NBC reality show: Hush money to Blago?

By William Tate

Ignoring all appearances of impropriety, NBC is wrangling to give Rod Blagojevich (D-Ill.) a deal which could be considered hush money. The peacock network has announced that it's agreed to hire the indicted former Illinois governor for a reality TV series.

NBC has been singular -- even among the pro-Obama MSM -- in its willingness to act as a propaganda outlet for Barack Obama through MSNBC, their cable news collaboration with Microsoft. Like their fellow "news" outlets, MSNBC has all but ignored the prominent role of Tony Rezko outlined in the Blagojevich indictment, even though Obama's political patron, prominent fund-raiser, long-time friend, and one-time real estate partner is named 100 times in the 75-page document.

Now the parent network is reportedly offering Blago $80k per episode for up to six episodes of a reality series. The program (Who could make this stuff up?) is called I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!--which could also be what Obama thinks every time he attends a cabinet meeting.

The total amount to Blago could be close to a half-million dollars, ironically, the minimum amount that Blago was reportedly seeking for naming a replacement to Obama's senate seat. The deal is contingent upon the courts allowing Blago to travel to Costa Rica for filming.

If so, Blago will be in a position to, potentially, take home a hefty paycheck; the deal, if it follows the practices of other reality TV shows, would also restrict what he can say to the media, at least about the filming of the program.

There's no proof that the offer amounts to hush money, but, coming from ardent Obama supporters, with every incentive to want to continue to curry the administration's favor, it does smell, even over the normal aromas associated with the cesspool of Chicago politics.

But coverage of the Blago deal has been light-hearted, especially on MSNBC, where anchors have shaken their heads, smiled and chuckled, even as the network's thin remaining veneer of credibility is further dulled with another layer of smarm.

Just imagine how MSNBC, and the rest of the MSM, would have reacted if Rupert Murdoch had hired Tom Delay for a Fox reality show shortly after Delay was ousted as House majority leader.

Speaking of Fox reality shows, what if Blago were instead hired to appear on American Idol and "sing" about what he knows?

Think MSNBC might approach it with a less light-hearted manner?

William Tate is an award-winning journalist and author