Do You Want Al Sharpton to Have His Own MSNBC Show? Black Journalists Don't

Last month we brought you this story about a report that Rev. Al Sharpton was headed for his own MSNBC show.

Although no official announcement has been made, the rumors that the network is on the verge of hiring Sharpton have persisted, particularly as Sharpton continues to fill Cenk Uygur's recently vacated slot. But according to Eric Deggans, a media critic for the St. Petersburg Times and chapter president of the National Association of Black Journalists, some of those in the field are not happy with the idea.

Deggans appeared on CNN's "Reliable Sources" Sunday, where both he and host Howard Kurtz expressed deep reservations about MSNBC hiring Sharpton.

If hired, Sharpton would be the first black host of a cable nightly news show in years -- which is exactly the problem, Deggans said, because Sharpton's not a journalist.

"That's what worries some black journalists. We have been pushing hard to try and have diversity, particularly in cable news prime time," Deggans said. "To have that one slot go to someone who's more of an activist and not a journalist--"

"--not a journalist by any stretch of the imagination," Kurtz interjected.

Watch the CNN clip via Mediaite:

Deggans agreed, adding that any time a network brings in a non-journalist as a host, such as CNN's short-lived run with Eliot Spitzer, conflicts will ensue.

Kurtz brought up the fact that Sharpton canceled an appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists convention Thursday, reportedly due to comments from members who criticized his credentials.

According to media column "Journal-isms," one association member said: "This would still be just another non-journalist media 'celebrity' receiving a TV show based upon their name recognition, not their years of experience, training, ability and talent."

Deggans said he is on an email list where similar criticisms were discussed, and said there were also concerns over news stories about financial connections between Sharpton and Comcast, as well as Sharpton's lobbying for a Comcast-NBC Universal merger.

Kurtz mentioned a report where Sharpton allegedly said he would never criticize President Barack Obama so as not to aide Obama's opponents in "destroying" him. Sharpton has denied saying that.

"How do you give this nightly platform to somebody who reportedly claims says he is not going to criticize the president?" Kurtz asked.

However, Deggans said he thought people were less concerned with that statement -- and questioned whether Fox's Sean Hannity would criticize a Republican president -- than with conflicts of interest with Sharpton's financial dealings.

"He has a history as an activist," Deggans said. "I just think it would be awful programming."