TMZ: NBC Planned to Use Trump Audio to Influence Debate, Election

[twonabomber]

http://www.tmz.com/2016/10/12/nbc-tr...ection-debate/

NBC execs had a plan to time the release of the Donald Trump audio to have maximum impact on both the 2nd presidential debate and the general election ... sources connected with the network tell TMZ.

Multiple sources connected with NBC tell us ... top network execs knew about the video long before they publicly said they did, but wanted to hold it because it was too early in the election. The sources say many NBC execs have open disdain for Trump and their plan was to roll out the tape 48 hours before the debate so it would dominate the news cycle leading up to the face-off.

As we reported, Billy Bush was bragging about the tape -- in front of NBC execs at the Rio Olympics -- in early August. NBC says it's only known about the tape for a little more than a week.

We're told the plan was to edit the tape to keep the focus on Trump and not Billy. "Access Hollywood" we're told was not going to air the portion where Trump and Billy got off the bus and Billy goaded Trump and the soap star to hug. Our sources say the tape was going to be "sanitized" to protect Billy as much as possible.

Case in point ... after The Washington Post ran the story, 'Access' aired their footage and cut out the parts where Billy looked worse -- saying things like, "Jeez! Your girl's hot as s*** in the purple!"

We've told you the plan got derailed by Hurricane Matthew. Execs decided the wall-to-wall coverage of the storm would mess up the plan to dominate the news with the Trump tape, so they were going to hold it until Monday. It didn't sit well with some staffers who wanted it out pre-debate, so it was leaked to the Washington Post.

As one source put it, "NBC really screwed Billy. They had no problem with him on the tape 'till it got leaked." The source goes on to say there was never a peep about disciplining Billy until the full tape got leaked.

[twonabomber]

Is this as yuge as the Brian Williams thing, or is it nothing?

[Kristy]

TMZ = reliable journalism for poor people.

[twonabomber]

Sorry if your broke ass already saw it.

[Kristy]

Pretty sure I didn't watch it in Cleveland.

[cadaverdog]

Is this as yuge as the Brian Williams thing, or is it nothing?

Executives at one of the three major television networks in the United States agreeing to wait to release damaging information on one of the two major party candidates in hopes of turning as many people as possible against them isn't nothing. It should be against the law. If it was the other way around and they released damaging info about Hillary every liberal in the U S would be throwing a shit fit. It's obvious to me that some entity (like the BCE ) is behind a major conspiracy to discredit Trump so Hillary looks like a saint in comparison. Never mind Benghazi and the fact she wants to start WWIII, Trump is a pervert. Let's elect the shit disturber.

[FORD]

Ironic that the only member of the BCE who has ever been held accountable for ANYTHING is Billy, the one who never had a single political office.

[Seshmeister]

As one source put it, "NBC really screwed Billy. They had no problem with him on the tape 'till it got leaked." The source goes on to say there was never a peep about disciplining Billy until the full tape got leaked.

Fuck that little creep, not only does he have previous form as a sleaze but the clincher is when they get off the bus and he asks the girl to give Drumf a hug to see if he will grope her.

[Terry]

I think the Billy Bush scandal/incident/whatever you want to call it is bigger in terms of the media's short-term fixation on it. With Brian Williams, maybe less because Lester Holt stepped in and there wasn't anything by way of a ratings dip at all. As to if the Billy Bush scandal will have any legs beyond the election...meh. Doubtless Bush's name will remain an asterisk as "the guy who was on the bus interviewing Trump when [Trump] made sexist remarks" but it will take on slightly more importance if Trump loses than it would if Trump wins.

As to who, what, where and when re: the leaking of the tape, I don't yet know enough background from credible sources to even speculate if NBC held onto the tape as part of a calculated and timed effort for political purposes. I mean, TMZ isn't really what I'd call a reliable source, although much like the National Enquirer I'm sure they end up getting some stories right. Maybe some NBC execs have a bias against Trump. Even if that was so, would leaking the tape in August (presuming they knew about it then) have been any more helpful to Trump? Surely, nobody is going to argue that the responsible thing for NBC would have been to never have released the audio.

And Billy Bush honestly couldn't have expected once the tape was leaked that he was going to keep his job at The Today Show, considering the majority of The Today Show's viewers are women. I have no idea if he has a morals clause in his contract, or if his contract is such that he would have a strong civil case to bring suit against NBC if (probably when) they fire him, or if NBC will just "suspend" him and keep him off NBC air. At the very least, one would have to imagine Billy Bush will never be returning to The Today Show, and he won't be getting offers for work on any other major network show that has high demos of women watching it.

Apparently there are rumors now circulating on the net that Billy was involved in a sexual assault at college but the charges were dropped. He comes across as a charmless frat-boy type of limited talent, but he came a long way in the biz.

[Seshmeister]

I think Trump is the guy that gets done for DUI after 10 years driving home twice a week from the local bar well over the limit.

Lots of strong rumors that there are dozens of things worse than the bus thing on tape from The Apprentice.

Penn Jillette seems to pride himself on being straight talking and honest and he said as much on his podcast this week and he spent many dozens of hours with Trump on 2 whole seasons of it.

There was a $5m non disclosure clause on that, but given the stakes and money being spent I'm surprised no one has bought them out yet.

Maybe they are just waiting for a gap for a couple of days where Trump doesn't do anything nuts...