Dan Abrams named General Mgr. of MSNBC; reports to Exec-in-Charge Griffin

[DeepModem Mom]

TV Newser: Dan Abrams Becomes GM of MSNBC

MSNBC anchor Dan Abrams is leaving his anchor chair to become the general manager of MSNBC.

"With his nine years of experience at MSNBC, Dan will bring an insider's perspective to the job. Dan is passionate about MSNBC and has the experience and strategic vision to lead it into its second decade," Steve Capus says.

In the press release, Abrams is quoted: "Nothing is more important to me than the future success of MSNBC. I'm looking forward to leading MSNBC into this next phase, building on our recent success. I can't wait to get started."

He won't have to wait long: the appointment is effective immediately. Abrams will no longer anchor "The Abrams Report," but he will "remain NBC News Chief Legal Correspondent, providing legal analysis and commentary for 'Today' and other NBC News and MSNBC programs." He will report to Phil Griffin...

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/msnbc/dan_abrams_becomes_gm_of_msnbc_38324.asp


TV Newser: Phil Griffin To Oversee MSNBC As "Executive-In-Charge"

Phil Griffin, who left MSNBC last year to become a senior vice president at NBC News, will now oversee the cable network as executive-in-charge, president Steve Capus announced today. Griffin will continue to oversee the Today Show from his office at 30 Rock.

"We are also extremely fortunate that Phil Griffin will re-assume a leadership position overseeing MSNBC," Capus said. "Phil is an immensely talented executive and producer whose insight and drive are welcome as we focus on the future of MSNBC."

Griffin was formerly vice president of primetime at MSNBC. He also served as executive producer of Hardball. New GM Dan Abrams will report to him...

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/msnbc/phil_griffin_to_oversee_msnbc_as_executiveincharge_38325.asp

[NMDemDist2]

1. chit!

:puke:

[SharonRB]

2. One burning question...

Are these changes good or bad for Countdown? I assume they are either neutral or good.

[butterfly77]

5. Same thing I was wondering when I heard this last week.

maybe repugs are at it again

[Cooley Hurd]

3. Dan Abrams is left-leaning, I believe...

...and a friend of KO's (he appeared in KO's video skit showing everyone at MSNBC signing Bill O'Reilly's petition to get KO taken off the air).

This is good news!:thumbsup:

On edit: this might be a very good sign: "I'm looking forward to leading MSNBC into this next phase, building on our recent success." That "success" would be Olbermann! :)

[SharonRB]

4. We're on the same page, then.

Anything that's good for KO is fine with me.

[librechik]

7. nah--but he is truth leaning

I've seen his GOP side frequently--but he seems to be open to the truth, which of course nowadays is the truth as compared to Pukkke's propoganda

[blue cat]

8. I think he is right-leaning

but don't know for sure.

[goclark]

35. He may have been LEFT but he got that job because lately

he sounds RIGHT. IMO.

[Left Turn]

37. Honestly

I really don't think his politics are going to make one bit of difference in this situation. The bottom line is MSNBC as a network has been totally tanking for years now. Taking a host of one of their least succesful shows and giving him the reigns over the network is like turning over the asylum to the inmates.

[Cooley Hurd]

9. ...and the son of Floyd Abrams, to boot!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floyd_Abrams

Floyd Abrams is a famous First Amendment lawyer. He argued the Pentagon Papers case before the Supreme Court and went on to defend numerous other clients, including defending the Brooklyn Museum of Art from Rudolph Giuliani, NBC from Wayne Newton, and Al Franken from a trademark lawsuit from FOX News Channel. His memoir is Speaking Freely (2005). Abrams is a partner at Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, a law firm in lower Manhattan.
</snip>

[grasswire]

11. I'm not sure you could call Abrams left-leaning.

I believe the most accurate description of him would be "sensationalist." And so he'll be extremely supportive of Rita Cosby, no doubt. I wonder how Tucker Carlson will feel working for Abrams, though. They both are the beneficiaries of their fathers' success. Dan's father, of course, is First Amendment attorney Floyd Abrams, who recently represented Judith Miller when Patrick Fitzgerald sent her to jail.

