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Keith Olbermann to Return to Countdown on Tuesday

By Jeralyn, Section Media
Posted on Sun Nov 07, 2010 at 08:28:57 PM EST
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MSNBC has ended Keith Olbermann's suspension. From their announcement (received by e-mail, no link yet.)

STATEMENT REGARDING KEITH OLBERMANN - SUNDAY, NOV. 7

From Phil Griffin, President of MSNBC:

After several days of deliberation and discussion, I have determined that suspending Keith through and including Monday night's program is an appropriate punishment for his violation of our policy. We look forward to having him back on the air Tuesday night.

Here's Keith six hours ago on Twitter: [More...]

Greetings From Exile! A quick, overwhelmed, stunned THANK YOU for support that feels like a global hug & obviously left me tweetless XO

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    Keith Olbermann to Return to Countdown on Tuesday | 30 comments (30 topical)

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    mediaite (5.00 / 1) (#15)
    by Capt Howdy on Mon Nov 08, 2010 at 09:17:58 AM EST
    As for the bigger question surrounding Olbermann's indefinite suspension -- namely, will he return to the Countdown anchor desk -- I believe that rumors of his demise have been greatly exaggerated. While it is true that his Murrow-esque pose and diluted strength in MSNBC's lineup cut against him, you don't cut your cleanup hitter loose just because you've added a couple of sluggers to your roster.

    true I guess

    Wonderful news (none / 0) (#1)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Sun Nov 07, 2010 at 09:08:29 PM EST

    Rant Keith rant.

    IMHO, you want a real rant (none / 0) (#5)
    by Harry Saxon on Mon Nov 08, 2010 at 06:20:32 AM EST
    you tune in Glenn Becks' weekday exercises that feature a chalkboard and paranoia.

    Parent
    Actually (none / 0) (#20)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Mon Nov 08, 2010 at 09:40:58 AM EST

    I can't stand either one for more than about 30 seconds.  Same goes for Maddow, Hanity and Oh! Really.

    Parent
    Gotta hand it to the... (none / 0) (#21)
    by kdog on Mon Nov 08, 2010 at 09:50:27 AM EST
    righty talking heads though, their unintentional comedy is way funnier.

    The Olbermann schtick is mildly humorous...Beck, otoh, is laugh out loud spill the bongwater funny.

    Parent

    SOmeone Did the Math (none / 0) (#2)
    by squeaky on Sun Nov 07, 2010 at 09:09:22 PM EST
    Looks Olberman (and msnbc) got a lot of free press.... win win

    You suppose he might get a nice (none / 0) (#3)
    by Inspector Gadget on Sun Nov 07, 2010 at 09:24:55 PM EST
    year end bonus for it? :)

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    No Doubt (none / 0) (#4)
    by squeaky on Sun Nov 07, 2010 at 09:27:18 PM EST
    All news is good news.... as long as the cash register keeps ringing.

    Parent
    so much for serious news (none / 0) (#6)
    by Capt Howdy on Mon Nov 08, 2010 at 07:52:51 AM EST
    I guess it was too much to hope for that we could get rid of our Beck.  dont get me wrong Harry I agree with pretty much everything he says I just wonder if he is the best messenger.

    I guess he is the barker that get people in the tent to hear the rest.

    "Our Beck?" (none / 0) (#8)
    by Harry Saxon on Mon Nov 08, 2010 at 08:10:01 AM EST
    I'll be sure to let you know the next time Olbermann uses his chalkboard.  :-)

    Parent
    Sounds like someone (none / 0) (#22)
    by brodie on Mon Nov 08, 2010 at 10:22:38 AM EST
    here is channeling Mr False Equivalency Howie Kurtz.

    Sorry, but KO doesn't just make up facts to fit a wacky politically extremist pov.  True, he can be passionate at times, over the top even, but it's a sincerely-held belief, and his far more sophisticated lib viewers usually can recognize when he goes too far with the heated rhetoric of a Special Comment.  Beck literally uses glycerin to produce the tears in order to bamboozle his audience of low-information know-nothing viewers.

    There is no one remotely like Beck at Msnbc.  If KO made up facts like GB does all the time, Keith would have been put on indefinite suspension long ago, and the suspension probably would have been made permanent.

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    Thank You for some facts and common sense (none / 0) (#23)
    by Harry Saxon on Mon Nov 08, 2010 at 10:39:59 AM EST
    on KO vs. Glenn Beck.

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    Bill Mahers' comparison (none / 0) (#30)
    by Harry Saxon on Tue Nov 09, 2010 at 09:18:49 AM EST
    says it all, thanks to Digby @ Hullabaloo:

    Keith Olbermann is right, when he says he's not the equivalent of Glenn Beck. One reports facts, the other one is very close to playing with his poop.

