Another MSNBC "insider" is talking --

[DeepModem Mom]

TV Newser: Tuesday Jun 03, 2008
"Russert Has Spent 20 Years Building Credibility. All Of A Sudden He's Taking Questions From A Daily Kos Blogger?"



Tonight may be the last of the primaries, but the discussion of the cable news coverage will no doubt continue for months to come. MSNBC has bore the brunt of much of the criticism, from a candidate, a competitor, and many voices in between. Now, TVNewser speaks with a high level source inside MSNBC, who sheds light on some of the inside rumblings....MSNBC has drawn criticism from pundits from both parties, other journalists and the White House, for the perceived, and often obvious, leftward shift of their lead political anchors Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann.

"Every Tuesday night Keith is up there as the face of NBC News. That's a problem," says our source. "(Tim) Russert is upset about it. Russert has spent 20 years building credibility. All of a sudden he's taking questions from Keith Olbermann, the Daily Kos blogger?" The insider says Olbermann's election night partner has reservations as well: "Chris Matthews is quite pissed about it. He knows a lot about politics and he takes it seriously. He's so close to it that he's not that political. He's not an activist — Keith's an activist. That's the difference."

Asked for a response, an MSNBC spokesperson tells TVNewser, "Your source is ill-informed and the assertions are laughable."

With the primaries finished, the focus moves to the general election. "What's it going to be like in the general election now that everyone knows we're the in-house network of Barack Obama?" asked our insider. "There's a huge difference between rooting for one side in a Democratic primary, and another one to take sides in a general election and go out and openly root for a candidate. You can't do that," said the insider. "You think Russert is going to put up with that? Election night coverage in November with Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann?"

"The key is his willingness to quit," says our source about Olbermann. "And he means it. He has convinced management of that. They are convinced that he will walk. He behaves like a man who has nothing left to lose. He is not central to MSNBC, he is the center of the MSNBC ratings strategy. We hang the entire schedule on him." What about Olbermann blogging now at The Daily Kos? "That's insane," says the insider. "If he was writing long pieces for The Atlantic, or The New Republic, it's different. It's partisan, is what it is. It's also just low and stupid."

Still the insider sees the move to the left as a successful short term strategy....

> Update: NBC News SVP Phil Griffin tells TVNewser, "Whoever you're talking to knows nothing, it's that simple. MSNBC has offered the most interesting election coverage this season and the audience is responding. We're thrilled that Tim Russert chooses to be part of that coverage. If your source doesn't, they should leave."

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/msnbc/russert_has_spent_20_years_building_credibility_all_of_a_sudden_hes_taking_questions_from_a_daily_kos_blogger_85778.asp

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. Sounds like...

One of the right-wing plants in the producer ranks feels a little emboldened.

I doubt there is any network under the sun that would not pony up big bux for Olbermann is he bailed.

[Tarheel_Dem]

2. Wasn't Keith being courted by CNN or HLN when his contract came up

for renewal? I think I read that somewhere, but MSNBC got wind of it, and offered him a healthy contract to keep him. Let's face it, Keith is the anchor of that network, and they would be in a world of hurt if they were to lose him.

[Berry Cool]

3. And they know he WOULD walk, too, if he had to.

Why? Because he did it to them in 1998. They know he would do it again.

But this person who implies that his qualifications consist of being "a Daily Kos blogger"...oh please. That's like implying that it's not fair to make Obama the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee just because he attended Sasha and Malia's last PTA night (assuming he did). I mean, maybe he DID attend their school's last PTA night, but I seriously doubt that had, or has, anything to do with it...

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

4. The "Daily Kos Blogger" comment is the tell.

That tells me that one of two things are in play here:

1. This came from a producer on another show who is a nice little right-wing robot, like so many are.

or

2. This came from someone in MSNBC who is attempting to exact some revenge against slights, real or percieved, against the Clinton Campaign. It is not hyperbole to suggest that a lot of people associated with her campaign and her supporters were more than a bit miffed with Mr. Olbermann AND Daily Kos.

[Miss Authoritiva]

5. With whom?

Russert has spent 20 years building credibility.

This is bull-ding-dong. Russert has spent 20 years insinuating himself into the pundit power structure. That's not "credibility" that's reliability: Russert reliably will do what the pundit power structure needs to have done.