Keith Olbermann Out At MSNBC

By ralph on January 21, 2011 in News 52

Alex Weprin reports via TV Newser:

Tonight is Keith Olbermann‘s last night on MSNBC.

The Countdown host and the network say that the two parties “have ended their contract.”

The network’s statement is:

“MSNBC and Keith Olbermann have ended their contract. The last broadcast of Countdown with Keith Olbermann will be this evening. MSNBC thanks Keith for his integral role in MSNBC’s success and we wish him well in his future endeavors.”

Cable News, Corporation Watch, Keith Olbermann, Media, MSNBC

Japan Plans To Broadcast 2022 World Cup In Hologram Form

Mexico’s Ex-President Vicente Fox: Legalize Drugs

Bsti_natosi

He and Rachel Maddow were the only news broadcasts I watched, aside from local. Now, I don’t think Maddow can sustain an audience without her lead in, because I know I’m done watching MSNBC.
Bsti_natosi

He and Rachel Maddow were the only news broadcasts I watched, aside from local. Now, I don’t think Maddow can sustain an audience without her lead in, because I know I’m done watching MSNBC.
irishblueileen

Sorry to see him go. I wish him luck. I think the more reasoned Rachel Maddow and the credible Lawrence O’Donnell as well as the change in tone within the country has made Olbermann too strident. I’m sorry
- jestus
  
  If you think that the Right-wingers have “changed their tone” for the better, then I too am “sorry”, for you.
- Fabucat
  
  On no, not like Glenn Beckkk, who targets people for death!
irishblueileen

Sorry to see him go. I wish him luck. I think the more reasoned Rachel Maddow and the credible Lawrence O’Donnell as well as the change in tone within the country has made Olbermann too strident. I’m sorry
Ericlowin

Find the corporate vermin who fired Keith and defenestrate them, then sweep the remains into the nearest sewer. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THE MANAGEMENT AT MSNBC? THEY JUST FIRED ONE OF THEIR TWO BEST NEWSCASTERS. IS RACHEL MADDOW NEXT? I AM SICK AT HEART AS MANAGEMENT MUST BE SICK IN THE HEAD. SHAME SHAME SHAME ON THEM. MAY THEIR CAMELS LOSE THEIR HUMPS, AND THEIR DAUGHTERS RUN OFF WITH BIKERS.
- Rex Vestri
  
  May camels hump their daughters!
  - Jestus
    
    AND their sons too!!!!!
- Joe Crud
  
  I like this simply because you used the word “defenestrate”. ha! Do you have an insomniac’s dictionary handy?
  :^D
- http://voxmagi-necessarywords.blogspot.com/ VoxMagi
  
  May the sewers of New Delhi back up in their kitchens!! And may the callouses of a thousand Bedouins feet settle upon their noses!
Ericlowin

Find the corporate vermin who fired Keith and defenestrate them, then sweep the remains into the nearest sewer. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THE MANAGEMENT AT MSNBC? THEY JUST FIRED ONE OF THEIR TWO BEST NEWSCASTERS. IS RACHEL MADDOW NEXT? I AM SICK AT HEART AS MANAGEMENT MUST BE SICK IN THE HEAD. SHAME SHAME SHAME ON THEM. MAY THEIR CAMELS LOSE THEIR HUMPS, AND THEIR DAUGHTERS RUN OFF WITH BIKERS.
Andrew

Just saw the MSNBC ad with Olbermann: “Now is not the time to build fences around our freedom; now is the time to emancipate our culture from the fear of losing it.”
Andrew

Just saw the MSNBC ad with Olbermann: “Now is not the time to build fences around our freedom; now is the time to emancipate our culture from the fear of losing it.”
Drinky McGee

I usually agreed with the stances that Olbermann took, but I found his self-important, melodramatic style more than a little cloying. All those quavering monologues that made every issue an equally disastrous outrage . . . And, even though the temptation is to look for corporate devils behind this, I wouldn’t be surprised if the people he worked for found his massive ego even more annoying than I did. Cable news is a narrow wasteland of just such bloviating gasbags, and doesn’t really deserve to be taken seriously by anyone. Good night, and good luck.
- Joe Crud
  
