Did NBCU Freeze Out Nielsen Business Media After Unfavorable Report?

DeadlineHollywoodDaily’s Nikki Finke writes a lengthy story about the lengths GE and NBCU have reportedly gone to ban access to Nielsen Business Media and The Hollywood Reporter in the wake of an unfavorable story about the GE stockholder meeting.

The story, written by Paul Bond, was headlined “GE shareholders outraged over MSNBC bias; Microphone cut off,” and quoted several unnamed shareholders. It was picked up by the Drudge Report and many media blogs, including TVNewser.

Finke reports the ban was initially “ordered” by GE Chairman Jeffrey Immelt, and “after a few days, the ban was reduced to GE’s NBC Universal which chief Jeff Zucker carried out against Nielsen Business Media’s The Hollywood Reporter and lasted six weeks. My NBC Universal sources believe the ban was lifted yesterday.”

Gary Sheffer, GE’s Executive Director of Corporate Communications, responded to Finke: “I just read your post on GE and NBCU. Jeff Immelt had no involvement in this matter whatsover. He did not call NBC Universal or anyone else about it. In fact, he had no knowledge of The Hollywood Reporter story in question.”

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