Keith fired from Current TV by Hyatt & Gore

[Divine Discontent]

I feel like they were more than unwilling to see the vision Olbermann had wanted to bring to Current, ya know, make it actually something that a lot of people would watch!

I always felt that with all the super rich liberals we have in the world, that we should have some type of national network that wasn't beholden to a few rich white men's orders and could rival Faux Noise's propaganda, and told the people the truth - apparently, that's not allowed, or it costs too much, to be more specific (the production values of Current leave a lot to be desired, as I know people who didn't watch because it looked like crap).

I saw a small glint of hope that he could persuade the lawyers who own Current to allow a network to be transformed into something that millions of liberals would start watching (I can't tell you how upsetting it is when I hear people who are libs tell me they watch Faux to keep an eye on them), a positive and unrestricted news network that didn't have to worry what corporate overlords had to say about each night's coverage.

Alas, that wasn't meant to be at this time, and Hyatt and Gore released a smarmy statement imho, saying, "the values of respect, openness, collegiality, and loyalty to our viewers", since "these traits are no longer reflected in our relationship with Keith Olbermann and we have ended it".

And replacing him with Spitzer? Boring.

Keith, tap your shoes together, knock off the dust, and just do your own thing. We are up against a wall of corporatism and restrictive politics and politicians with connections that never make sense. I commend him for great shows, and in-depth research into the issues. Keep it up, KO, wherever you go.


KO's lawyer vows bad result for Current - - -
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2012/03/kei...



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[Me.]

1. Sorry To Hear

[Divine Discontent]

2. hate losing a liberal voice from TV/radio, hope he can find a new home

Get it here----->>>>>
http://www.zazzle.com/rmoney_mitt_romney_bought_paid_fo...

[trueblue2007]

3. I HOPE KEITH CAN FIND A NEW HOME TOO

i miss him already

[KoKo]

4. When Keith went "Under the Bush" and over to Current...

I knew something was going wrong.

I don't have much else to say...except if Al Gore's Network can't promote Progressive Views....then what does that mean? What does that say?

I don't want to get into the "weeds" with this. But, there may be folks who still read DU-2 who have an understanding of what I'm trying to say.

It's very sad that Al Gore's Network...supposedly for New Dem Voices...has done this. BUT...I guess it was "Just About Business." (If you get my drift)

It's sad...but, not unexpected for those who've been around a few decades watching all this Theater from both the RIGHT (the most flamboyant) ...but also the LEFT whose Honor is always seeking more and more Purists...who end up lying in bed with the RW Whores.

Very sad.... But, not unexpected They got Dylan Ratigan...they will take down anyone who Challenges the STATUS QUO. Think about it......All those who were Trusted...(It's Just Business)

[Divine Discontent]

24. oh believe you me! I agreed with your posts... THOSE people who we think are on our side

seem to, too often, turn into corporatists... nauseating.

They go after those who challenge the party line, even when the party line is anti-poor, anti-working class, pro-war, anti-education, etc...

[KoKo]

5. BTW..it was a Freudian Slip about my Beloved Al Gore...when I said in OP

"Under the Bush." I meant "Under the Bus" but, in reflection it was what I sadly feel about him. "UNDER THE BUSH" is perhaps more appropriate in hindsight...so I'm letting it STAND on my OP..

I watched him from when he was young...I had high hopes for him... He disappointed.. I joined DU in 2001 because of that Stolen Election...I wanted him to run in 2004..(anyone can check DU Archives that I was pushing for Gore in 2004 over Kerry, and see.)

But, alas...(aside from a couple of magnificent speeches I recorded on VHS (which was what we had at that time) where he gave me hope that Bush II was recognized as doing HORRIBLE THINGS TO OUR DEMOCRACY...his record since has been nothing but CAPITUALATION like CLINTON....so...my memories of our HOPE are washed away by everything about Gore..since now his "CURRENT TV" seems to be more CORPORATE WHOREDOM..from him. Or, is it PIMPDOM? I lose track of our Dems who have crashed and Burned taking away our hope...every step of the way.

IT IS UP TO US DEMS STILL OUT THERE TO DO THE GOOD! DO NOT DEPEND ON THE POLITICIANS. HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE! WORK ...WORK...WORK...and try to get into ZEN or something that will keep your Heart and Soul from getting dispirited and down and out. (It's my own pep talk to myself..I know..)

[No Elephants]

12. I thought "under the Bush" had been deliberate on your part!

[tnlefty]

6. Well, just dammit

I read the article and the right wing nuts are out in force in the comments section.

For the first time ever, with great remorse, I will say 'way to go Al, the winguts love you so much for this move'...

Have you taken a good, hard look at what's happened in this state? I watch Stephanie Miller, and I don't listen to her on the air, nor on your network when Hal Sparks is on, and I may stop watching period.

Signed, Disgusted in TN.

[No Elephants]

10. Hal Sparks? The not funny comedian is now a political commentator?

I did not know that.

[tnlefty]

20. He's on for Humpdays with Hal on Weds. and he sometimes fills in

when she and the Mooks are on vacation. He does enjoy taking snide, cheap shots at the left and I don't listen to him.

