MSNBC's 'Countdown' sees a 25 percent boost

[kpete]

Source: Media Life

Fallout from
Olbermann snit: Ratings kick

MSNBC's 'Countdown' sees a 25 percent boost

By Toni Fitzgerald
Nov 12, 2010

If this week has proven anything, it's that controversy is the best way to stoke ratings on cable.

One night after Conan O'Brien's new show "Conan" premiered to huge ratings on TBS, coming nine months after he was booted from NBC, Keith Olbermann returned from a headline-grabbing two-night suspension to an audience that was 25 percent bigger than when he left.

MSNBC's "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" averaged 1.5 million total viewers Tuesday at 9 p.m., up from the 1.2 million that "Countdown" averaged the previous week, according to Nielsen data, and the 1 million he averaged in October.

"Countdown's" big audience lifted MSNBC's lineup, in fact. Lead-out "Rachel Maddow" averaged 1.3 million, up 11 percent from the 1.17 million it averaged the previous week.

Read more: http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman2/publish/Cable_20/Fallout-from-Olbermann-snit-Ratings-kick.asp

[Tippy]

1. K&R...for Kieths fans

[dflprincess]

2. I wonder if some of that boost came from people who may not have watched

Countdown before & became aware of it because of the fuss?

[glinda]

12. I hope so and also hope they continue to watch.

[NewJeffCT]

34. I've been watching Keith less this year

and watching Rachel more often. While I still enjoy Keith, I like that Rachel will have on adversarial guests.

However, I have tuned in more this week.

[Common Sense Party]

3. Mission accomplished. n/t

[pezDispenser]

5. exactly

[AlbertCat]

27. Mission accomplished.

Boy... what a stupid notion!

Keith even addressed it the minute he was back.


Of course people who think everything is a self promoting conspiracy usually are THAT kind of person themselves. Self serving idiots.

[musiclawyer]

4. Keith is the franchise player

Frankly msnbc should not pretend anymore. Just go all liberal/all anti corruption all the time. Like Jon Stewart was talking about with rachel. The subject matter is endless --mostly shining light on the GOP and rival media It would be the default channel for millions more than now. Leave the lockup segments for weekends1am to 6am Voila! I don't even have a degree on broadcasting

[chill_wind]

10. That would be incredible. Instead of all the Lock-up and Prison shows---

all the predatory white collar scum who probably should be locked up, but aren't. Like you said, there would be no shortage of subject matter and GOP and rival media would just be the beginning.
They facilitate an entire class of corruption that has less to do with "party" than greed and opportunism of a self-enriching ruling class across the spectrum.

[Kolesar]

19. How about a "resort prison" show for Madoff, Abramov and Randy "Duke" Cunningham...eom

[ejpoeta]

36. yeah how about a reality show and people can vote on giving them

special things like they do on big brother.

[Plucketeer]

15. I agree with you!

Imagine an outlet devoted entirely to "sunshine"! Cover ALL the crooks - private AND government. Show how contractors are ripping our butts while we sqauabble about how to fund SS and Medicare. Feature Medicare fraud investigations and busts. T'would be one HELL of alot more interesting than profiling gang-bangers in prison.

[mckara]

22. Except, Reporters Would Actually Have to Work! God Forbid!

[Judi Lynn]

24. If they could only do the lockup shows with various Republicans

stashed away during the _Bush years, they just might have something!

Rep. Randy Duke Cunningham? Jack Abramoff? Scooter Libby? How about the child molesting mayor of Waterbury, Conn., Philip Giordano, the New Hampshire election day phone jammers, the Enron crooks, etc., etc., etc.

1am to 6am should be the new hours. We've all seen just about enough to get the general idea.

[sabrina 1]

40. If they covered the Abramoff affairs alone they would have

incredible material for at least two years. Those 'affairs' had tentacles in nearly every part of our government. They involved murder, sex, terrorism, gambling, Indian affairs, politics, not to mention the human interest stories.

[maxsolomon]

47. NBC doesn't want to spend that kind of $

MSNBC doesn't run news 24/7 - they have those cheesey true-crime exploitation docs to fill up non-primetime hours.

They also have no interest in advocating against their own corporate interests to that degree. Witness their morning programming, which is basically pro-business "mainstream" conservatism. Or CNBC, which is 100% pro-wall street. unless Olympic Curling is on.

They want that market share - educated Liberals, but they don't have an ideology they're willing to lose money for (like Murdoch did for Fox).

[DonCoquixote]

6. I know MSNBC is not that smart

But I would love to think this was what in the Wrestling Biz would be called a "work", a fight to spur ratings. Sadly though, I know it is not.

