4 more years for MSNBC's Olbermann

[Snazzy]

Source: AP

Nov 10, 5:49 PM EST

4 more years for MSNBC's Olbermann

NEW YORK (AP) -- Barack Obama, the presidential candidate Keith Olbermann championed this fall, just won a four-year term. So, too, has Olbermann.

MSNBC announced Monday that Olbermann, its headlining prime-time star, has signed on to continue hosting "Countdown" each weeknight at 8 o'clock EST. MSNBC essentially tore up an existing contract Olbermann had, adding a year and a half and more money. (Exact terms of the deal were not disclosed.)

It's also four more years of cable television's most sizzling rivalry. Fox News Channel said last month that Bill O'Reilly, whose show airs opposite Olbermann's, had also agreed to a new four-year contract.

Olbermann's fans made him a folk hero during the campaign for his sharp-tongued criticism of John McCain and President Bush. The size of his audience has more than doubled, from an average of 776,000 in October 2007 to nearly 2.2 million this October, according to Nielsen Media Research. O'Reilly's audience hovered around 4 million a night in October 2008. (But the two were much more competitive among the 25-to-54 age demographic; Olbermann beat his rival seven nights in October in that category.)

MSNBC has built its prime time in Olbermann's image, hiring Rachel Maddow - a frequent Olbermann guest - for a successful 9 p.m. show. (Olbermann's telecast is repeated each weeknight at 10.)



Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/T/TV_MSNBC_OLBERMANN?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2008-11-10-17-49-05

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[Ryano42]

1. From way downtown...

BANG!!! :D

Way to go Keith! :kick:

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

2. Damn straight.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

5. Oh, and...

[DWinNJ]

11. I give up

I have been looking at these picturers for about 15 minutes
I can't spot the difference

[annabanana]

3. I like that canary savoring picture. .

Keith is a KoolKat.

[grasswire]

4. I'm very proud.

And I have to toot my own horn. I have an e-mail from Olbermann sent to me when MSNBC first agreed to give him a permanent spot, thanking me for begging the network execs to give it to him. I had begged them to give him a penthouse or whatever he wanted, saying that he had a unique voice of truth in a vast wasteland of liars. He told me they didn't give him the penthouse, but if he got the ratings they would let him control the content. Yippee! It worked. Well done, KO. Better than I even expected.

[SlowDownFast]

6. K&R

Love me some Keith.

[Fire1]

7. Go Keith! You're alright with me!

[sellitman]

8. Good work and great ratings are a super combination.

Rec'd and voted!

[SalmonChantedEvening]

9. With KO around, we'll always have a good night

And good luck

Congrats Keith!! Bravo MSNBC!!

:applause: :woohoo:

[1776Forever]

10. I don't miss watching KO much and I am 62 - Now if MSNBC could just get rid of Joe S! Yes we can!

I sure hope so! David Gregory is another one of my favorites. Hurray for 4 more years of Keith!

[corporatemedia]

12. "more than doubled" ? why not NEARLY TRIPLED ?....do the math...

DOUBLED .776 x 2 = 1.552 million

TRIPLED .776 x 3 = 2.328 million

KO got "nearly 2.2 million"

nice rounding

nice spin

[Fearless]

13. K&R!

We need accountability regardless of which party is in office.

:yourock:

[Kind of Blue]

14. He so deserves it.

[hangman86]

15. Best Person in the Woooooorrrrrlld!

:patriot:

[jwirr]

16. Good, I cannot stand weekends without KO so am glad to know he is back for

four more years.

[faulknercindy]

17. I love two things in life truth and laughter

and Keith Olbermann causes me to do and hear both.

[Raine]

18. Yipppeee!!! nt

:bounce:

[Dollface]

19. Zipidee doo da! I heart Keith. He is witty and wry.

[sutz12]

20. Great news!

And thanks Keith for bringing Rachel Maddow in and giving her the face time to earn her show, too.

The two of you provide a breath of fresh air badly needed to counter the RW smear machine.