Why did Jonathan Alter and Howard Fineman refuse the Newsweek buyout deals that 111 other people accepted, even when they were among the sweetest offers made in recent history?

Perhaps it’s because both of them are earning into the six figures at MSNBC with on-air analyst gigs, we understand.

Had they chose to leave Newsweek, they may have received their news magazine salary for up to two years, but they also would’ve become much less desirable commodities at MSNBC, and risked losing those lucrative contracts.