I've watched the program regularly since before Olbermann's political leanings were overt. I just liked the format, and the focus that he put on some stories that you didn't see elsewhere. All the way back when he had segments like "keeping tabs," a sarcastic lampooning of the tabloidy stories of the day. On one hand, this is going to disrupt my routine in a big way! On the other hand, it is going to free me up from a routine that had perhaps taken too deeply to root.
Where this leaves MSNBC, and why the heck it happened is anybody's guess. I'm thinking that this decision came fairly abruptly. Olbermann has recently discontinued his popular "Worst Persons in the World" segment, and had said that it may return in a changed form. . .which doesn't sound like a person who is preparing to leave. And MSNBC has only recently added The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell, rounding out their full schedule for the first time. The Rachel Maddow Show--which was basically spun off from Countdown, and championed by Olbermann--is now without a lead-in. Countdown was the linch pin, and the highest rated program on the channel.
So, however much the mucky-mucks at MSNBC might have personally disliked Olbermann, it would be a crappy business decision to fire him. I know that Comcast's all but assured purchase of NBC could be a factor, and surely will feature in a conspiracy theory or two. But I'm guessing this was Olbermann's decision, and I'm anxious to hear the full story. Provided we ever get it, of course. In the tv and radio business, these sorts of things can be shrouded in mystery, and several alternate "realities" later dribble out from all parties concerned. In any event, I'll miss the program, and I hope that Rachel Maddow gets to keep her job.
I'm sure, Jamie, you and his other viewer will be disappointed.
ReplyDeleteTodd and I were also stunned. I liked his show better than Rachel's. I thought it was interesting that he spoke of the people that "fought" for him, including Rachel. I thought that kind of hinted it wasn't what he wanted. He also prefaced all of that by telling a story of how he had seconds notice before being told it was his last ESPN show. It really felt, to me, like it wasn't his decision. I really wish Rachel had been on tonight. I wonder if that timing was planned.
ReplyDeleteOh, Dan. Can two little bitty bloggers like us really poo-pooh somebody with over a million nightly viewers? I think my highest in a given day was like 1,500 once? This past week, Olbermann and Glenn Beck have been playing opposite ends of the 1-2 million viewers range, with O at 1.2 and Beck at 1.8 or something? Not that different.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure it was a quick decision, maybe he was given a choice of quit or do X, and he wouldn't do X. I'm betting that Rachel got a heads up in time to have Chris fill in so she wouldn't HAVE to publicly follow Olbermann's announcement.
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