NBC News Is Discussing A Potential Keith Olbermann Return To MSNBC
MSNBC needs a boost in primetime. Keith Olbermann is out of a job after his contract expired at ESPN. It is being reported that NBC News President Andrew Lack might be interested in bringing Olbermann back to MSNBC.
An article in The Wrap on the changes that NBC News President Andrew Lack is making contained an interesting nugget:
Aside from Turness, Lack might be indirectly trying to resurrect another career-in MSNBC primetime. Although there has been no confirmation of direct talks between Keith Olbermann and Lack about a possible return, it’s not out of the question.
“Phil isn’t talking to him, but someone else might be,” the insider told TheWrap, pointing out that like in many tense negotiations, a middleman not directly part of NBC News-MSNBC’s chain of command could be putting out feelers to Olbermann.
The bad blood between Griffin and Olbermann, which dates back to his messy exit in 2011, might still cast clouds over a possible return. But it’s certainly not be a deal breaker.
“Phil might say over my dead body, but Andy doesn’t have those issues,” the insider said.
An Olbermann return would require that MSNBC boss Phil Griffin be shown the door. Frankly, it is impossible to see Olbermann ever returning to the network if Griffin is still around, but there are roughly a thousand reasons for Griffin to be fired. The chief among them being the fact that he has managed to take a profitable and growing cable network and turn it into a raging tire fire.
MSNBC is a mess, and Phil Griffin is the reason the network is in such bad shape. Griffin and his team have made a series of horrible decisions that have pushed MSNBC’s audience away. A reunion of the Olbermann/Maddow block would push MSNBC ahead of CNN in the ratings. MSNBC viewers would quickly forgive the network for replacing Ed Schultz with Chuck Todd at 5 PM if the network brought back Keith Olbermann at 8 PM.
There are not many top notch broadcasters who could come in and fix MSNBC primetime. Olbermann would be a quick fix for two of the biggest problems at the network. MSNBC needs to undo the Chris Hayes disaster and find another star to pair with Maddow. Olbermann would solve both of these problems.
The odds that Olbermann returns as long as the current leadership regime is in place at MSNBC are long, but the fact that NBC News would consider it suggests that the door is open for the return of the biggest star in MSNBC history.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
This would make me a happy camper.
With credentials like that Griffin would be a Republican Presidential candidate.
Wait and see.
If true Keith wont last long
How Chuck Todd Hurts America
NBC’s Chuck Todd could serve as a poster boy for the pathetic state of modern television news and opinion. A consistent champion of moronic both-sidesism, Todd is a flagship network personality who occasionally writes pedestrian takes on President Obama that indulge Beltway groupthink and hosts occasional white power segments – qualities that apparently make him perfect for NBC’s new plan to make its MSNBC cable channel more like Joe Scarborough and less like Rachel Maddow.
Read more
http://crooksandliars.com/2015/07/how-chuck-todd-hurts-america
i will bet olbys agent, will demand this time, that the suits keep their yaps, and noses out of his show. let the dude do what he does.
comcast sees that they have a choice with the cable outlet, the roberts family, who owns comcast, i hear, is going to let msnbc to become a real news network, with combining the nbc news division staff [which is very good], since nbc nightly news, still draws huge numbers. more than any cable all day, combined…
kids, dont forget, sponge bob reruns, get better ratings than any fox cartoon ‘news’ show, like billo. fox for all its bluster, is still a boutique and niche. part of fox cable package, they sell as a box of chocolates, at the cable conventions. dig deep into their real demographic numbers. its 65+ to dead… white.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_L._Roberts
Yippee ki Yeah!
Ha Ha Ha. These networks are such fair weather friends.
…if they can Chunky Toady they got a deal…lol
I loved “Worst Person in the World,” and would love to see that come back. He sometimes put himself in that role when he goofed.