I adore Jim Ward who does a damned good Al Gore impersonation and earlier in the week Al Gore called in and it was amusing to hear Al Gore talking to Al Gore.

[No Elephants]

7. Watching FAUX to keep an eye on them? LOL! Unless they write for the Daily Show or Colbert,

what on earth do they think they are accomplishing, besides raising Fox's ratings?

BTW, we've always had rich liberals in the U.S. The Roosevelts, for just one family.

And When FDR needed help reigning in Wall Street frauds, he appealed to Joe Kennedy and others, who gave FDR's administration a lot of the ideas that led to the Securities and Exchange Commission and the 1933 and 1934 Securities Act, as well as Chapter X of the Bankruptcy Act (said Chapter X got repealed under Carter, though)

Being rich is fine, in my book. Being greedy and ungrateful and putting money above people (esp.while posing as "pro-life"), however, is another story entirely. And you don't even have to be rich to be any of those ugly things. Being corporatist is another story. So is being corporatist while pretending to be a public servant. (How a corporatist spends his or her money is one thing; how corporatist politicians spend my money, while General Electric and others like it pay no taxes is quite another thing.)

[No Elephants]

8. For honest, free criticism of both major Parties, donate to something like Free Speech TV or do

without. It's really that simple.

Even PBS cannot be totally candid, but that is probably a distant second best, if you are watching or donating.

Putting on TV shows is expensive.

No TV station that depends on sponsors is going to let anyone speak as they wish. If you don't have government funding, volunteers and/or donations, you are SOL. (PBS has all three and seems to be doing a lot of fund-raising programming anymore.)

Sponsors like ratings. If you cannot produce the ratings, sponsors go to someone who does produce ratings.

Network shows try to appeal to all audiences and offend no large segment.

That does not mean they don't have an agenda, but it does mean they try to be subtle about it, or at least have plausible deniablity. And, if they are criticial of either Republicans or Democrats, they lose news access to those groups.

Cable channels to a little further, maybe trying to appeal to either Democrats or Republicans, but not both, like Fox, or like MSNBc, which changes policy, depending on which party is in control.

And access to newsmakers and inside info is an issue for all news outlets, whether network, cable or PBS.

[lbrtbell]

9. KO took too many days off

He was in breach of contract. Current always was little more than a cable-access channel, so I don't know why Keith was surprised by the low production values.

I used to respect him, but he lets his petty vendettas get in the way of all the good he could do. When he started fighting with his own most loyal fans on Twitter, I knew the meltdown had begun.

Honestly, I don't know if he has a mood disorder or something else that makes him so hostile. Whatever it is, he needs to get his emotions under control, quit fighting with people, and learn the art of cooperation. All you have to do is read his tweets to see how incapable he is of resisting (or instigating) arguments. He calls it "batting practice"--but if he wants some real batting practice in the art of self-control, here's what he needs to do:

1. Don't respond to any troll on Twitter. Ever. Miley Cyrus even has more composure on Twitter than he does, and she's a trainwreck waiting to happen.

2. Tweet RESPECTFULLY while engaging in genuine debate.

3. Tweet replies to more fans than haters, which would help his fan base grow. Two or three months ago, he got into a melee with his fans from the Live Journal community--and that previously-active community has now ground to a halt.

He's running out of allies, and people willing to take a chance on him. If he's immature, he needs to grow up. If he has some sort of disorder, he needs treatment. Otherwise, he'll no longer have any venue for his considerable talents, I'm sorry to say.

[No Elephants]

11. My sense was that he took days off because he and mgmt were in a dispute.

[No Elephants]

14. Apparently, he disparaged management and failed to promote Current, also indicative of disputes.

Aside from the absenteeism, Current TV sacked the talking head for disparaging the management and not promoting the network.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/television/kei...

and

Olbermann was hired after he left MSNBC. He was brought on to give the evolving channel name recognition and bring viewers to the network.

"Keith was transformative to MSNBC and he's been transformative here," Current president David Bohrman told the News in January.

Id.

My guess is that they were in disputes for the same reason MSNBC and he feuded--he is not always a supporter of what Dems currently in office do, and that includes the President.


He will not allow network policy to dictate or circumscribe what he says, at least not for long and not when it really matters to him. I probably would not, either. Then again, I've never had to give up $50,000 per appearance. So, I cannot say I would be as principled at that high a financial cost to me personally.

The stories say conservatives are celebrating.

I know Spitzer was critical of Bush. I don't know how critical Spitzer has ever been of Democratic officeholders.

I am not sure if this is coincidence or not, but Spitzer and Hyatt each once worked for the same big new York law firm. And, of course, Spitzer is at least as rich as Gore and Hyatt.

[KoKo]

16. That's interesting info. Since I don't do Twitter...didn't know he

had dust ups with fans there and that's a "no-no."

Still, I wonder why we keep losing commenters on the Left while the Right Wingers seem to still thrive and even if they mess up are picked up by other outlets pretty speedily. The damage the RW'ers do is more than KO's ego could do to Democrats. But, if he has problems working with management and even his own fan base..that's not helpful for him going forward.

