KCStar: NBC blew it letting Olbermann walk

[RamboLiberal]

-----

I can name the moment when the relationship between NBC and Olbermann started to unravel. It was the summer of 2008. MSNBC thought it would be a great idea to have KO and Chris Matthews co-anchor MSNBC's convention coverage. But as I wrote on Aug. 28, 2008, once the live cameras started to roll two things became clear: One, it was hard to adjust to KO sitting in the Tom Brokaw chair, trying to be objective and all; and two, Olbermann and Matthews should never, ever, EVER work that closely together again.

The arrangement came under attack from the Bush White House and the McCain-Palin campaign. Not long after that, management changed its mind and announced that, on election night, Olbermann and Matthews would be shunted to the side and David Gregory put in the middle.

Olbermann gave an interview to the Times complaining that Fox News had Brit Hume at the center of its panel coverage, despite his conservative biases; why was MSNBC being singled out? The argument fell on deaf ears, including mine.

-----

To this day, NBC still does not know what to do with MSNBC. On the one hand, it enjoys making money with a prime-time lineup of liberals and progressives. On the other hand, it likes the corporate synergy of having CNBC's Dylan Ratigan and NBC White House reporters Chuck Todd and Savannah Guthrie and diplomacy queen Andrea Mitchell all anchoring daytime shows on MSNBC.

Had NBC management simply said to MSNBC, "After 6 o'clock at night, we don't care what you do. We're going home. Clean up when you're done," I doubt KO would be gone today. But the network was too nervous about tarnishing the NBC brand, and as a result it has lost its biggest cable star.



Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/01/24/2605712_nbc-blew-it-letting-olbermann.html?storylink=omni_popular#ixzz1ByrfnC2q

[Oldtimeralso]

1. K & R #5 and OTG N/T

[hlthe2b]

2. So the most reflective article on the KO phenom comes from KCStar

and not the big East news rags. From the article: "And now I realize that Glenn Greenwald and others were absolutely right to call NBC on its dithering. " Indeed. Glenn Greenwald has been so right on so many issues over the past 8 years or so... NYT should shutter its doors in shame.

[Enthusiast]

8. That is telling......nt

[druidity33]

3. excellent article...

seems he's giving KeithO some credit where others wouldn't...

:)

[katty]

4. NBC inserts itself too much into MSNBC-because they are

an old, big dog still barking orders while trying to hold on to their jobs, so they bash their popular, controversial talent because they are network idiots.

[asjr]

5. And we know NBC is stupid because

they gave MTP to David Gregory, Rove's dancing partner.

[katty]

6. stupid indeed-Gregory is a ass kissing bobble head and

I am sure Chuck Todd (another blank page) is not far from anchoring his own show-without Guthrie.

[Enthusiast]

7. They blew it for me.

And I mean that.

[sellitman]

10. Me too

I won't turn that station on now.

[delightfulstar]

9. NBC pushed KO onto the proverbial plank...

And tried to make him walk it. He said no, so they shoved him. Yet they have too much tunnel vision to realize just how well he can swim. They're too worried about placating Chuckie (who comes across as a smarmy know-it-all) and Gregory (who is NO Tim Russert, thank you very much). I can't sit through either of their shows. If that's the future of NBC's news operation, I'll pass.