You’ve read my comments about MSNBC, it’s just republican LITE propaganda, theres no way in HELL Keith Olbermann’s coming back! Keith is my brother from another mother! Keith has passion and intelligence! he kicks conservatives A$SES with the skill of a Ninja! he use to BIT@H slap bill o’rielly, like just for the exercise! MSNBC and Keith wouldn’t work! See MSNBC did exactly what most NEW businesses in the beginning do, they give you first class service, treat you like you’re really important and as soon as they develop a healthy clientele, they start cutting back on quality and before you know it, it’s nothing like the business you started with! NO! MSNBC and Keith are going two totally different directions! IF, Keith came back, they’d fire him within a month or he’d QUIT!!
they need to get rid of those emo’s on msnbc
As long as get rid of those emo’s
like Ed and Hayes
Haven’t you heard? They’re the base of the Democratic party
…if he DOES come back, his contract will give him some protection…this time they KNOW his shtick and would have to if nothing else hold thier noses…and sign…
OH! BTW ANY network that has joe “IS MY FORMER INTERN REALLY DEAD?” scarborough isn’t a LIBERAL or LIBRIL station! HELLO! didn’t MSNBC have david gregory, chuck todd and andrea mitchell on their FULL time payroll? think about it, what liberal format would have hired those republicans and a libertarian in the first place?????? FUX NEWS ONLY brings on WEAK PATHETIC LAME SIMPLE MINDED supposedly DEMOCRATS like alan colmes!! colmes even make ME SICK!! he’s just the candy AS$ democrat FUX LOVES to trot out and pull his panties off!! what a PUSS.
would love it. but if I was Keith, i’d demand toady be gone before I stepped foot in the building. morning joe is bad enough, but chuck is unacceptable.
worst person and special comments were golden. have missed his take and his ability to verbalize my rage. Now with Jon Stewart going and Colbert gone, we desperately need a voice.
…from what I’ve seen over the past year, Andrea Mitchell fires tough questions at everybody…acts like she’s severely allergic to “softball” questions…
Don’t just “considering” it, do it!
Stranger things have happened, but Griffin would have to get gone or be put on an extremely short leash. His failures are spectacular and deserving a job in the NBC news dept. basement.
Hell, if the donald can get away with the crap he is spewing, Keith would look like a pussy cat…
Would that be Ed, the MSNBC Bernie Sanders campaign manager? Only thing he hasn’t fessed up to is being a paid BS campaign manager. In fact — he’s no diff than Scarborough for the ReThugs.
To know Eddy was a mega right winger not all that long ago — to be cheerleading Sanders — that’s a massive swing of the pendulum.
To hear Eddy rant about Clinton not taking a stand on Keystone — from the bozo that not that long ago was raving mad in favor of Keystone. He was all in like flint. Viewers nailed him and he swung like a pendulum out of control — the massive flip flopper. I’ve not trusted a word from him since seeing how fast he flips where the wind blows. Also add the number of right wingers he has on his daily panels allowing them to spew lies unchecked. Show the man he door!!
i am sure i am not alone, that schultz is getting nixed, while sharpton isnt. in fact today, ed was the ONLY guy to show sanders, and the fact sanders had at least 100000 people opening their homes for a grass roots thing. only ed, and thom hartmann. and none of the swine media said a word, but cnn had 3 hours of the combover, and his sideshow.
yes eds numbers were not good, but neither are rev. als. but al has some juice with Phil Griffin. i do look forward to the coming 2 hour block of so called hard news. we’ll see. cable is kaput anyway.
“MSNBC viewers would quickly forgive the network for replacing Ed Schultz with Chuck Todd at 5 PM if the network brought back Keith Olbermann at 8 PM.”
Not a snowball’s chance. I like Olbermann and would like to see him back, BUT not if they canned Ed and put in Chuck the toad. They keep that weasel in and I, personally, will continue to watch SpongeBob Squarepants. It would be just as educational.
I doubt seriously that Keith would want to punish himself with a return to MSNBC.
I still miss Keith every night at 8 p.m. It’s awful to see Chris Hayes jumping up and down on his seat. Keith didn’t waste our time with conservative guests. They flood the rest of the media shouting that liberals are “extreme.” Give me a break. Brings some edge back on prime time. Bring back Keith, please.
Keith would be great and Martin Bashir would be good too!
It’s very sad to me that Ed Shultz has been cancelled….Unbelievable!! It’s the only show I actually got excited about and looked forward to! I WILL NOT forgive MSNBC for cancelling him! They have lost this viewer!
