It seems that MSNBC, under heavy pressure from its parent organization, NBC, has decided to pull Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews from the chair as its primary hosts of election coverage. The reason is, unabashedly and plainly, that the McCain campaign has been complaining that MSNBC’s coverage was biased towards the democrats.
Although MSNBC nearly doubled its total audience compared with the 2004 conventions, its competitive position did not improve, as it remained in last place among the broadcast and cable news networks. In prime time, the channel averaged 2.2 million viewers during the Democratic convention and 1.7 million viewers during the Republican convention.
So, actually, although it’s "competitive position" didn’t improve, it’s viewership (which is what you use when you sell ads and make money), doubled. Let me repeat that, doubled. Having Olbermann and Chris Matthews doubled viewership. So, from a business point of view, this decision actually doesn’t make a lot of sense.
This isn’t the first time that MSNBC and NBC have made bad business decisions due to right wing pressure. In 2003 they canceled the Donahue show, even though it was the highest rated show on MSNBC at the time. An internal memo later showed that the decision was made because the program presented a "difficult public face for NBC in a time of war".
In other words, twice now NBC has forced MSNBC to make bad political decisions because NBC wants to kiss up to Republicans. If I were a shareholder, I’d be outraged, and I’ll suggest that the company’s officers are failing their fiduciary duty to the owners of the company.
Meanwhile, Fox News, with a clear and unapologetic bias, sails on, sturdily ignoring complaints and keeping its top position in the network wars. Maybe NBC should try and learn the lesson: news with a viewpoint sells better than news without one, and the Republican conservative market is already saturated with content by Fox. On the other hand, there is a large market open on the left.
Since NBC is clearly unable to run MSNBC properly as a business, the rational decision would be to spin it off on its own, so that MSNBC’s managers can make the decisions they need to make, independent of political pressure from NBC’s executives.
But I guess puckering up for Republicans is more important to NBC than market share or profits.
Related posts:
- Glenn Greenwald On His MSNBC Source For the GE-Olbermann Story
- If RNC Chairman Steele Is an Idiot, Why Is MSNBC Giving Him a Forum?
- Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse: Talk Shows Shouldn’t Make Prosecutorial Decisions
- Late Night Special: Yes, I Dared Blanche Lincoln to Filibuster on MSNBC…
- Late Night: Fetch MSNBC the Smelling Salts, It’s Seeing Stars!
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NBC messes with Keith Olbermann at its peril.
The meme of the liberal media continues, repeatedly and endlessly. No matter the truth. Barack can say “you can’t just make stuff up,” but they do it. Nago stop cuz he says it is so.
I said it earlier, I think it’s better. He was good at taking the role of co-anchor but he’s way more valuable when he can say what he really thinks. He’s still going to be on the debates. Much ado about nothing IMHO.
NBC isn’t in peril. We’re the ones that are.
Republicans whine…. they get their way.
Giving in to whiners does not work! They just whine more.
Treat them like the kids they are.
Oi gevalt. I’m sticking to CSPAN…
Found this a little while ago…thru Politico
Joe Lieberman returned to Capitol Hill today — his first day back since speaking at the GOP convention — and was greeted by the resignation of his $120,000-a-year legislative director Joe Goffman.
My guess is that Keith thought it would be a bad idea to send him to the RNC. He knows he’s not neutral.
That said, it may be that ownership decided that if they put Keith in this position, then ginned up this outcry, they could force him off the TeeVee altogether. The RNC is not the only entity made uncomfortable by Keith’s politics. The globalists are terrified by the truth, and those willing to tell it.
Keith is an opinion talent, not a news talent. Attempting to have him assume a Brian Williams type of role was either a bad decision, or one purposely designed to put the cross hairs on Olbermann to get him fired from the network.
If it was David Rockefeller’s doing, assume Karl Rove’s slight of hand and trickery.
Digg it for Keith and Ian here!
This is the kind of truth that the rest of the educated citizens of the world knows to be fact, that you won’t hear on network television, unless it is by mistake:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…..re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…..re=related
Lumping KO and Tweety in together as part of the same problem is beyond ridiculous. Repairing those “problems” with more of David, Tom and Brian is beyond insulting.
Anybody have a link to tell NBC they did something stupid?
Did they give any indication of what that might mean?
Ian, what do you think of all of left blogosphere heading over to CNN for the debates? Wouldn’t that send a message???
Can hardly wait to see Rachel’s show. Hope is a full hour of goodness, without an Oddball type waste of time.
