ESPN head to staff: ‘ESPN is not a political organization’

The Hill ^

[Sub-Driver]

ESPN head to staff: ‘ESPN is not a political organization’

By Jesse Byrnes - 09/15/17 08:27 PM EDT

ESPN head to staff: ‘ESPN is not a political organization’

ESPN's chief is defending the network after intense backlash this week, including a stream of White House criticism over anchor Jemele Hill calling President Trump a "white supremacist."

"We have issues of significant debate in our country at this time," ESPN president John Skipper wrote in a memo to staff on Friday reported by multiple media outlets.

"In light of recent events, we need to remind ourselves that we are a journalistic organization and that we should not do anything that undermines that position," he continued, noting, "ESPN is about sports."

"ESPN is not a political organization. Where sports and politics intersect, no one is told what view they must express," he said.

"At the same time, ESPN has values," Skipper continued, writing ESPN is "committed to inclusion and an environment of tolerance where everyone in a diverse work force has the equal opportunity to succeed."

[Sub-Driver]

Hmmm. Didn't know that.

[showme_the_Glory]

Someone got butt hurt. Hey spn, shut up and sing.

[DIRTYSECRET]

They can rehire the big fella and I’ll believe him.

[Col Frank Slade]

Could have fooled me.

How’s the ratings Skipper ?

[Rummyfan]

“All ESPN had to do, a couple of years ago, was say ‘we do sports, politics are for those other cable channels.’ That would have drawn in the many Americans who are sick of 24/7/365 politics. Instead, ESPN decided to do politics, but with less balance than MSNBC. Shockingly, this has not drawn more people in."

- - Glenn Reynolds

[Mears]

“”committed to inclusion and an environment of tolerance where everyone in a diverse work force has the equal opportunity to succeed.”

---

Tolerance,inclusion,and a diverse workforce————that says it all.

This guy is an idiot.

.

[ctdonath2]

“Where sports and politics intersect, no one is told what view they must express,”

That said, he should also make clear that politics should not be brought in when it does not naturally arise. Interjecting random insults regarding race and the evaluation of correlating behaviors, when neither matters to the subject at hand, should never occur.

[piytar]

ESPN not political? Is this from the Onion?!

[Tax-chick]

A diverse workforce with no customers is a diverse group of unemployed people.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Hold muh barf bag...

[Bob]

Curt Schilling was unavailable for comment.

[Sasparilla]

Doesn’t CNN say the same thing?

[timestax]

[fieldmarshaldj]

You mean ESPN doesn’t stand for Extremely Stalinist Political Network ?

[Ciexyz]

At my health club, more TV’s are tuned to the Golf Channel than ESPN.

[glock rocks]

Idiots. They started years ago ignoring the anthem and fly-overs at Nascar events.

Old Walt would cry over what became of his business.

[plain talk]

"ESPN is not a political organization. Where sports and politics intersect, no one is told what view they must express," he said.

"At the same time, ESPN has values," Skipper continued, writing ESPN is "committed to inclusion and an environment of tolerance where everyone in a diverse work force has the equal opportunity to succeed."

The guy says they are not political and then spouts the leftist mantra.

[PLMerite]

“ESPN is about sports.”

You throw the ball. You catch the ball. You run with the ball.

[Hojczyk]

What BS....

[cherry]

this was simply saying that they'll continue to have their libtards say whatever they want, but don't you conservatives say a word....

non political my arse...