[calimary]

28. Yes, it appears that would INDEED be Keith Olbermann.

(snip)

Weekdays in prime time, MSNBC's ratings rose 14 percent compared with the same time last year, though it is still only clocking about 360,000 viewers. CNN and Fox News Channel are both down compared with last year but still laps ahead of MSNBC with 800,000 viewers for CNN and 1.7 million for FNC.

Kaplan was not available for comment late yesterday. But in an e-mail to staff, he said, "It is not often in professional life that someone has the opportunity to end his tenure on such a high note."

Kaplan had more success with shows he inherited than those he created. The number of viewers watching Keith Olbermann's "Countdown," for instance, has climbed nearly 50 percent among viewers overall, though it came in fourth during May, behind FNC's Bill O'Reilly, CNN's Paula Zahn and CNN Headline News's Nancy Grace.

Olbermann was up 70 percent among viewers 25 to 54 years old, which is the target demographic group of news programming. In the demo, Olbermann's show now ranks No. 2 in its prime-time slot -- something MSNBC has not accomplished in prime time in more than five years -- behind O'Reilly's show, but edging out Zahn and Grace.

(snip)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/07/AR2006060702355.html

[Norquist Nemesis]

6. Oh, how I wish, I wish, I WISH WISH WISH WISH WISH

that they would replace Abrams' show with a bona fide Liberal...bring back Phil Donahue!!! (or even bring Bill Press). SOMEBODY with a strong Liberal viewpoint!!!

If they want to keep it a show about legal matters..steal Catherine Crier from CourtTV!!

PLEASE!!!

[drbtg1]

10. Maddow would be better than Donahue or Press

Donahue's show "failed" (I know that's debatable, but in the end, a new Donahue show wouldn't be given a fair shake due to this history) and Press, based on his radio show, is horrible solo. Perhaps paired with Carlson...

Dr. Maddow would be the best choice. She has great presence, thinks fast in interviews, and she's already connected to MSNBC.

[Norquist Nemesis]

14. Great suggestion! She would be fantastic!

The ones I named were just quickly off the top of my head with some experience in front of the camera. :shrug: I'd just like to see someone like Rachel.

I wouldn't put it past Chris Matthews to be in there campaigning hard for someone like his buddy Michael Smirkonish. Wouldn't suprise me one bit that he'll use the hiring of Glenn Beck at CNN as a supporting argument.

[drbtg1]

18. Maybe, but I think any move like that will wait until November

It'd already be tough to add him on top of Scarborough and Carlson, but if progressives make inroads in November, that'd be an impossible pitch to make.

Beck is getting pitiful, CNBC-type prime demo numbers, but he might not be attracting his core audience yet (why the hell are they advertising on Air America?!?). Still, I can't fully discount a Smirkonish pitch, as it is much easier to program for conservative sheep than it is for intelligent liberals. This makes Abrams's choice critical.

Abrams needs to find a talented, camera-friendly liberal. This is very hard, as Donahue, Reagan Jr., Press, Garofalo, Colmes, Franken have all proven. Hartmann might work, but he's on the west coast and satellite delays aren't fun to watch (Connected Coast to Coast showed that).

Fortunately for Abrams, he can look at his bullpen.

[justice1]

19. I second your Reagan Jr. nomination.

I think he would be able to pull in higher numbers in key demographics.

[drbtg1]

21. Actually, I wasn't nominating him

I was saying there are a lot of liberals that are given some TV time, but IMHO, don't have a good TV presence. Certainly not enough to appeal to more than hardcore liberals.

In Ron Reagan Jr. defense, MSNBC has yet to show him without a conservative co-host, so you may be right about his intrinsic demo appeal. For what it's worth.

[Norquist Nemesis]

20. More good point. But, hopefully it will be a solo act for once

Each time they've feebly even attempted to put a 'liberal' they pair them against a RW Luntzspeak mentored partisan. It would be nice to let the liberal do solos just as Scarborough and Matthews do. For that matter, Olberman does his solo as well!