  I love Keith Olbermann, but I couldn’t agree with you more. He did certainly have a flare for the dramatic. Sometime it was well placed, but more often than not, I found it totally over the top. I was often left wondering if he was trying to make up for all the lack of passion in America. I did watch his show though, and I’ll miss it.
  I’m also afraid that Ed Shultz, the Rush Limbaugh of the left will take a more prominent role. It is a shame that facts are just getting more and more skewed and sensationalized by bubbleheads.
  - hunter349
    
    Complete agreement. I skew left and I semi- consistently watched Olberman. He had a good show even though his personality came across as smug at times. The Fridays with Therber part of the show was not bad but certainly came off as a stereotype of what many on the right would call elitist. Ed Shultz is a detriment to MSNBC. He is hot headed, hateful, and is the first MSNBC host I have seen that I criticize as much a Fox personality for half truths and skewed facts.
Drinky McGee

I usually agreed with the stances that Olbermann took, but I found his self-important, melodramatic style more than a little cloying. All those quavering monologues that made every issue an equally disastrous outrage . . . And, even though the temptation is to look for corporate devils behind this, I wouldn’t be surprised if the people he worked for found his massive ego even more annoying than I did. Cable news is a narrow wasteland of just such bloviating gasbags, and doesn’t really deserve to be taken seriously by anyone. Good night, and good luck.
Xty

Sucks. He will be missed.
Xty

Sucks. He will be missed.
Andrew

Looks like he won’t be getting a new show elsewhere:

“Mr. Olbermann did not discuss any future plans, but NBC executives said one term of his settlement will keep him from moving to another network for an extended period of time.”

http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/21/olbermann-hosts-last-countdown-on-msnbc/

Also: “NBC executives said the move had nothing to do with the impending takeover of NBC Universal by Comcast.”
- http://voxmagi-necessarywords.blogspot.com/ VoxMagi
  
  Damn…that pretty much ensures that it WAS Con-cast at work. The only way to efficiently cut through doublespeak anymore is to assume that if they hurry to issue a denial and have foreseen what people might think…then that means it IS what people might think. I don’t even watch cable news…since its just a ticket to endless droning at 70$ a month or more…but it was good knowing there were a few people in media who think as I do and had the power to reach many others effectively.
Andrew

Looks like he won’t be getting a new show elsewhere:

“Mr. Olbermann did not discuss any future plans, but NBC executives said one term of his settlement will keep him from moving to another network for an extended period of time.”

http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/21/olbermann-hosts-last-countdown-on-msnbc/

Also: “NBC executives said the move had nothing to do with the impending takeover of NBC Universal by Comcast.”
Pingback: Tweets that mention Keith Olbermann Out At MSNBC | Disinformation -- Topsy.com
Anonymous

May camels hump their daughters!
Joe CRUD

I love Keith Olbermann, but I couldn’t agree with you more. He did certainly have a flare for the dramatic. Sometime it was well placed, but more often than not, I found it totally over the top. I was often left wondering if he was trying to make up for all the lack of passion in America. I did watch his show though, and I’ll miss it.
I’m also afraid that Ed Shultz, the Rush Limbaugh of the left will take a more prominent role. It is a shame that facts are just getting more and more skewed and sensationalized by bubbleheads.
Joe CRUD

I like this simply because you used the word “defenestrate”. ha! Do you have an insomniac’s dictionary handy?
:^D
Guest

I won’t be surprised if he becomes a regular guest on Maddow for as long as she can get away with having him on
- Carol McFarlane
  
  Wow, can he do that, I was hoping he could appear as a guest, continually, till he may host his own show, per the terms of his leavetaking…
Guest

I won’t be surprised if he becomes a regular guest on Maddow for as long as she can get away with having him on
Nycstan