I’m wondering if some of this really has to do with Chuck Todd taking over for Russert…maybe there is some power struggle going on..
Lumping them together as co-hosts was as stupid as anything else they have done.
Why do people act surprised every time something like this happens?
The skewing of BigMedia narratives toward BigMoney interests is INTENTIONAL. We get all excited when we get small victories here and there (Maddow’s show, Olbermann), but as has always happened, when they start getting too much of a following, the plug gets pulled for some made-up reason. Even happened at Air America ferchrissakes.
The only solution will be word-of-mouth/screen marketing by each and every one of us, to let people know there are great alternatives out there in the New Media like FDL. Then, the trick is getting people to change behaviors, and start dropping cable/dish and BigMoney subscriptions, and putting that same money same money into supporting New Media. We will never change Conglomerate-owned media outlets to level that will lead to significant change. Any “progress” we ever feel in that regard is simply efforts to tame the masses.
Let’s get to work.
Did the story say if it was a result of Lieberman’s speechifying, or other? If the former, hooray for Goffman. He seems to be exercising some principle. In Washington, no less. What a concept!
The McSame campaign wants the same version of the news on every network–the McSame version
You may well be right but it still doesn’t negate the fact that nbc/msnbc bent over for the thugs. There’s no way to put lipstick on *that* pig.
It needs to be coordinated, but I’ve not idea if proprietors of blogs would be liable in some way.
Keith is going to be on the panels at the debates. He’ll be able to be himself much more that he would have as an anchor. Apparently no on else believes this huh?
No. Maybe he doesn’t want to work for a Republican. I mean, after all, Joe is the one teaching Palin about foreign policy. Could be that, I imagine.
Kind of hard to quit a $120,000 job….
The Bushco/McRove version.
Thanks Ian.
I thought the rationale was going to be to have someone less partisan in the anchor chair. No?
I have before seen links to the networks to tell them what we think. I am not aware of any problems with blogs publishing such links.
Good for Goffman is right! How did the rest of the democrats respond?
I thought it was lipstick on pitbulls. (still waiting for the photoshops)
You may be right
He’s going to be in New York, right? Will he get to comment as he wishes?
CBS picked up the story too…
snip
He gave no reason for his departure — but indicated he has no firm future plans.
His farewell E-Mail to Senate staff: “Dear Colleagues – Earlier today I informed Senator Lieberman of my resignation as his legislative director effective September 30. Serving the Senator, the state of Connecticut and the Senate itself has been the privilege of a lifetime – as has been the opportunity to work with all of you. The Senator, my colleagues on his staff and all of you have granted me an extraordinarily precious experience that I will treasure for the rest of my life. My future plans are still very much a work in progress, but I will count myself lucky indeed if, as I intend, they include our crossing paths again.
Again, thank you all for sharing the past three-and-a-half years with me.”
That’s the rationale. Yup. I’m just saying that it appears to be a bad business decision, and not the first time NBC has forced MSNBC to remove partisan talent.
What a frickin waste of time and energy, these fuckers are in the process of stealing another election and people are going to spend time on a meaningless boycott. Please.
I can’t do links….I tried but it won’t post. Sorry for the hijack Ian!
i watch msnbc solely because KO is on the station and also b/c they just added rachel maddow to the line-up!! now i’ll only watch those 2 programs…. i am pissed that they removed KO and ahem tweety from election coverage – they added a lot to my knowledge and enjoyment to mostly dull proceedings…. i guess misnbc wants to go further into the tank by subverting a popular and an answer to rightwing pundits on cnn and faux news…. W T F!!!!!
Speaking of MSNBC Barack is being interviewed by Olbermann at 8 pm Eastern
MSNBC is upset because Matthews was exposed at the Democratic convention.
I don’t know what the physical configuration will be. Sometimes they do the split screen and sometimes they get them all in one place. I bet they won’t put him where he can reach Buchanan.
It’s not just a matter of “what difference this makes” it’s a matter of why GE media manipulation ordered by the Republican watb’s did this. I don’t necessarily think it’s a bad idea on some levels, but I think we need to back up our own (KO) a little, while he’s up against the wall by the likes of Buchanan and team McCain.
It’s really true that a thousand lies cannot stand up to a single truth.
These whiners don’t watch MSNBC. They just can’t permit a SINGLE voice in the wilderness to speak the truth.
Check out the history of Soviet represssion of information sources.
It’s a cause of ALL or the system starts crumbling.
America is more propagandized then the USSR ever was.
Boycott! That’ll show em!
