The epic battle royale between NBC/MSNBC and all of the Rupert Murdoch-owned media outlets will just not die. Usually, the members of the Murdoch press stick to making fun of Keith Olbermann or Chris Matthews. But Richard Johnson of Page Six (of the Murdoch-owned New York Post) crossed a line yesterday when he seemed to attack Luke Russert, son of the late Tim Russert. Page Six had this report, basically saying that Luke Russert had some huge NBC contract that he wasn’t fulfilling, and accusing NBC of nepotism:
Some hardworking folks at NBC and MSNBC — who work long hours for little pay — are wondering, “Where in the world is Luke Russert?”
One insider sniped, “He was hired last year to be the youth correspondent — he got a great contract and was supposed to cover youth issues, blog and bring in young viewers, but he’s been MIA for a while. It’s like, ‘Well, that’s what you get for nepotism.’ ”
Russert, 23, was hired at the network on July 31 as a correspondent-at-large, after his beloved father, Washington bureau chief and moderator of “Meet the Press” Tim Russert, died last summer.
Luke was highly visible during the presidential campaign, but disappeared after the inauguration. He was raked over the coals when news of an “Inaugural Party Hosted by Luke Russert” at preppy DC nightclub the Rookery was announced. The party had a $95 cover and a “cheesy” invite with Russert posing as Uncle Sam in the “I Want You” pose.
It also violated NBC’s ethics policies and forced the network to issue a statement noting it was not an NBC event. Russert quickly had his image deleted from the fliers.
The insider sniped, “He hasn’t even updated his blog which he’s paid a lot to do and just got on Twitter. Some youth correspondent!”
Russert’s last blog, “The Courage To Go Online” was posted Dec. 4, 2008 — and he started his Twitter account on Feb. 18, which was the date, incidentally, that Luke was last on air, interviewing Bill Clinton for President’s Day. His last tweet, “Been on the Road,” was on March 31.
Last October, Russert told MediaBistro, he was aware of the nepotism surrounding his hiring and said, “Did my name get my foot in the door? Absolutely, I’ll be the first to admit that. But has my performance and ability got my butt through the door? Yes.” Too bad he seems to have looked a gift horse in the mouth.
A rep for NBC said, “I think he’s been on since then,” but didn’t provide details.
[From Page Six]
An NBC spokesperson defended Luke Russert, and Keith Olbermann attacked Page Six last night on Countdown. Keith pointed out that the “youth correspondent” blogging that Luke was doing (without pay) was for the campaign. Olbermann and the NBC spokesperson identified the multiple times Luke has appeared on MSNBC, just in the past few weeks:
NBC News spokesperson Allison Gollust responds, telling TVNewser, “Luke Russert is, and will continue to be, a valued member of the NBC News correspondent team. Just last week, he appeared all day on MSNBC with hourly updates for a story he was covering. Meanwhile, he is working on long-lead pieces for Dateline and the Today show, was on Nightly News a couple weeks ago, and has recently been added to our talented team covering Capitol Hill.”
NBC’s Gollust says, “He has never been asked to blog or Twitter,” adding, “It’s unfortunate that a gossip column would choose to attack a hard working, talented young man who is getting a great start as a broadcast journalist.”
[From Media Bistro/Newser]
So, Page Six just attacked a 23-year-old guy, son of one of the most revered newsmen of the past two decades, and all based on some shoddy quotes about “nepotism”. I’m sure people will think Luke Russert is fair game, but I find it gross to attack a kid just starting out, especially considering he lost his father almost exactly one year ago. Olbermann correctly surmised that this wasn’t really about Luke Russert, but about the bloodsport between the two media giants. Olbermann also said last night, almost as if he was psychic, that because he and NBC News had taken such pains to correct the record, Page Six would run something nasty about him (Olbermann) before the week was out. It only took Page Six a matter of hours to come up with this one, about Olbermann’s girlfriend:
KEITH Olbermann gets paid by NBC — and now so does his young, blond girlfriend.
Katy Tur, who at 25 is half the age of the MSNBC uber-dork, has landed an on-air reporting job at the Weather Channel.
Conveniently, both cable networks are owned by NBC Universal. Do we sense a little preferential treatment? Olbermann huffed to TV Newser: “Anybody who suggests so is misinformed, and/or sadly unaware that in this time when the industry is collapsing around us, nobody gets a job based on ‘influence,’ only talent.”
[From Page Six]
Seriously, you’re going to attack a man through his girlfriend? And is there really some sort of journalistic setback if Keith Olbermann’s girlfriend works at the Weather Channel? If he did get her a job (at the Weather Channel, for God’s sake), who cares? That being said, I doubt he got her the job. Because it’s the Weather Channel! Do people really think Olbermann is going to call up his “Weather Channel sources” and try to intimidate them into giving his girlfriend a job?
I feel bad for him that he lost his dad, but I don’t think he should have gotten such a phat job from that alone. And if that was why he got the job, then he needed to give 150% so that people don’t remind him of it. I don’t care if he is young and if his dad did just die. Young people work hard everyday. People’s parents die, that is life.