[Nimrod2005]

22. Rachel Madow is a possibility too....Stay tuned!

[Norquist Nemesis]

24. Crossing fingers!!! n/t

[patricia92243]

25. Crier would be an excellent choice. The girl that is on right now is nice

but just doesn't have the clout that Crier would bring to the show.

I wonder what they will name the show now that Abrams has left?

[Stinky The Clown]

27. With luck, the new name will be "Cancelled"

These legal shows are horrible. Bunch of egos slapping each other around at the expense of the accused. And the only type of case that draws viewer interst is the sleazy one.

[goclark]

36. Imus was talking him up this morning

That in itself makes me afraid, Imus always likes the "good ole boys."

Ones that will come on his show and pimp their sorry books like Timmy RussFace.

Once in a while he will throw Democrats a bone but just watch and it will be taken away in favor of his green products and McCain.

[UTUSN]

12. So is this KAPLAN's ex-job? Is he Keith's boss? n/t

[DeepModem Mom]

13. Rick Kaplan's title was "president" of MSNBC --

"Rick Kaplan is out after two years as MSNBC president, during which the perennially third-place news network showed modest gains but didn’t change its competitive standing with Fox News Channel and CNN."

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/13191324/

I'm not sure how this new set-up will work, except that the report says Abrams will report to Griffin.

[Skidmore]

15. Well, at least there will be one less of those darned court shows

where people are tried by the public rather than by juries or judges. I really detest those programs. The Justice Circus.

[Sadie5]

16. I consider him right leaning

This is why I stopped watching his show. I'm sure he is more right than left.

[flordehinojos]

17. is that the Abrams guy of the Abrams report? The one who once during the

OJ trials didn't know whether he should call his own father on air, "dad", "sir", "Mr."?

the guy is an idiot.

[Nimrod2005]

23. I like Dan he is a good guy...

[Stinky The Clown]

26. What an intersting thread ... and what interesting responses.

Beauty is surely in the eye of the beholders. As is political bent. Abrams leans left for some and right for others. Can it be that he's just truthful?

I know his show goes over the line toward sensationalism, but the fact is that the legal crap they can discuss on teevee and have any chance in hell of drawing an audience is exactly that kinda crap. I'm not defending it and would be happier to see it all gone, but those are the facts. No one wants to watch a 'Best of Supreme Court Challenge Bloopers', that's for sure. So they go to the newz of the day and all that sells is that shit. It isn't what's important. Its what sells.

I tend to watch MSNBC while I'm working (as I am as I write this, by the way) so I get subjected to his show in the course of the day. He tends to be pretty much middle of the road, I'd say. Some days I cheer him and am impressed at how he slaps down some piece of crap or another ..... or I wince when he take some other position. I also notice that he has at least as many liberal-type lawyers on as he does conservative types. And to me, he seems more tolerant of the lefties.

All that being said, I particularly lke the quote where he says he wants to capitalize on "MSNBC's recent successes". That would include Olberman and exclude both Reeter and Tucker. Tweety aside, I have always felt MSNBC *wanted* to tilt left, but could never ****quite**** find their way.

Time will tell.

At the end of his show just now, they anounced this promotion and said that Abrams would be on tomorrow to talk more about it.

As they say ..... stay tuned.

[crispini]

29. Wh aaaaaaaaaat?

[nashville_brook]

30. does this mean Ashleigh Banfield will be reinstated?

[lies and propaganda]

31. breaking news::: Missing Hot White Chick!

barf.

KO should own MSNBC

[sampsonblk]

32. Great, he should fire himself and Rita Cosby immediately

This guy is an awful host. Maybe he will be good as the leader of the network, though. Why not?

[SuperWonk]

33. Abrams???

He can't even direct his own show to anything less than third place, and now he gets control of the network?? He has no experience in this kind of role.

Come on! This has disaster written all over it.

[suegeo]

34. TV News, worse than useless