[No Elephants]

26. He doesn't seem to need money as much as he seems to need to express himself

without being censored.

So, I am not sure what is best for him going forward.

[Leopolds Ghost]

32. That remark was so dry,

I could use this blog as a dehumidifier.

[No Elephants]

35. I think that may have been your reading. I was not attempting dry humor.

My posts tend to be either very sarcastic, meaning just about the opposite of what they say,a or very literal, meaning pretty much exactly what they say. It can be very hard to tell which is which, but I meant that one literally. not his motivation.

Until I stand in the shoes of someone who gets $50K per show for talking, I can't 100% brag that I would give that money up for my principles. I'd love to think I would--and, indeed, I might---but a few hundred thousand bucks right now would be very tempting. I think it's much easier for me to be a hero when only my own imagination is involved.

Sorry, but, for dryness this time, you may have to rent a humidor. Or a humor-dor.

[No Elephants]

13. ....

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef01...

[Leopolds Ghost]

25. Looks like the infamous scene of the Network Exec from the movie Network

When he tells the newscaster Howard Beale how the system really works.

Funnily enough, KO has some elements of Howard Beale in him.

Crossed with Edward R. Murrow, of course.

[NYC_SKP]

15. Spitzer? Elliot Spitzer???? Shit, he's not one of us, he's one of THEM!

Fuckin' shit.

I'm not sure someone with the heart and courage could get a show aired on cable or broadcast or dish.

Who carries R/T?

Or is it just the internet?

[KoKo]

17. Some Time-Warner Cable systems carry RT...

Mine doesn't...but vacationing in SC, the place we stayed had full Time-Warner and there was "RT." I carried my ROKU box with me so I could get the international news that keeps me sane (if I am..these days) and didn't need to use it because RT was carried. I have buffering problems with my ROKU sometimes so it was great to watch RT streaming. The area we stayed in is very conservative (on SC/GA border) and I was surprised to see it offered. I did hook up the ROKU to watch BBC, DW and some of the free shows they have, though.

[Divine Discontent]

23. agreed... putting another super rich lawyer they know well in Keith's spot

where they certainly won't talk about the thins Keith did, is nauseating.

I wish Keith the best...


Get this bumper sticker/shirt at zazzle--->

http://www.zazzle.com/seamus_ran_away_trust_mitts_dog_b...

[No Elephants]

27. Spitzer is super rich because of his pappy.

[Leopolds Ghost]

33. Spitzer's probably to the left of Gore these days?

[No Elephants]

34. Has one of them changed?

I just assumed that both of them are from the corporatist wing of the Democratic Party.

It's easy to sound "leftish" on CNN, especially if you are talking to Republicans.

[PatrynXX]

18. don't think Al did bill clinton any favours

They'll end up bringing up the fact that somehow Keith's ethics were off but they bring out Hooker Elliot to fix that o_O

in the pile of has beens. Air America and now Current...

[Divine Discontent]

22. yep!!!

[No Elephants]

28. Al did not do any Democrats any big favors.

Then again, neither did Bill Clinton.

Both were behind the DLC which, IMO, has come a lot closer to destroying the Democratic Party than any Republican movement has.

[Leopolds Ghost]

19. UGH!!! Can somepony please post a link to the DU3 thread on this, if you seen it

I want to see what folks are saying on GD and I don't feel like wading through anti-activist posts

[Divine Discontent]

21. I've been told that most people are disgusted by the move of Gore/Hyatt and support KO.

There are those in this country who trash anything he does, but those types can kiss it!

Keith is great and I hope he finds a home on Headline News, or CNN or somewhere else where he can keep giving his great commentaries. I'd prefer a real news network not beholden to corporate control of what can be talked about, and just cared about ratings, but we'll have to keep hoping for one of those that everyone can see nationally, with ease! Faux noise is poisoning so many millions of people's minds. I know this for a fact, as I have "lost" friends to their lies and no matter what truths you tell them, they believe the liars on Faux.


Get this bumper sticker/shirt at zazzle--->

http://www.zazzle.com/seamus_ran_away_trust_mitts_dog_b...

[No Elephants]

30. Unless Keith starts his own network, I don't know if we will see him on TV again.

Maybe we'll just have to follow his tweets?

[No Elephants]

29. You're kidding, right?

[Leopolds Ghost]

31. No, I've been avoiding GD3 for the past couple weeks. Why?

I was hoping someone here who regularly peruses GD3 could direct me quickly to a thread ... I didn't want to get my blood pressure up by reading posts by people like my neighbors (establishmentarian "progressive" dems) talking about how hunky dory everything would be if liberals would just shut up and get with the program. I know they're not specifically a majority on DU, but they are vocal about how they represent the majority of active Democratic voters, and sadly I think they're right. (One thing that is telling is when you break it down, even in a liberal jurisdiction vast numbers of poor and working class people don't bother to vote, since none of the candidates bother to represent them. The votes all come from affluent "progressives" and affluent "conservatives" who are most prone to going to the polls. Obama's victory in 2008 shows just how much a little bit of enthusiasm in a historically suppressed voter bloc can do to change "typical" expected outcomes in "red" states.)