MSNBC is desperate for viewership. All of their shows are in the toilet. The only shows that are doing anything at all are Rachael maddow and morning joe. This guy is desperate to save his job. He doesn’t give a flip about Keith obberman. If Keith has self respect he would turn down any offer.
YES Keith O. and Martin B. NO to Chuck Todd. That’s all I have to say about that.
The Eastern Seaboard Preference Nutwerk fired KO because of his correct and legtitimate descriptions of the airheaded coward trying to run(ruin?) the nfl.
espn<<NO caps, is seemingly owned by the NY yankoffs/Bahston dead sox.
Out of any 10 MLB games shown, they show 8 of either of these teams.
They don't have any interest in the rest of the country's preferences and, they ARE losing viewers.
And, that's the same nutwerk that's losing viewers due to the imbecilic rantings of the clownish stephen a(hole) smith.
I do hope that KO is back on TV SOON.
I talk with a lot of people and, we ALL miss him.
Jon Stewart, Bill Maher, John Oliver and KO, three of the best and most entertaining of all those on TV.
"Tosses papers over desk".
Canning Ed, Toure, Crystal, Ari, Alex unforgivable. Keeping Joe Schmo, Mika, Chuckles and Chris(look ma I’m on tv)obscene. With this kind of logic, Keith is only a dream. If he comes back, I want Bashir, Phil Donohue and the Turk back too. The only decent network I can get and now it will be gone.
Right now Al Jazeera. also FSTV with Thom Hartman. All who disagree with MSNBC’s actions should let them know and tell them that they will be boycotting the channel and
urging others to do the same, perhaps they will soon get the message.
Rev. Al and Hayes are going to get the ax too. I wish they’d give Hayes, Moaning Joe’s show since his weekend morning show was pretty decent, but for some reason, those idiots at MSNBC seem to like “the guy with the dead intern.” Sharpton is terrible.
Bring him back.
This would be wonderful for MSNBC and for all Americans! Bring back the man who started it all…K.O.!
I agree, Shadowolf. I’ve seen enough of her shows to know that she’s got no problem firing off hard questions no matter who sits in front of her, and she pulls no punches for Republicans or Libertarians, either.
She actually behaves like a true journalist, although she was a little too much to the Right in the beginning. Over time, she became neutral, and I admire her for that even if I don’t always agree with her.
Bring Keith back! And FCOL, Let Keith be Keith!
The only person I watch is Rachel Maddow. The others, as far as I am concerned, can get fired.
When KO left, I left. When KO returns, I’ll return!
Keep Ed Schultz Program on!
Add Keith Olbermann..
I will NOT watch Chuck Toad..
He Ruined ‘Meet the Press’.
Bold Nebraska is running a Petition to
keep the Ed Show on. If you’re interested, go to their FB page. ‘BoldNebraska’
I’m sure MSNBC had been pressured to get rid of Ed Schultz because he was getting a little too deeply into the no-holds-barred, inner sanctum, of the untouchable corporate moneyed. His demotion from his prime 8 pm slot to 5 pm, when everyone is eating or traveling home from work, was the first sign. Ed was too good and was stepping on toes that pay to keep people OFF their toes. This is corporate America, the ones BUYING our government, and our sick, Republican dominated, refuse to do their American duty to eliminate their partisan lack of judgment in making inanimate corporations into human beings, a sorcery our forefathers never could have even imagined, from supposedly “American?” “Justices?”, who desecrate the title.
Rachel Maddow is very educated, and
at first I was excited but have concluded this is a bad idea. screw nbc and msnbc. they have betrayed millions by their sudden and despicable lurch to the right. basically they are now a fox news lite- worthless GOP cheerleaders- although I do realize there are one or two who deserve praise. I know the only way olbermann reaches a large portion of the population is through a national channel but there has to be a better vehicle than the backstabbers nbc and msnbc who, at this point, could care less about olbermann, libs, or dems, as they are desperate to save their flailing network of flip floppin garbage.
…for KO I would get up at 6 every mornin’…
When Ed Shultz goes, I go
Why doesn’t MSNBC decide what it wants to be when it grows up. They start everyday with Joe bloviator and his all too conservative guests. Lately most of the other programming seems to be all Hillary all the time. MSNBC is trying to get rid of all the other voices.