    Click Me

    Parent

    Publicity stunt (none / 0) (#7)
    by itscookin on Mon Nov 08, 2010 at 08:07:28 AM EST


    That was quick (none / 0) (#9)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Nov 08, 2010 at 08:24:17 AM EST
    Lickety split. Keith has his following and it would seem that they spoke and were heard.  Sort of funny.  One of my rightwing friends posted on facebook a huge hoopla about KO getting suspended for a lack of ethics.  Not one peep about Breitbart and ABC though, I guess he really didn't want to talk about ethics and journalism....just bloviate :)  I let it slide starting that convo, and today KO is back in the saddle :)  This really wasn't important to me, but it is hard to not want to put up some sort of fireworks video on my facebook under the heading He's Back.  It is never about issues with wingnuts, just nuts in flight.

    at least I was not the only one the think (none / 0) (#10)
    by Capt Howdy on Mon Nov 08, 2010 at 08:34:05 AM EST
    he might not be back

    from TV newser last friday

    Insiders we've talked to say Olbermann won't be back. The question is whether he'll leave or MSNBC keeps him off the air.
    this is what I hoped would happen (none / 0) (#11)
    by Capt Howdy on Mon Nov 08, 2010 at 08:37:57 AM EST
    he was tired of the shtick.  the net was tired of the shtick.  lets face it the shtick is tired.  how long has he been doing the "countdown thing" now?
    I dont know but too long.  I hoped they wanted do something new.

    I hoped he would leave and go on a cruise or something and in a few months come back with a new show with a slightly different slightly more serious format.

    oh well.

     

    I don't mind (5.00 / 1) (#17)
    by jondee on Mon Nov 08, 2010 at 09:20:42 AM EST
    having ONE wild-swinging, occasionally blood-drawing
    mouthpiece on our side for once..

    And he still sounds like Edmund Burke, when juxtaposed to that unhinged, apocalyptic, jackdaw of Mormon-white-power, over at Fox..

    Parent

    true (none / 0) (#18)
    by Capt Howdy on Mon Nov 08, 2010 at 09:31:33 AM EST
    enough

    Parent
    Um, Newser isn't exactly written in stone (none / 0) (#12)
    by Harry Saxon on Mon Nov 08, 2010 at 08:54:14 AM EST
    so I'd save the celebrating until something is actually a public fact, not nameless allegations.

    was not suggesting it was (none / 0) (#13)
    by Capt Howdy on Mon Nov 08, 2010 at 08:57:19 AM EST
    clearly they were wrong.  of someone changed their mind.

    Parent
    um (none / 0) (#14)
    by Capt Howdy on Mon Nov 08, 2010 at 08:57:46 AM EST
    OR someone changed their mind.

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    In the current media/Internet culture (none / 0) (#16)
    by Harry Saxon on Mon Nov 08, 2010 at 09:19:19 AM EST
    people aren't just counting their chickens before they hatch, they're starting to name them as well :-D

    Number to know here: A quarter of a million people electronically signed the petition to bring him back on the air.

    Parent

    sort of supports (none / 0) (#19)
    by Capt Howdy on Mon Nov 08, 2010 at 09:33:28 AM EST
    the publicity stunt thing.  it is suspiciously timed with the "lean forward" thing.

    (which I gotta say spawned the one Beck line that made me laugh "why dont they just say bend over")

    Parent

    Comcast (none / 0) (#24)
    by ScottW714 on Mon Nov 08, 2010 at 11:18:05 AM EST
    Has acquired MSNBC, all that awaits is government approval.

    Comcast is a right wing outfit and I suspect MSNBC is going to have a major transformation once the deal is approved, Keith & Rachael being the first of many casualties.

    I very much doubt (none / 0) (#25)
    by Capt Howdy on Mon Nov 08, 2010 at 11:21:22 AM EST
    that

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    Keep them as minors (none / 0) (#26)
    by waldenpond on Mon Nov 08, 2010 at 11:55:49 AM EST
    I think they'll keep the 'liberal' heads just make them have more extreme guests (like Schultz has) and conservative panels where they are outnumbered and out shouted.  I expect to see a situation similar to when Ratigan had the guy who did the oil frakking production on and Ratigan thought it was so unfair that the industry wasn't on to represent their proof that the water pollution is occurring naturally. ha!

    Having a market niche is one thing, but they can buy more govt and regulation by pushing their conservative delusions.  Long live the plutocracy.

    Parent

    It will be a carefully timed transition (5.00 / 1) (#27)
    by Inspector Gadget on Mon Nov 08, 2010 at 12:53:31 PM EST
    If Fox was to drop Hanity and O'Reilly and replace them with Olbermann and Maddow instantly, how long would you guess it would take to move the liberal viewers to Fox?

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    I'll believe that when (none / 0) (#28)
    by Socraticsilence on Mon Nov 08, 2010 at 01:17:19 PM EST
    I see it- Keith and Rachel aren't Phil Donahue- there quite literally the backbone of the Network- at the heart of both its ratings/sales to advertisers and its identity- cutting them loose would essentially set the network back 5 years to a decade (other than Matthews and possibly Scarborough they're basically the only marquee names MSNBC has- take them away and forget staying ahead of CNN or passing Fox News, what exactly seperates MSNBC from CNBC, HLN, or Fox Business- you know the tertiary and specialty news channels) .

    Parent
    yep (none / 0) (#29)
    by Capt Howdy on Mon Nov 08, 2010 at 03:38:49 PM EST
    and most regular viewers do not tune in for Matthews or Joe.  the only reason Joe has an audience IMO is because of the early morning tv wasteland he exits in.  if there was an acceptable alternative I would never morning joe again.

    Parent
    Keith Olbermann to Return to Countdown on Tuesday | 30 comments (30 topical)

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