Olbermann only MSNBC prime-time anchor absent from special election coverage

[helderheid]

Olbermann only MSNBC prime-time anchor absent from special election coverage

http://mediamatters.org/items/200611070001

As MSNBC's October 27 press release on the network's Decision 2006: Battleground America noted, starting October 30, MSNBC has been "devoting all of its daytime programming to politics," with coverage of the midterm elections slated to air "through Election Day ... with MSNBC Election Anchor and 'Hardball' Host Chris Matthews anchoring, along with MSNBC's Keith Olbermann, Joe Scarborough, Tucker Carlson, Norah O'Donnell and others." But a Media Matters for America review of MSNBC's daytime Battleground America coverage found that while prime-time anchors Matthews, Scarborough, and Carlson have all participated in MSNBC's special midterm election coverage, Olbermann has been absent.

The review found that Matthews, Scarborough, and Carlson have either hosted or contributed to 19 different segments in the special combined, whereas Olbermann has not appeared in any of MSNBC's election coverage, outside of his own program, Countdown. Only during the November 4 edition of Battleground America did MSNBC air a segment featuring Olbermann, but it was a clip from Countdown, not a personal appearance.

Anchors


Dates/Shows


Total appearances outside of own program

Chris Matthews


MSNBC News Live: 10/30; The Most with Alison Stewart: 10/30, 10/31, 11/1, 11/2; Battleground America 11/3, 11/5


7

Joe Scarborough


MSNBC News Live: 10/30, 10/31, 11/1, 11/2; Battleground America 11/3, 11/4, 11/5


7

Tucker Carlson


MSNBC News Live: 10/30, 11/1; The Most 10/31; Battleground America 11/3, 11/5


5

Keith Olbermann


None


0

Carlson, Matthews, and Scarborough anchor MSNBC's Tucker, at 4 and 6 p.m. ET on weekdays, Hardball with Chris Matthews, at 5 and 7 p.m. ET on weekdays, and Scarborough Country, at 9 p.m. ET on weekdays, respectively. Countdown with Keith Olbermann airs at 8 p.m. ET on weekdays.

Media Matters has documented numerous instances of conservative information in MSNBC's recent election coverage. For instance, the October 24 edition of Decision 2006: Battleground America -- The Homestretch, which appeared to be a preview of MSNBC's special election coverage, was rife with conservative misinformation, Republican talking points, and falsehoods. Since October 30, MSNBC's weeklong Battleground America coverage has been marked by various MSNBC hosts, correspondents, and analysts uncritically reporting smears against Democrats; declaring a Senate race in which the Democrat leads by 13 points "tight," while declaring a Senate race in which the Republican leads by 12 "all but over;" failing to note falsehoods in Republican campaign advertisements attacking Democrats; failing to challenge conservatives' baseless attacks on Democrats; and attacking Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) over a self-described "botched joke" he made during a California campaign appearance (here, here, and here).
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[Fridays Child]

1. At the end of the day, MSNBC is still a subsidiary of GE.

It shows.

[JoMama49]

2. Isn't Keith going to be anchoring with the rest of them on

election night? That's what I heard.

[Hugin]

3. Something like 12 straight hours...

I don't blame Keith for avoiding those idiots for the past few days.

[LSK]

10. thats what I heard too

[babylonsister]

4. He does have a day job. Maybe that's why? nt

[Rosco T.]

5. TAKE OFF THE TINFOIL

from the messages at Firedoglake last night..

Keith Olbermann says: November 5th, 2006 at 2:49 pm *

-----------------------------------------------
Justin @ 96

Mr. Olbermann,

I’m a retired newspaper journalist. Re: the last 5 years, I feel angry and humiliated over how the print and broadcast media’s reports on the war as well as local and national politics.
Your broadcast and the team that produces it are extraordinary. Thank you.
Question: I see Joe Scarborough, a conservative, being yanked out of his normal evening slot to comment on this Tuesday’s elections. And, of course, Tucker Carlson, who rarely makes any sense at all, has a prominent afternoon slot.
Is MSNBC going to bring you on to any morning or afternoon slots during these last days of the campaign? If not, why not?
Thanks again.

------------------------------------------------

Thanks for giving me a chance to clear this up. In fact, I’m co-anchoring the election with Matthews Tuesday night. And MSNBC has asked me to do whatever I could during these “politics days” — but a) I have my daily radio commitment, and b) I don’t want to diminish Countdown by not being around to write it.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

6. Untrue. Keith will be co-anchoring with Chris Matthews starting at 6PM ET.

He said it himself.

[Generator]

7. Tomorrow

Keith just announced that he will be co-anchoring with Matthews tomorrow after Hardball. I just can't watch. I dislike Matthews that much. He sickens me. He bothers me more than those on Fox even. Maybe it's his I used to be a Democrat thing and so I can trash them all day long. Anyway, together tomorrow if you can stand it.

[high density]

8. 6pm tomorrow with Tweety

He's going to be there all night!

[haymark]

9. We want KO.

[spooked]

11. He's on NOW!!

WOW!! Special Comment on MSNBC

[malaise]

14. Link please

I missed it.

[LTR]

12. Keith has daytime committments

He co-hosts an ESPN radio show with Dan Patrick. Also works hard at his nightly show. He did a live chat with FireDogLake this weekend and claimed that MSNBC wants to use him as much as possible (and why not?), but Olbermann has to work around his other committments.

Olbermann does not feel slighted by MSNBC. I often agree with MMFA, but I think they're overreacting here.

Oh, and he'll be front-and-center tomorrow night!

[wanpete]

13. I'm so sick of MSNBC's political pundits! They need some diversity!

I'm thankful that Keith will be on tomorrow night. I really like it when Barnacle is there because he seems to be a straight shooter. Tucker, Joe, and Norah O. are sickening. Although Joe seems to have "seen the light" lately. I just wish they would bring in some fresh political perspectives.

How about Cliff Schecter, Tavis Smiley, or someone else with some personality and who doesn't automatically lean right!

[dsc]

15. Keith has a day job

which I don't think he can easily get out of. I don't think MSNBC is entirely to blame here.