From: Gina.Stikes@msnbc.com
Subject: RE: QUERY: Relationship between Newsweek and NBC
Date: May 1, 2007 5:13:16 PM EDT
To: jeremy@asrlab.org

Hi Jeremy,

Following are the answers from the msnbc.com contact.

Regards,
Gina

 

From: Jeremy Miller [mailto:jeremy@asrlab.org]
Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2007 12:03 PM
To: Gina Stikes
Subject: QUERY: Relationship between Newsweek and NBC

Hi Gina, It's Jeremy Miller, the freelancer and researcher from the Art Science Research Laboratory. We're doing a report for one of our media ethics sites about content we've encountered on the msnbc.com Newsweek site. You told me that you'd forward this to your person in Redmond, WA.

I have three basic questions for my report.

1. What is the financial relationship between NBC and Newsweek?

I do not have visibility into a relationship between NBC and Newsweek, if a formal one exists. Regarding MSNBC.com’s relationship with Newsweek, we do not comment publicly on the financial terms.

2. How long has msnbc.com been hosting Newsweek's interactive online content?
Roughly 7 years.

3. Is there a formal business relationship between Washington Post Company and NBC?
I do not know – please refer to someone at NBC. Washington Post Company owns Newsweek, so MSNBC.com does have a relationship.

If you could help me with this, I'd appreciate it.

Jeremy
--
Art Science Research Laboratory
62 Greene Street
New York, NY 10012
212-925-8812

 

From: Gina.Stikes@msnbc.com
Subject: RE: QUERY: Relationship between Newsweek and NBC
Date: May 1, 2007 5:13:16 PM EDT
To: jeremy@asrlab.org

Jeremy,

Can you elaborate on exactly how you'll use this information so I can communicate that to the appropriate people here?

Thanks,
Gina

 

From: Jeremy Miller [mailto:jeremy@asrlab.org]
Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 5:08 PM
To: Gina Stikes
Subject: Re: QUERY: Relationship between Newsweek and NBC

Hi Gina,
Can you identify the contact from MSNBC who sent the reply?

Also, would you mind sending these follow-ups to his answers.

I'm not sure why these questions can't be answered in straightforward way.

1. MSNBC hosts Newsweek's online content. To the outsider who sees Newsweek's brand beside Microsoft and NBC, or punches in the web address (www.msnbc.msn.com/newsweek), a formal relationship is implied. I guess I don't understand the line "I do not have visibility into a relationship."

Is that the same as saying: "I am not allowed to comment on the arrangement?"

2. If you cannot comment on the financial arrangements, can you comment on the editorial arrangements? Does MSNBC have any editorial control over what content runs on the Newsweek site?

3. Perhaps more specific to your role, what is the relationship between Microsoft and NBC? I.e., how is MSNBC different than just plain old NBC?

Thanks for your help.

Jeremy Miller
--
Art Science Research Laboratory
62 Greene Street
New York, NY 10012
212-925-8812

 

From: jeremy@asrlab.org
Subject: Re: QUERY: Relationship between Newsweek and NBC
Date: May 1, 2007 5:36:09 PM EDT
To: Gina.Stikes@msnbc.com

Hi Gina,

I'm working on a piece about a strange use of anonymous sources in a Newsweek story about presidential candidate Fred Thompson, who happens to be an actor on the NBC series Law and Order. (His potential run was mentioned again--again with anonymous sources--in this week's issue.)

Thanks, Jeremy