FILE - In this June 26, 2011 file photo, the Rev. Al Sharpton arrives at the BET Awards in Los Angeles. Whether MSNBC will hire Sharpton despite questions about his booster role for the cable channel's parent company is undecided. MSNBC President Phil Gri
FILE - In this June 26, 2011 file photo, the Rev. Al Sharpton arrives at the BET Awards in Los Angeles. Whether MSNBC will hire Sharpton despite questions about his booster role for the cable channel's parent company is undecided. MSNBC President Phil Griffin said Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2011, that Sharpton is doing a good job as a guest host for the 6 p.m. ET hour, the lead-in to MSNBC's primetime lineup that includes Chris Matthews and Rachel Maddow. But a decision about hiring Sharpton has yet to be made, Griffin told a meeting of the Television Critics Association. Chris Pizzello, file, Associated Press
By Associated Press

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — The president of MSNBC says the Rev. Al Sharpton's possible hiring doesn't represent a conflict of interest for the cable channel.

Last year, Sharpton weighed in on behalf of Comcast Corp. as the government scrutinized the company's ultimately successful takeover of NBCUniversal. Sharpton, the head of the National Action Network civil rights group, was among minority representatives approached by Comcast executives for support.

Comcast is the parent company of MSNBC, part of NBCUniversal.

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Griffin noted Tuesday that Sharpton has been appearing on MSNBC since the network began 15 years ago. Whether he'll join the network is undecided, Griffin told the Television Critics Association on Tuesday.

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