{UAH} Pojim/WBK: NBC-Universal cuts ties with Donald Trump - POLITICO

http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2015/06/nbcuniversal-cuts-ties-with-trump-209678.html?hp=l3_4

NBCUniversal cuts ties with Donald Trump

Amid mounting public pressure, NBCUniversal announced Monday that it will cut business ties with Donald Trump due to "recent derogatory statements" the Republican presidential hopeful made regarding Mexican immigrants.

"At NBC, respect and dignity for all people are cornerstones of our values," the network's statement reads. "Due to the recent derogatory statements by Donald Trump regarding immigrants, NBCUniversal is ending its business relationship with Mr. Trump."
"To that end, the annual Miss USA and Miss Universe Pageants, which are part of a joint venture between NBC and Trump, will no longer air on NBC," the statement continues. "In addition, as Mr. Trump has already indicated, he will not be participating in 'The Apprentice' on NBC.

NBC's announcement comes four days after Univisionannounced it would end its business relationship with the Miss Universe Organization based on what it described as Trump's "insulting remarks about Mexican immigrants." Trump subsequently promised to sue the Spanish-language broadcaster for breach of contract and defamation, and banned Univision employees from his Miami Doral golf resort.

By Monday morning, more than 200,000 people had signed a Change.org petition calling on NBCUniversal to cut its ties with Trump and cancel the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants, which are co-owned by Trump and NBC, as well as "The Apprentice," which Trump hosts. The petition accused NBC of "supporting a hateful and narcissistic individual without any kind of values" and "supporting a growing trend of bigotry and division in this country."

NBC will continue to air "The Apprentice," which is licensed through the United Artists Media Group. Trump had previously announced that he would give up his position as host of that program in order to pursue the Republican presidential nomination.

At his campaign launch earlier this month, Trump had said he would build a wall to stop Mexico from dumping "rapists" and criminals on U.S. soil. He later accused the media of trying "to distort my comments regarding Mexico and its great people."

In an interview with the On Media blog last week, Trump accused Univision of defaulting on an "iron-clad" five-year, $13.5 million contract that it had no right to terminate. "They have no termination rights whatsoever," Trump said. "They've defaulted on their contract because of pressure put on them by Mexico."

UPDATE (3:20 p.m.): Trump's office sends the following statement:

As of today, Donald J. Trump is no longer affiliated with NBC. Mr. Trump stands by his statements on illegal immigration, which are accurate. NBC is weak, and like everybody else is trying to be politically correct--- that is why our country is in serious trouble.

Mr. Trump says, "We must have strong borders and not let illegal immigrants enter the United States. As has been stated continuously in the press, people are pouring across our borders unabated. Public reports routinely state great amounts of crime are being committed by illegal immigrants. This must be stopped and it must be stopped now. Long ago I told NBC that I would not being doing The Apprentice because I am running for President in order to Make our Country Great Again."

Mr. Trump continued, "If NBC is so weak and so foolish to not understand the serious illegal immigration problem in the United States, coupled with the horrendous and unfair trade deals we are making with Mexico, then their contract violating closure of Miss Universe/Miss USA will be determined in court. Furthermore, they will stand behind lying Brian Williams, but won't stand behind people that tell it like it is, as unpleasant as that may be."

NBCUniversal cuts ties with Donald Trump - POLITICO
http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2015/06/nbcuniversal-cuts-ties-with-trump-209678.html?hp=l3_4‎

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