Keith Olbermann was suspended indefinitely from his show “Countdown with Keith Olbermann” after his bosses at MSNBC caught him donating to Democratic campaigns.

Journalists are supposed to remain as unbiased as possible when covering a story. In that regard, a news anchor should not donate to campaigns when he or she is reporting on them. The issue in Olbermann’s case, however, is that he isn’t a journalist.

He is a commentator; meaning MSNBC pays him to share his opinion with viewers. Olbermann is not a journalist any more than his counterparts, Bill O’Reilly, Rachel Maddow or Sean Hannity are. Their job is to entertain, not inform.

MSNBC made a terrible choice by suspending Olbermann and trying to get him to apologize on air. It sends a confusing message to the public that Olbermann and friends are legitimate news sources. By donating to the Democrats, he was doing what his higher-ups pay him to do each night on his show. If they thought Olbermann’s admiration for all things liberal was a well-guarded secret, they must not be tuning in.

Cable news outlets need to own up to what they are putting on air. The only thing this suspension does is confuse the public and encourage Fox News and MSNBC to bicker back and forth.

As soon as Olbermann was told he would be on a very long break, his cohort Maddow took to the air and wagged her finger at Fox News for having a presence in the political game as well. We think enough is enough.

The above editorial is the consensus opinion of the Daily Kent Stater editorial board whose members are listed to the left.