Wow Comcast that was fast!!! You @ssholes!!!!
Nycstan

Wow Comcast that was fast!!! You @ssholes!!!!
Nycstan

Wow Comcast that was fast!!! You @ssholes!!!!
Honu

I remember when I first discovered Keith during the desert days for progressive thinkers in the mainstream media, when GW was in office. Aside from J Stewart and Bill Maher, Keith was the first televison anchor that reported a more honest, truth based newscast. It was a breath of fresh air. People say Keith is radical left or hard left but if you look at his reporting he was really just focused on the corruption which in my opinion transcends politics and it was needed especially during the 8 years under Bush. So now he moves on and I thank him for his hard work and applaud his courage for reporting the things he did at a time when speaking truth to power would label you unpatiotic….funny enough now those same assholes say if you don’t speak so called ‘truth’ to power you’re not a patriot. Keith filled a very important role at a bleak time in American history.
- Carol McFarlane
  
  Honu, I couldn’t agree with YOU more. THIS is a bleak day, I believe I WILL boycott MSNBC, I want the WHOLE team, not parts of it, much as I love Maddow and now O’Donnell…
Honu

I remember when I first discovered Keith during the desert days for progressive thinkers in the mainstream media, when GW was in office. Aside from J Stewart and Bill Maher, Keith was the first televison anchor that reported a more honest, truth based newscast. It was a breath of fresh air. People say Keith is radical left or hard left but if you look at his reporting he was really just focused on the corruption which in my opinion transcends politics and it was needed especially during the 8 years under Bush. So now he moves on and I thank him for his hard work and applaud his courage for reporting the things he did at a time when speaking truth to power would label you unpatiotic….funny enough now those same assholes say if you don’t speak so called ‘truth’ to power you’re not a patriot. Keith filled a very important role at a bleak time in American history.
http://voxmagi-necessarywords.blogspot.com/ VoxMagi

May the sewers of New Delhi back up in their kitchens!! And may the callouses of a thousand Bedouins feet settle upon their noses!
http://voxmagi-necessarywords.blogspot.com/ VoxMagi

Damn…that pretty much ensures that it WAS Con-cast at work. The only way to efficiently cut through doublespeak anymore is to assume that if they hurry to issue a denial and have foreseen what people might think…then that means it IS what people might think. I don’t even watch cable news…since its just a ticket to endless droning at 70$ a month or more…but it was good knowing there were a few people in media who think as I do and had the power to reach many others effectively.
Jestus

AND their sons too!!!!!
jestus

If you think that the Right-wingers have “changed their tone” for the better, then I too am “sorry”, for you.
Anonymous

Complete agreement. I skew left and I semi- consistently watched Olberman. He had a good show even though his personality came across as smug at times. The Fridays with Therber part of the show was not bad but certainly came off as a stereotype of what many on the right would call elitist. Ed Shultz is a detriment to MSNBC. He is hot headed, hateful, and is the first MSNBC host I have seen that I criticize as much a Fox personality for half truths and skewed facts.
Fabucat

On no, not like Glenn Beckkk, who targets people for death!
Spectre1

I will miss Kieth because he was usually fact-based, but he was working without a net. I was delighted to learn that Lawrence O’Donnell will get that time slot.
Spectre1

I will miss Kieth because he was usually fact-based, but he was working without a net. I was delighted to learn that Lawrence O’Donnell will get that time slot.
Waking11

He was awesome on Sportscenter.
Waking11

He was awesome on Sportscenter.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SLNDMWH56RM3VV44EMUMYMKEOI Fio White

Good riddance douchebag!
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SLNDMWH56RM3VV44EMUMYMKEOI Fio White

Good riddance douchebag!
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SLNDMWH56RM3VV44EMUMYMKEOI Fio White

Good riddance douchebag!
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SLNDMWH56RM3VV44EMUMYMKEOI Fio White

Good riddance douchebag!
Carol McFarlane

Honu, I couldn’t agree with YOU more. THIS is a bleak day, I believe I WILL boycott MSNBC, I want the WHOLE team, not parts of it, much as I love Maddow and now O’Donnell…
Carol McFarlane

Wow, can he do that, I was hoping he could appear as a guest, continually, till he may host his own show, per the terms of his leavetaking…