Keith Olbermann

So I don't know who remembers, but in class a few weeks ago I asked Dr. Whitmore if any reporter had ever been fired, then rehired by the same station. I believe that nobody, students and professor included, could recall a situation where the reporter was rehired, although a few had made some small strides in the same career field.

Well, now we have a new answer to the question: Keith Olbermann.

In early November, Olbermann was suspended indefinitely

without pay because of political money donations to a specific party. MSNBC, Olbermann's employer, had specific guidelines which prevented their employees from making any political donations. Ironically enough, Olbermann was asked backed to the station not long after, but apparently demanded that MSNBC change their policies so that the employees can do what they want, with the money they earn.

Although I see Olbermann's point, it seems almost ridiculous that employees can now demand changes, almost conditions, to returning to companies. To me, this really does imply that Olbermann is not only the face of MSNBC, but perhaps the "ruler," if you will.

I guess the overall ethical issue I see here, is not that Olbermann made the donations, but that he made the donations with the MSNBC policy looming overhead. MSNBC should not have fired Olbermann if they were going to so easily overturn their policy. They should have been more considerate of the ethical issues involved, including the issue of firing, rehiring, changing policies for one specific employee, not changing the issues, etc...

Overall, I think that MSNBC may now have lost some quality face with their viewers. They made quick decisions where perhaps they should have weighed out the situation from the very beginning, before firing Olbermann.