Al Sharpton On Primetime? Black Journalists Continue To Question MSNBC’s Choice (VIDEO)

I love Rev. Al on MSNBC!!  He takes each discussion to the hoop.  His perspective is greatly appreciated!

I love Rev. Sharpton as well! It really disheartens me that Black journalists are coming at him like this! Yes Black journalists have a legitimate beef with the amount of Black journalists hosting a prime time NEWS slot…..but I have even bigger “news” for them. MSNBC primetime slots are ALL commentary or opinionated forums…there is no “news” going on! I as an informed viewer know the difference!. If I want “unbiased” journalism, I’ll turn to ABC, NBC or CBS at 6:30PM. Not FOX, CNN or MSNBC! I am a progressive Democrat, so guess what? I’m turning in to the one channel that closely lines up with my political views and that is MSNBC! Because I know Sharpton, O’Donell, Maddow and Shultz, nine times out of ten will bring it the way I like it to be brought to republicans!

I’m not neutral when it comes to my political beliefs, so when watching a polictically opinionated show, I want my views represented by a host who is well versed on the facts and comes out swinging! A “credible” journalist has to refrain from expressing their personal view and even some of the times, has to extend this so-called “journalistic courtesy” to an interviewee by not calling out bullsh!t or lies even when it’s blatant..i.e. David Gregory, Meet The Press.

All of this uproar at a man who has been on the frontlines of social injustices is making me quite ill. I mean DAMN! How many Black commentary primetime slots did we have before Sharpton?! ZERO! So can y’all (NABJ) be happy that there is at least one of our voices being heard!  

While to some extend, I agree with Duane, and Janet, that I enjoy watching Rev. Al Sharpton, holding his own with many of the people who have opposite opinions than he does; however, I do understand where the NABJ comes in with their criticisms. 

First, I enjoy seeing Rev. Al, giving them, many on the Republican side a hard time, when debating various topics for discussion; especially, when going up against someone like Pat Buchanan, that stated something to Sharpton about the President being  “ya boy”. Rev. Sharpton took him to task for that statement. And I do find that Sharpton is both engaging and intelligent when speaking on various issues. So, I will be watching his show. Plus, if people like Sean Hannity, Rachel Maddow, and Chris Matthews, people who have little or no training in the field of journalism, have political shows, why not Rev. Al. 

However, I do understand where the NABJ is coming from. How is it like on Sunday morning, you could not have put someone to host one of those talk shows, and interview various politicians, etc? Sure, I would like to see Roland have a show on prime time, as well other persons of color. If they fail, then fine, but let’s give them the opportunity. 

I hate the crabs in a bucket mentality!

Why Rev Al?  He’s got a terrible voice, he asks prolonged leading questions, and he doesn’t know the issues.  Guests barely get a chance to say anything because he is pressing his point of view which boils down to the president is never wrong.  Frankly, I don’t think Rev Al or Melissa Perry are doing the president any favors by depicting him as unable to do anything in the face of resistance.  He’s the president.  Poll after poll has shown that the people sided with him on a balanced approach; no one would have voted him out if he had insisted on that.  

We have trained black journalists, experienced govt officials and policy wonks — why not use them?  Does education not pay off?