I used to like his dad, but then all I was hearing about was that damn book about his father, and I really got sick of him quickly.
I dont seee what he´s father dying a year ago has to do with this
I’m sorry but NBC is getting what they deserve here – Russert was no god (contrary to what the folks at NBC would like us to be) and his son totally does NOT deserve such a cushy gig. People his age are getting papercuts in the mail room – not some front and center gig. For what? What has he proven? That is nepotism plain and simple.
Admittedly, this pissing match between Fox and MSNBC is so far out of hand, both networks look more silly than usual. Olbermann included.
That’s interesting. Where is Luke now? I agree he’s been MIA now. Did Keith say it was just an unpaid job to be the Youth Correspondent? Somehow I don’t believe that.
I didn’t hear about the club thing. That must have been swept under the rug quickly.
I really think it’s terrible that the New York Post is going after Luke Russert. REALLY? It’s not as though MSNBC gave him Meet the Press.
im sympathetic that he lost his dad as well, but this is one thing and one thing only: nepotism. his dad was barely in the ground when NBC tried to resurrect him in the form of his son, for no other reason than he is his son. he had just graduated college and hadnt done anything, likely skipping over people who had been on that career track for far longer. now he is slacking off doing whatever and has definitely acted like he shows very little interest in trying to be the ghost of his dad.
he should just be let off to do whatever it was he was planning on doing with his life before NBC roped him in at a vulnerable point in his life and tried to make a buck off him due to his last name.
whoever said he should be doing his job 150% and proving himself is exactly right. if i thought people sniffed nepotism around me at my job, i would work twice as hard to prove to them I was worthy of the job on my own merits. he obviously isnt doing that.
Luke Russert probably got the job based on merit AND nepotism. He proved himself to be a well-spoken, informed young man in the coverage of his father’s death. He excelled at his job during the election coverage. He actually graduated from college with a degree in journalism.
The problem lies in condemning him for having contacts in the industry. It’s not like he’s completely inept at his job. Both of his parents are/were well respected journalists and it only stands to reason that the people his parents knew were fortunately well-connected. What is the harm — especially in the current job market — in relying on people your parents might know to get a foot in the door? My husband just got his Master’s degree and the first job leads he got were from people his parents were acquainted with because they were more established in their careers and had more influence in getting his resume looked at. Don’t blame Luke Russert for taking advantage of an opportunity that presents itself. Whether he stays or goes at his job has to be based on merit, and time will tell. If he really is just “coasting”, then he won’t be aound much longer and Page Six can pat themselves on the back that their “news item” in the gossip column was more than just a petty beef with NBC. For now, leave him alone!
i don’t read any of the page 6 stories above as attacks.
looks like the NY post got some leads/tips from some pissed off NBC/MSNBC co-workers of luke r. and the newspaper followed up with a story.
as far as keith olbermann is concerned, he has named people younger than 23 as his “worst person in the world” list so don’t try and paint him as an angel.
Semantics — the Page Six item wasn’t an “attack” so much as it implied that he wasn’t doing work that he was meant to do, and that he was somehow riding his father’s coattails into a cushy job. That’s really unfair when the whole premise of the story was flawed. At least Olbermann uses actual facts to justify including them on his “worst” list — and I haven’t seen anyone who wasn’t at least 40 on the list in a long, LONG time (over a year, anyway)
I love Keith Olbermann, but the Russert thing screams nepotism.
It also tells of investing in “brand name” journalism instead of the spirit of real investigative reporting and new hires with the ability to do it.
Pathetic of NBC, and lame of Olbermann to waste his credibility on defending it. How would he have liked it when he was an up and coming journalist, if John Madden’s kid had gotten some sportscaster job he was otherwise certain to get?
I’m glad for anyone to slam this tawdry practice, even Page Six.
Loved Time Russert, but every report from his son was truly rookie quality, in both presentation and content. I think some time at a midwest 5pm news hour would have seasoned him before he hit the network.
Tory
keith olberman picked a college boy this year for his list.
check out the huffington post- steve doocy story with his college aged son and keith olbermann
looks like keith’s a jerk.
I don’t read Page Six because every time I’ve ever tried to click on the web site, it tries to put tracking cookies on my computer and then my browser gets hung up. I think it’s a dirty site.
PageSix lies a lot, I am surprised they haven’t been sued more often.
Also surprising is their attack on Russert and his family, because we all knew that Russert was a Republican, and hung out with Chaney and Libby.
He’s not very good. I remember watching him during electing night and cringing every time he came on. I really wanted him to do well but he did a lot of stammering. I think his dad was one of the few that seemed fair and balanced but that doesn’t mean his son should automatically get a job. I know of other young up and coming journalists (maby tap one of Current TV’s reporters) who really could have benefited from a opportunity like that.
Hmm. So we should have sympathy b/c Luke’s Dad Tim died 1yr ago (he died ( on 13 Jun 8). Well tell that to Luke’s mom/Tim’s wife Maureen Orth; tell her to be sympathetic.
Michael Jackson died 25 Jun 9 –of a heart problem like Tim did– yet within hours Orth reposted her articles and gave interviews condeming him as a pedofile.
So again, why should we respect Luke?