffin@nbcuni.com>
Subject: Ed Schultz
Dear Mr. Griffin,
When MSNBC was created, I had such high hopes for a new type of media, one that would be progressive and allow talk show hosts to express their opinions without having boundaries. The progressive audience had some of the best of progressive media: Keith Olbermann, Martin Bashir, Karen Finley, Joy Reid, Ronan Farrow, Alex Wagner and Ed Schultz.
Ed Schultz was a real loss. No one fought harder for worker’s rights, the environment, the postal service, teachers, education, “Black Lives Matter” movement, the trade policy, the poor and the middle class, Citizens United, and many more. He did it with passion, conviction and determination. He did this because he was one of us and wanted to raise his voice against the Corporate takeover of America. He was courageous, entertaining and real. He was a man of the people. I loved his town meetings and I loved when he went to different cities to get the real story, talking to everyday people. And people loved him because their voice was being heard and they saw a genuine fighter in Ed. He did this even when Wendy was sick and instead of keeping her illness a secret, he opened up his heart to his audience. That’s what made him real. He had frailties like all the rest of humanity. But he was asked to leave. Why? With a presidential year coming up, Ed’s voice was crucial and will be sorely missed.
Ed was a class act and no one can take his place. Putting Chuck Todd in his time spot is very offensive and does nothing to assuage the hurt that was created by this move. I used to be a big fan of “Meet the Press” back in the day but you haven’t gotten it right with David Gregory or Chuck Todd. Will Chuck now ask the tough questions of Republicans, the follow up questions or continue to let them spout off hateful, ridiculous and, yes, unpatriotic statements without being challenged?
Mr. Griffin, you started a new kind of television. I kept hearing that MSNBC had low ratings but how could this be and who was being polled?
After all, you covered the Presidential Correspondents Dinner. You were the only channel that got this honor. MSNBC covered the debates. It was the only channel I watched. In fact, since it was created, it has been my go to channel. When people ask what I watch, I tell them I’m an MSNBC addict.
I love Al Sharpton, Chris Matthews, Chris Hayes, Rachel and Lawrence O’Donnell. Now what, Mr. Griffin? Will their voices be silenced too? Will MSNBC become another CNN?
Linda Samelson
West Bloomfield, Mi
P.S. Please take “Lockup” off!!! It is a insult to a very intelligent audience. What is the point of this show? You could use this time to educate your viewers similar to what “Vice” does. Show documentaries. Put on something that makes us think.