Krista Freedland (sp?) just said on Hardball that the use of the “community organizer” term is a racist dogwhistle. Duh. But at least she said it. No comment from Tweety on that point, but it was nice to see someone outside the DFH blogtopians finally tumble to that point.
Tell ya what, lets see what he has to say about it.
Corporate run media…corporate run government…Smoke and mirrors.
I agree that they are getting ready to try to steal another election..they always change around the pundits to steer the message down the homestretch; whether it be to go to war in Iraq or to manipulate an election. We’ve all been to this rodeo before.
has it been confirmed that Todd will replace Russert ???
ya right!!
Why not tune into to Rachel tonight. She needs to have a big audience. We can boycott Joe, though.
Tweety is now all about believing that the convention bounce is the same as the results on election night.
Moron.
The thing about President Bush, whom Vice President Cheney affectionately refers to as “the Man”, is that his idiocy is so blithering.
wouldn’t miss it, that’s what picture in picture is for.
I know some of the numbers are now pulled from cable boxes/dvr’s – wish we knew if there was some measurement for folks switching from Scar to CNN
Jeez, KO opening up with his fists!
Booyah!!! KO is going to deal with Palin’s “church problem.” It’s about fracking time.
yea, he’s crushed by this decision isn’t he?
CNN has been ‘teasing’ all day that they would show Palin’s state paid speech in June at her old church -
I think Markos hit on something no one else noticed:
my bold.
Brokaw, who until Russert died, was retired, now is getting hissy about having his “debate.”
When was the last time we actually had a presidential debate?
State paid? Say wha??? I’m confused now…
NBC = Neutered Broadcasting Company
I’m liking KO’s conversation with Obama. KO is dropping hints about a mile a minute.
“Why not use the word LIE?”
He’s replaced him in the Washington bureau (i.e., his desk job), but I don’t know if he’ll replace him on MTP.
It is about time for this KO questioning Obama one on one. I love it.
So David Gregory, Karl Rove’s dance partner is going to take over on the political desk. Nothing to see here, move along. Business as usual.
The boycott has collapsed!
Any bets we NEVER see McShame or the Trojan Moose on KO’s show or Rachels?
I thought not.
Good…Obama keeping his points short and concise…more of this…wages going down…gas going up…all under Bush..etc.
LOL..that sure lasted a long time!!
why the hell is there yet another new thread? WTF?
Raven- the most criticism I’ve seen here and about for KO was re: election coverage. I don’t want to wade into this further, bec. Crickey, I watch C-SPAN on the computer, and, uh, I think I have a TV somewhere… So, let’s just say I thought you made a worthy point. Does that help? ;)
Bread and Circuses.
New “word”..from Obama…”Neglect” by Bushco.
It’s off somewhere else, not on the “mother ship.”
you know, the amount of viewers is not what networks look at anymore
if one of their sponsors does not like a particular personalit they can almost always get rid of that personality
in some instances the network can replace the sponsor but when it is a host of sponsors then the personality goes
I’m surprised olbrman is still on corporate media at all
At least Keith isn’t pulling any punches tonight. It will be interesting to see how long before the whining rethugs insist that NBC pull the plug on Keith and Rachel.
If they can’t stand up to Keith and Rachel, how are they going to stand up to the terraists?
I wonder if MSNBC/NBC will get rid of Joe Scarborough, because the morning after Barack Obama’s speech at the DNC, ole Joe was in love with Barack! He couldn’t believe the magic the night before and could understand why everyone loved the man.
Oh boy. Maybe that’s why Joe was out this morning? He was being spanked by NBC at home.
even so . . . just when we get a conversation going someone tries to change the subject. Kind of like . . . .
That’s right RevDeb! The big bad right wingers are scared of liberals because liberals force them to look inward. Very scary to a neocon.
Hey, we’re down to the wire here. I’m emailing all the news programs and the candidates on a daily basis and calling them like I see ‘em. No more Kerry surprises for me.
nah, he got over that one in a hurry. Remember Joe is a bona fide rethug, former congresscritter with scandal in his past. No way he’s come over from the dark side.
Funny you should say that. I emailed MSNBC the YouTube video yesterday with a diatribe on the dancing fool. Try it, you’ll feel better :)
Obama is kidding himself thinking that the American people are ready to look for something new and take the high road. Not gonna happen. He’d better back up his kumbaya with some actual ammunition.
When that happens, I just stay on “the mother ship” and keep on keeping on!
nah, they know exactly what they’re getting. That’s why they are doing it. It’s all about GE and protecting the MIC.