Oh my god, yes. Obviously Phil Donahue and Jesse Ventura. Then, Keith Olbermann, Cenk Uygur, Dylan Ratigan, Joy Reid, now Ed Schultz. Ed Schultz may have not had the hottest ratings. He had better than a lot still on the network though. Hmn. I wonder why HE HAD TO GO? Seeing a pattern? Anyone willing to open their mouth and be objective to the GOP-DEMOCRATIC party structure and problems HAS TO GO. I don’t watch MSNBC ANYMORE. They’ve DESTROYED A LOT OF FOLLOWERS LIKE ME.
I’m convinced that this is a ruse. Get Donald Trump out there does 3 things. 1. gets ratings from sideshow comments and stories. 2. distracts people from their own concerns (can’t give them bread, give them a circus) so everyone stays in delusion. and 3. It guarantees Hillary and Jeb become the candidates and one or the other wins. I like Bernie Sanders and I admit he probably would have a hard time winning the nomination and election. But it would be nice if he was given an honest opportunity. Such is politics. It’s up to us to fight back politically over the long run.
Chuck. Todd…replacing Ed Schultz…um…I hear they are gonna get a chunk of wood to replace The Toad on MTP…& by connecting cables to the rapidly spinning Tim Russert, they expect to power a medium sized city.
Listening to Chuck Toad makes me want to jam a fork up my ass.
If Keith is allowed to swear like a lumberjack, then it should be good.
Replace obnoxious and arrogant morning Joe;
Bring back the star: KO
Keep Chris Hayes, Rachel and Lawrence;
How about a slot for Thom Hartmann?
Or are the corporates just deciding to tack Right?
Let’s hope it happens and on his first show he interviews Zoey Tur, the mtf transsexual father of his ex live-in, Katy Tur, who threatened to “curb stomp” Ben Shapiro of Breitbart News for calling Zoey, “Sir” on a Drew Pinsky Show. How about a cage match between Zoey and Ben with Keith refereeing and Brian Williams doing the commentary? Ratings heaven my boy! Over and out.
I’ve never been able to warm up to Hayes. He has a horrible habit of interrupting his guests in order to hear his own voice. So why does he need to invite any guests at all?
I’m not interested in Hayes’ opinion on topics but would rather hear what his guests have to say, but he’s such a hyper host that even his guests appear to get jumpy and nervous which, in turn, makes me jumpy and nervous. Ugh!
I love Keith his comments were bright and cerebral. He gave the truth and took Fox to the woodshed where they belong! My favorite was Keith and Rachel I beg MSNBC to hire him back please!
I agree. In fact, I’d re-connect my Comcast TV subscription just to see Keith O. again in his role of Countdown.
BRING KEITH BACK ASAP. THROW RACIST JOE OVER TO FOX, WITH THE OTHER RACIST ASAP.
Yes,Yes,Yes, Bring back the leader of the pack who, with the exception of Chris Matthews, begat (introduced) most of the current progressive commentators on msnbc. No one analyzes the news of the day and debunks political spin, lies and misinformation from Rush and company better than KO. Rachael Maddow is a star today because of her apprenticeship on “count down”. Bury hatchets. BRING BACK KO. Make political news and commentary fun to watch again!
The reason why MSNBC is floundering is because they have no identity. Get rid of Morning Moron Joe Scarborough. Quit being timid and get a lineup of good strong tell-it-like-is Liberals ALL DAY. If they would just ADMIT they are a lib network…ratings would go through the roof…because LIBERALS WILL WATCH..its not rocket science. If Faux News has O’Reilly, Hannity and those other buffoons…Why cant MSNBC have a line up of Stephanie Miller, John Fugelsang, Thom Hartmann, Ed Schultz, Rev. Al, Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O’Donnell and Keith Olbermann?
It would be wonderful to have KO back, but I see the handwriting on the wall; Brian Williams (The Liar)is coming back as breaking new reporter & eventually he will have a primetime show on MSNBC; MSNBC is losing audiences as we speak and the hole they’re digging is getting bigger, eventually you have to stop digging and come up for air.
KO is their only salvation however I see MSNBC eventually folding because of their ratings. Now they also want to bring more conservatives on their show and who wants to hear what they have to say, not me.