Former ABC News Anchor Carole Simpson slams Rev. Al Sharpton MSNBC Hire

Carole Simpson, a former anchor for ABC World News Tonight Sunday had this to say-"It seems like having a name is more important than your credentials ...That’s the bottom line. It’s all about eyeballs. It’s the drive for ratings."

"I have nothing against the Rev. Al. ... but he doesn’t sound like a professional broadcaster. Somebody sounding like that wouldn’t typically be hired by any station... He’s an intelligent man. I give him credit for that. But he doesn’t sound like a professional broadcaster."

"But he’s controversial, he’s provocative, he yells, and so they’re looking for personalities and not journalists. The problem that I have, as NABJ has, is fine — hire somebody of color — but how about a journalist? Not a reverend. I don’t get it."

Rev. Al Sharpton cancelled his appearance at the NABJ Convention in Philadelphia on Thursday despite comforting words from CNN and TV One host/TJMS commentator Roland Martin, that the views expressed in an earlier story that appeared on the website Journal-ism represented the views of only two members of the 3,400 member National Association of Black Journalist. Click here to read more...