Special Comment on 9/11 porn tomorrow night.
It’s about damn time for that too.
Is there anyone around who’s old enough to remember if 12/7/41 was “memorialized” the way they’re doing 9/11? I was born in 1946, but I don’t remember the same kind of jingoistic porn…
What Digby said.
Time for Obama’s campaign to develop a killer instinct and fast. The campaign is getting away from the Dems.
Looking inside is not problem for a neocon because there is nothing there. They are already dead on the inside.
I didn’t quite get it until I saw this post by Charlie:
The best day in their lives. Smack in the head moment for me. Mind boggling.
Oh, I certainly understand exactly what they’re doing. I want to know if anything like it was done after Pearl Harbor Day.
God help me, every time I hear her speak I get transported to “Fargo,” and start to yearn for a wood chipper… KIDDING, mods, just KIDDING…
Oh. My. God.
Well, if you’re not going to allow a pregnancy to be terminated who cares who caused it? [puke]
Fabulous!
what took Goffman so long?
You could be wrong if…
you’re an honest person and you see yourself as being in the center, then anyone who differs seems partisan.
you’re a lyin’ sob who only wants the corporate Republican view on t.v. and you got that power because Ronald Reagan smiled.
I do hope that The Powers That Be at FDL will have a front page “live watch/blog” of Rachel’s first show…
ditto
frankly I’m getting kind of tired of the WPIW obsession with BillO. There are lots of other worthy candidates out there.
Not yet, but I’ve got another window open and keep checking…! If not, we’ll just stay down in the basement and party without the parental units!
AIPAC finally coughed up a better offer? /s
looks like it’s just I and thou. Anyone else here?
Obama seemed to reveal that it is his intention to lose. He admits the Republicans know how to run a campaign, but is not attempting to emulate it.
Keith is begging him to call lying “Lying,” yet Obama refuses and picks the most gentile way to phrase it.
This makes Obama seem weak.
I don’t know about Goffman. Maybe he wanted the effect to be biggest, when the Senate has already gone back into action and now the work isn’t being done.
So, MSNBC bows to GE and gives McCain how much money? Just how much difference will this make in ad revenue? That’s how much they’re giving to McCain.
Of course, the big thing is, as someone has already mentioned, they get an honest reporter off the tube, so McCain won’t have to worry about being humiliated.
The value to McCain is inestimable.
I would wonder whether GE stockholders would be upset, but the big ones are probably cheering — and wondering why they ever have an independent journalist or Lefty on their shows. Fascists all.
A typo?
I wonder what Bush’s people told Obama in his “intelligence briefing”. If it was anything like the briefing on Iraq, then he could just toss it in the trash.
I don’t know if this thread is dead but ” A Day That Will Live in Infamy” and “The Only Thing We Have to Fear” are sort of well known.
Actually the latest ad calls them “naked liars.” It’s right out there in print on the ad. Hopefully its the beginning of a trend. But I’m not counting on it.
Yes, they are. But they don’t have the creepy “we’re so glad it happened” feel that what was shown at the R convention did.
Well, apparently if we want to discuss Rachel’s premiere we’ll do it here. There are 2 posts above, neither of which is on “the mother ship” and neither of which is on point.
pw had fresh threadiness a few flights up
I found Tweety and Keith very uncomfortable to watch. I don’t think they work well as team and to me it showed.
seamless segueway?
they don’t much like each other and it shows. So what else is new? Sadly, Keith gets dinged for it.
Oh no, they can’t do that. To read some users here, if we develop the killer instinct, we become them.
BTW, I agree, we must develop killer instinct. We must attack EVERY angle, leave no stone unturnbed.
By ANY means necessary.
fyi, PW is upstairs.
What Obama has not yet learned—NEVER overestimate the intelligence of the American public.
KO knows tweety has shilled for repugs and its apparent KO tried to keep him at least fairly open imo….
Talking about banking, and McCain’s son being in charge of the latest failed bank… Not Rachel.
Steve Benen writes well, but not great on screen. I hope she gets some Jane and Christy and Markos and Josh Marshall on her show.
i’m sure rachel has to be on her P’s & Q’s…. but i’m going to hope she doesnt try to be a less progressive person…. i think she’ll have some of our fave bloggers on …
You know I was really piised off today, I sent an email to MSNBC with a return receipt and I got a message back in that my email was deleted before even being read. I sent it to 4 different email addresses over there.
It really made me angry that they don’t even care what their viewers think.