How Keith Olbermann Will Save CNN

[Bill219]

http://www.politicususa.com/en/olbermann-cnn

After Keith Olbermann’s abrupt, but apparently heavily negotiated departure from MSNBC last night, Olbermann’s cable television future looks begins and ends with three letters C-N-N. With the news that Olbermann will only have to be off the air until this fall, his move to CNN looks as obvious as David Letterman’s move to CBS was in 1993.

After Rupert Murdoch’s New York Post (cringe) reported today that, “Sources said network brass basically paid the pontificating pundit to scram by working out an agreement in which he would give up his show and continue to be paid. The garrulous gasbag will likely also have to stay off the air at least until fall under the agreement.” The interesting part is the fact that Olbermann can come back in the fall, and we know he won’t be coming back to MSNBC or Fox News, so that leaves the former cable news giant with a giant hole of ratings doom at 8 PM in their schedule every weeknight, CNN.

Speculation has already began centering around whether CNN would accept someone as opinionated and political as Olbermann, as this would go against the neutral news brand they have been crafting. I think they would, because hiring Olbermann would make the network a player in prime time again. CNN would no longer be getting beaten by Headline News in the prime time ratings. In fact the minute Olbermann went on the air for them, they would jump into second place at 8 PM. Olbermann’s reruns were beating Anderson Cooper in the ratings. As CBS dreamed of Dave in the 1990s, I’ll bet that CNN would love to have Olbermann.

read the rest of the story at the link above....

[WCGreen]

1. That makes sense.....

It's more about business and money than ideological grounds.

[RKP5637]

2. IMO that would be great! n/t

[Cleita]

3. "...neutral news brand they have been crafting."

Say what! That's worthy of a good laugh.

:rofl:

[hvn_nbr_2]

5. I don't see "the most trusted name in Faux imitators" hiring Keith.

That's worthy of a good :rofl:

[ixion]

10. Yeah, I caught that one, too...

good for a belly laugh. :rofl:

[unblock]

21. emphasis on "brand" and "crafting"

as opposed to actually achieving neutrality/objectivity.

[napi21]

4. I don't want to give credit to Rupert for anythin but a move like

that sounds logical. CNN has been hurting in the ratings for a VERY LONG TIME, and Keith is a proven icon.

[Frustratedlady]

6. I haven't watched CNN for a couple years. That will be interesting...if

it happens.

[glinda]

7. Now that would indeed be something. CNN could use a makeover big time. C'mon Ted,

you have complained about the news going in the dumper, kick some ass!

[emulatorloo]

17. Unfortunately Ted Turner left in 2006.

Which partly explains why CNN is so awful

[Parker CA]

8. Bring on KO and follow him up with Shuster, and CNN will have a giant leap in viewership. nt

[snappyturtle]

9. Here's another paragraph from the article that sounds promising:

"The move would also be great for Olbermann, who would go from being on the cable network in the fewest number of homes to one of the networks on all of cable with the greatest reach. Olbermann could reach a global audience with CNN. That’s something that he could never have dreamed of on MSNBC. This is going to sound odd given the current ratings position, but Olbermann will likely have more viewers on CNN than he ever would have on MSNBC."

[dkf]

13. Wow crossing my fingers.

I love Spitzer too. That would be a nice one two punch.

[Roselma]

11. I don't know if CNN would even look at

Olbermann for the 8 p.m. slot. And...Olberman would then be pitted against Lawrence O'Donnell or Rachel. It would split the progressive audience giving both Olbermann and whoever MSNBC puts into the same timeslot a smaller audience.

[Tx4obama]

25. Wouldn't split the audience, because both channels do repeats we could watch both.

If Keith goes up against Lawrence O'donnell - then Keith wins.
If Keith goes up against Maddow then we could watch Keith then watch Rachel on the repeat or just DVR her and watch her after Keith.

[Rex]

12. Won't happen, CNNs new boss is a RWing extremist like Murdoch.

He introduced us to Glenn Beck... :(

[firehorse]

14. neutral news went out the window the day FAUX beat the FCC when they won

in court the "right" to freedom of speech, even if their faux facts were wrong.

[OHdem10]

15. Not too long ago I watched CNN's (CEO? Pres?) being interviewed

by Cavuto. They were discussing the hiring of Spitzer.
The Guy from CNN held strong strong opions against what
he called screaming and confrontation.

No matter what you think of Lou Dobbs, and his style, CNN
has been in the dumper ratings wise ever since he was fired.
Of course, Lou Dobbs positions on Trade Policy did not comport
with the preferred Narrative which I think had a lot of bearing
on his fall at CNN.

These sorts of things make me question whether CNN would be
open to someone from the Left. They have taken a Right Turn.
Perhaps they are ready to spice it up with opinion from the Left??

[regnaD kciN]

16. I have my doubts...

Both when KO was suspended last November, and when he was "released from his contract" yesterday, CNN was quick to report it with panel discussions that mainly came across like personal attacks on Keith and intimations that he was an unprofessional egocentric who deserved what he got. Given that, it sure seems to me like someone there wanted to turn him into an example of "everything, thank God, that we here at CNN are not." I just don't see how they can or would reverse course and make someone they've bad-mouthed so thoroughly the centerpiece of their network.

[emulatorloo]

18. The most important thing to CNN is ratings. The higher the ratings, the more they can

charge for ads.

If they think Olbermann can deliver the ratings, they will consider it.

[emulatorloo]

19. CNN would do it. Not sure KO would do it though.

[davidwparker]

22. It is all about how the contract is written. Things like

100% editorial control would be KO down to the brand of coffee in the green room.

All down in black and white.

[monmouth]

20. I wonder how Anderson would deal with that competition. He seems

to be their golden boy at the moment.

[SoCalDem]

24. He'd hold his breath, turn blue..start breathing again & get over it

but I don't see CNN doing that.

CBS has dipped its toes into the 24-7 thing & come up lame before, but Olbermann could be the person to make that happen. Many of his compadres would follow him.

[grahamhgreen]

27. He would welcome it, IMHO.

It would give him more freedom of speech.

[Swamp Rat]

23. CNN is almost as bad as FUX Noise.

Eventually, the USA will only have two TV "news" stations: "The Left News" and "The Right News".

[bleever]

26. "I can also imagine that MSNBC viewers won’t be breaking their Keith at 8, Rachel at 9 habit.

"The only difference would be that they will be changing channels at 9 PM to do so. Olbermann leaving MSNBC could be the best thing to happen to both CNN and fans of Olbermann, so while things look dark today for Countdown viewers, there is a new day coming."


Make it so.

[egressingsparrowdrop]

28. Didn't he sign away his right to appear on another network?

for a pile of money?