[highplainsdem]

7. K&R

[Lindsey]

8. Awesome. Go Keith! n/t

[rocktivity]

9. In each case, you have to account for the curiosity factor, of course.

And I'm sure that Rachel's having Jon Stewart as a guest this week didn't hurt.

:headbang:
rocktivity

[AlbertCat]

30. Rachel's having Jon Stewart as a guest this week

What a convoluted, confusing, contorted interview that was!

[Enthusiast]

42. I agree.

Stewart continued to argue the false equivalency thing. I was not amused.

[slackmaster]

11. The publicity stunt of "suspending" Keith had the desired effect

Advertising revenues are up. Power to the investors and shareholders!

[AlbertCat]

31. The publicity stunt of "suspending" Keith had the desired effect

Anyone who believes this was a publicity stunt has never worked in publicity.

It wasn't.

[Mad_Dem_X]

13. K&R - Keith is awesome. n/t

[Janice325]

14. Now if they can just suspend, better yet fire

Phil Griffin, that would make me an even happier camper.

[mvd]

16. That's great news!

:thumbsup:

[lunatica]

17. That's lovely news

[Terra Alta]

18. WTG Keith!

Looks like some good came out of the whole suspension fiasco. I just hope the new viewers stick around!

[me b zola]

20. I've been loyal since he was known as Keif.

...and floaty hearts always surrounded his name. :loveya: KEIF! :loveya: :toast: :loveya: KEIF! :loveya:

[mckara]

21. Only 1.5 Million Out of 300 Million Are Interested in Outstanding Journalism

That's discouraging!

[CLANG]

26. The rest were in the bathroom.

[AlbertCat]

48. That's discouraging!

Hey... That's more Americans that know a year is the time it takes the Earth to go around the sun!

[ctwayne]

23. Keith's Great. Dump Scarborough!

If MSNBC is supposed to be the "liberal" answer to Fox, they need to ditch Scarborough. Chuck is a former ultra-conservative Republican congressman from Florida. It would be like having Dennis Kucinich as the morning host on Fox.

In addition, Scarborough has given campaign contributions to rightwing Republicans. This is in violation of MSNBC rules, and he needs to be punished.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

25. YO KEEF!!!!! nt

[originalpckelly]

28. You never know what you've got 'til it's gone. :-) NT

[budkin]

29. Awesome! Maybe some people will switch away from O Leilly now

[piggy2000]

32. Spread the Word!!

Keith O Rocks!! He was one of the sane voices in a crowded room of right-winged loudness. I am so sick of hearing the talking points to justify the tax cuts for the rich.

Keep the movement going, Keith! We just have to watch out for the turncoats and sell-outs that inevitably try to stop progress.

[NewJeffCT]

33. Now, he just needs to sustain this increase

and continue a slow & steady rise after that.

[bdamomma]

35. of course Keith is always worth watching.

[patricia92243]

37. I wish they would show re-runs on the weekend instead of prison stuff. I missed the Jon Stewart

interview. I can watch it on the internet - but not very well - guess my computer is too slow. I am sure LOTS of people would rather have the reruns and to some people they would not be reruns, but the first chance they have had to see them.

[Kingofalldems]

38. And bring back Worst Persons

Yeah!

[herbm]

52. How do we get it back? He'll never listen to us now. And 10 Dumbest

back, too!

[LaPera]

39. I know many who are watching now that I couldn't get to watch before -They now see what a great show

Keith Olbermann & Countdown on MSNBC truly is!

[madmax]

41. hahaha Don't mess with the KO or his fans. k&r

[BumRushDaShow]

43. K&R for the KO punch!

:applause:

[Duval]

44. Keith was the FIRST to call the right wing's BS for what it was.

I was overwhelmed with relief when he began his HONEST appraisal of what was going on in the most awful Administration (W") we've seen in our history.
I guess we should thank NBC for allowing his show, but I don't see how he can continue if there is a merger with Comcast, considering that the CEO is a Republican who contributed to the Bush campaign (ie: Rangers, etc):evilgrin: :mad: :grr: :kick:

[lobodons]

45. Just think if MSNBC were on basic cable!!

and in all markets instead of tier 2 in many markets.

[delightfulstar]

46. K&R - Keith is one of my heroes! Give 'em hell, KO!!!

n/t

[rainbow4321]

49. I looked at Monday's ratings on one website

and Countdown was down to 821,000. Yeah, I'd say the execs were probably collectively soiling themselves (and their tails that were by then between their legs), seeing as how it looks like from previous charts he was averaging 1.1 million each night.

[laughingliberal]

50. K & R for KO! nt

[activa8tr]

51. SO Keith should get a raise, after all this, right?

Got to make up for two nights without pay.