Well, That Didn't Take Long - Right Wing Bloggers Foam At The Mouth Over NBC's Purchase Of The Weather Channel

In a previous post here, I hypothesized that the right-wing bloggers that find fascism, socialism, and pretty much every 'ism there is available within media that they don't understand ( read : media that doesn't fit into their canted, ideological view of the world ).

It appears though, that I was incorrect in my assumption. It turns out that this Ed Morrissey guy ( who appears to be taking over the HotAir site from Michelle Malkin - can she not do anything right? ) has launched in with his complaints:

The Weather Channel has been a major advocate for global-warming policies. Combining it with the Keith Olbermann/Chris Matthews network will probably result in a major release of greenhouse gases on its own. Given NBC’s inability to impose even a modicum of balance and objectivity at MS-NBC, we can expect Jeff Zucker to use this new outfit as a platform on which to push even harder for statist policies on energy production and use.

Wow Ed, way to cram as many fear-inducing names into one paragraph as you can. Let's see, you've got global-warming right up front - that will score points with the Hannity crowd. Then you've got Olbermann AND Tweety back-to-back. Not pulling any punches, are we? Oh, but you can forget the catalyst of conservative hysteria, the source of sleepless nights for Malkin, Coulter, O'Reilly, Ailes, and Murdock - the dreaded MSNBC. Ooooooh, so scary. And you polished it off with a good-ole reference to "statist policies".

Seriously, it's the fucking weather channel.

But, the start of the piece kind of caught me off guard:

NBC Universal announced a $3.5 billion acquisition of The Weather Channel, helped along by Mitt Romney’s firm, Bain Capital.

Maybe i'm just reading more into this than I should. Why is it relevant that Mitt's firm would be mention so up front like that? There are several probable reasons, none of which make much sense to me right now.

But seriously, it's the fucking weather channel.

Here's some of the comments from the HotAir piece:


This guy wins the award for rehashing Bill O'Reilly's rambling hysteria.

Don’t forget GE and its “progressive” CEO Jeff Immelt. He’s in the hot seat. GE tank has tanked big time. The WSJ today has a piece on Immelt’s problems as head of GE. This won’t help restore GE’s image as America’s prime industrial/technological entity.

In case you haven’t noticed, the libs are grabbing hold of corporate America. It started with the Silicon Valley type co’s, but now reaches into industrial companies. Bad, bad news.

JiangxiDad on July 7, 2008 at 1:19 PM

This one is just too hillarious.

This is the point that FOXNEWS needs to create a competing Weather Channel.

“The Weather Changes”. Observance of and predictions for the infinitely variable atmostphere of our planet.

Motto: Cyclones are the only Spin you’ll get here.

babylonandon on July 7, 2008 at 1:42 PM

Then this guy dives right into the shallow end of the pool - head first.

Given NBC’s inability to impose even a modicum of balance and objectivity at MS-NBC, we can expect Jeff Zucker to use this new outfit as a platform on which to push even harder for statist policies on energy production and use.

A global tax is the ultimate aim. If Obama wins, this will be one of the major objectives. You read it here, as I repeat myself on some topics.

Entelechy on July 7, 2008 at 1:45 PM

And I have NO idea what this guy is even attempting to say.

So how many Nothing But Crap channels will this make?

Anyone else notice the weather channel temperature maps are being recalibrated, making them appear more orange-red. The shift seems to come by making the inflection point about 70 instead of about 75, Subtle propaganda, now the whole US map appears orange or red in the summer.

How soon before they all get the orders?

I wonder why they are doing that? I notice our local channel still has the old style ‘cooler’ maps where about a third of the country appears blue-green.

tarpon on July 7, 2008 at 1:45 PM

So, is it Marxists, Fascists, Communists, Socialists. These guys can't even make up their minds.

Looks like Marxists are even taking over the weather…If Fauxbama does get into the White House, I’m going to feel like I’m in the middle of “Invasion of the Marxist Body Snatchers” Isn’t anyone going to expose this fraud???? Where’s my country indeed………..

adamsmith on July 7, 2008 at 3:28 PM

These people are offically insane.

Will The Weather Have A Liberal Bias Now?

NBC is set to buy The Weather Channel:

NEW YORK — NBC Universal and two partners said Sunday they have reached a deal to buy The Weather Channel from Landmark Communications Inc., ending a drawn-out process that had attracted interest from several major media companies.

Financial terms weren't disclosed, but a person familiar with the matter who insisted on anonymity said the purchase price was $3.5 billion in cash. NBC was joined in the deal by the private equity firms The Blackstone Group LP and Bain Capital LLC.

In addition to The Weather Channel, which can be seen by 97 percent of U.S. cable subscribers, the deal also includes several related assets such as weather services for newspapers and radio stations and the widely used Web site Weather.com.

Nevermind the fact that the amount of cash that NBC is getting ready to throw down for The Weather Channel is not only going to buy the cable channel, but don't you think that NBC could have bought something better?

The Weather Channel?

Sure, Storm Stories can be pretty interesting, maybe even a little cool, but all I'm seeing with this purchase is more fuel for the Fox"News'" fire. And by that, I'm speaking about Bill O'Reilly.

He's made it his mission to try and pin everything from fluctuating stock prices, media bias, and bad goings-on in the alleged "war on terror" on Jeffery Immelt - who happens to be the CEO of GE.

So, what does this have to do with NBC buying The Weather Channel and the whole 'liberal bias' title of this blog?

Well, that's because GE owns NBC, who is the 'parent' of MSNBC, home of O'Reilly boogie-man du jour Keith Olbermann.

From the Washington Post.

Bill O'Reilly, the Fox News star, is mounting an extraordinary televised assault on the chief executive of General Electric, calling him a "pinhead" and a "despicable human being" who bears responsibility for the deaths of American soldiers in Iraq.

On the surface, O'Reilly's charges revolve around GE's history of doing business with Iran. But the attacks grow out of an increasingly bitter feud between O'Reilly and the company's high-profile subsidiary, NBC, one that has triggered back-channel discussions involving News Corp. owner Rupert Murdoch, Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes, NBC chief executive Jeff Zucker and General Electric's CEO, Jeffrey Immelt.

Ailes called Zucker on his cellphone last summer, clearly agitated over a slam against him by MSNBC host Keith Olbermann. According to sources familiar with the conversation, Ailes warned that if Olbermann didn't stop such attacks against Fox, he would unleash O'Reilly against NBC and would use the New York Post as well.

Both Fox and the Post are owned by Murdoch, who complained about Olbermann's conduct in separate calls to Zucker and Immelt.

The high-level appeals failed, and O'Reilly has escalated his criticism of GE in recent weeks, declaring, "If my child were killed in Iraq, I would blame the likes of Jeffrey Immelt."

None of this really has to do with Immelt, Iraq, Bin Laden, Terrorism, or NBC. It all revolves around the infated ego of Bill O'Reilly and his seething hatred for Olbermann. But, in reality this could have been anyone. The reason is that O'Reilly fancies himself a 'journalist' and, well, he just isn't.

So, there is another media entity for O'Reilly to attack now. But, I have a feeling that people are going to have have a hard time following O'Reilly's 'logic' if he sets hi sites on The Weather Channel.

I'll let Olbermann sum this up as only he can: