Last year, when Dan Abrams announced the creation of Abrams Research, even as he stayed on at NBC, critics cried foul.
To run a consulting business for freelance media types, even as he continues to be billed as "the Chief Legal Correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC. He also serves as a contributor to “Dateline” and “Today” and as a MSNBC dayside anchor," struck many as a conflict of interest.
Take a look at the screen grab above, from the Abrams Research home page, offering the promise to customers, "Get bloggers working with you--not against you." Pretty slick that a consulting firm can do such a thing, huh? Well, it helps to have an ongoing big job in the MSM, even as you are selling your services to private clients--right, Dan?
And now, Abrams Research has signed a deal with Qorvis Communications, a big p.r. company. All the while continuing to work at NBC? No doubt Abrams will recuse himself whenever Qorvis comes up directly, but what will he do if a client of Qorvis, or some interest of Qorvis, comes up? Just asking.
And also, The Cable Gamer notes that Abrams lists an advisory board of nine media heavies, including Bryant Gumbel, Steven Brill, and Bonnie Fuller,
And on that list, too, is Bob Wright, listed as the "Fmr. Chairman, NBC Universal" -- that's true, but he is also the current Vice Chairman, one of four, at GE, which is the parent company of NBC Universal. And GE, through its other subsidiary, GE Capital, is a permanent supplicant to Uncle Sam. And surely that's a conflict for Abrams.
