Olbermann's Exit: Media Empire Vision - Not Comcast

[TeaBagsAreForCups]

"Did Keith Olbermann Bolt MSNBC to Create Media Empire?"
Published: January 21, 2011 @ 6:13 pm

It was Keith Olbermann's decision to leave his high-profile perch at MSNBC, TheWrap has learned. The outspoken host abruptly announced his departure on Friday evening, sending shock waves through the cable news world. But the sudden departure has a history, and the timing does not rule out a preemptive MSNBC move. The gadfly commentator first told the network last April that he wanted to leave and began negotiating his exit then, according to an individual with knowledge of the situation. Olbermann abandoned the notion of leaving at that time but revived his plans in recent weeks with new representation from the talent agency ICM.

With two years left on his $7 million a year contract, Olbermann was seeking a full exit package but he really has his eye on creating his own media empire in the style of Huffington Post, according to the individual. That way, Olbermann would control his own brand and, in his view, potentially earn far more as an owner.

- SNIP -

The departure of Olbermann, who recently left his long time talent agent Jean Sage to work with a troika at ICM, came so abruptly that MSNBC was still running promos for him and his show an hour after he signed off for the last time.

Immediately after the host said his goodbyes, speculation started that his departure had something to do with the recently approved merger between NBC Universal and Comcast. "Of course that is an easy angle to take considering the timing," an individual close to the company told TheWrap, "but it is not true."

- SNIP -

http://www.thewrap.com/television/article/keith-olbermann-leaves-msnbc-24127

[Samantha]

1. Geez, I wonder who "leaked" this version of the story

One can only guess.

[dkf]

2. I was thinking of this...cable is old style.

New media could push broadcasts out to phones pcs and Netflix. Maybe he was even inspired by Oprah.

[asjr]

3. Is this the fifth or sixth story we have heard?

[hlthe2b]

10. Yes... stories all over the map from him starring in Hollywood with

Sorkin to developing his own media empire. Yet, we have DUers picking it up to say "we told you so" to those of us who question Comcast's role in this. It is as though the President of Comcast had to literally come down to Rockefeller Center and personally fire KO in order for them to have had any role whatsoever and since that didn't happen, Comcast is off the hook. :eyes: I am incredulous that some are buying this premise

[Kalyke]

15. Occam's Razor applies here.

So does gut-reactions.

OF COURSE, Comcast has a role in this - whether it was to tell Keith to either "tone down the left" and stay or go, Clash-style.

The reason we all believe this is because our gut - or the simplest explanation - is usually true.

[TeaBagsAreForCups]

22. Kudos; indeed, it may, but...

... from an alternate perspective.

1. Olbermann, himself, has noted over the last year his own personal conflicts over the demands of the program;
2. Most especially after the death of his mother;
3. If this had not been a relatively spontaneous decision to actually pull the trigger - and not some grand machination of the powers at Comcast - just why would the internals of MSNBC be caught off guard to be running promos for Countdown hours after the termination of the program on Friday?;
4. It makes perfect sense that Olbermann, a man of profound media competencies, intellect, and skils, would not see the writing on the wall as to the direction of information delivery systems - and most critically, the channels and avenues in which to influence the body politic - and take this moment to redirect his professional focus: namely, the the new media of the internet, mobile devices, etc.?;
5. Espeically when Olbermann has lost his protective wall in Zucker with the advancing right wing armies of Comcast not only at the gate, but now owning the castle;
5. Hence Mr. Occam's solution for Olbermann: drop the program, take the millions of the settlement, spend the next six months to develop the hundreds of millions of dollars of investment necessary to launch an Olbermann vehicle comparable to Huffington or Josh Marshall's TPM.

Makes far more sense than all the spurious theories that involve Comcast. And here's another one for Mr. Occam: does anyone really think that Comcast sees this as a good thing from a public relations perspective?

Is anyone here that naive or lacking in basic political strategy to think that this is, in any shape or form, the manner in which Comcast would have structured the removal of Olbermann and Countdown? Within a sunset of the final approval of their highly controversial merger?

Mr. Occam would say no, not at all.

[LawnLover]

26. Completely agree with all of this

It's easy to make Comcast the villain here, but I think Olbermann was ready to go. I think if he were to do his own Huffington Post it would be a huge success.

And as right wing as Comcast might be, they're not going to be stupid enough to dump anyone who's making them money. And money is always the bottom line with business.

[pacalo]

4. Hahaaa! And the damage control begins. Only from one side, of course. They've legally made it

impossible for Keith to give his side of the story.

[mmonk]

5. Usually, people on the internet are striving for television spots

and sucessful TV personalities, add to, not replace, their presence in broadcasting with an internet presence.

[Ferret Annica]

6. Bull; this has Philip Anschutz's finger prints all over it

I am sure this billionaire Christian financier of fundamentalist causes engineered Keith's departure.

http://blog.buzzflash.com//node/12251?utm_content=backtype-tweetcount&utm_medium=bt.io-twitter&utm_source=twitter.com

[LoZoccolo]

7. If that's true, it kind-of sucks.

Huffington Post is stuck in a liberal Internet niche, whereas his show was positioned somewhere to have reach to those not seeking out liberal opinion. He might become a liberal superstar, but will probably reach less people who are not already liberal.

[Ozymanithrax]

8. I've read now maybe 50 versions of why Keith left...

Some of them implicate COMCAST. Some of them implicate Keith.

Here were have another unnamed individual purporting to know the real shit.

Screw them all.

I hope KO comes back with his own media empire, or in some other incarnation. I will still not watch MSNBC, and intend to keep COMCAST at arms length.

[virgogal]

9. So are we all boycotting Comcast or not?

[checks-n-balances]

11. IMHO, boycotting will make ratings go down for those who remain

Including Rachel, Ed & Cenk. I'm not for that. Without those who remain, what DO we have out there???

[virgogal]

12. I never thought of it that way. Thanks.

[grasswire]

13. look, the damage is done -- they are going to be toned down now

If they want a job, they will watch what they say from this day forward. MSNBC didn't need to fire them all -- just the one who was the leader, the star. Made an example of him. Mission accomplished.

That's why continuing to watch MSNBC is a mistake. It's over.

[checks-n-balances]

17. I hope you're wrong and until you're proven right, I'm going to watch

Listening to TV is still the fastest & best way for me to keep informed after a day's work. I'm not giving up now and I don't think DUers should either - not while there's still something out there that's good. Unless it turns into centrist New Democrat pablum - then, as you say, it won't be worth watching.

[sabrina 1]

25. I agree ~ I hope they don't, but they may not have a choice.

It will be interesting to watch how their shows progress from now on. However, putting O'Donnell in Keith's spot might be a clue. He's no liberal, despite his adapting the label (seems a popular thing for DLC types to do these days) and I'm sure no matter what happens to the others who are much more overtly liberal, O'Donnell will keep his job.

Won't be watching in this house but will check it out once in a while to see if there are any changes.

Eg, has Rachel done any of her in-depth exposures on the witch-hunting of Wikileaks here, something she is so good at? She could have done a great show, correcting the lies, showing the awards they have won etc. I was waiting for her to do that, but it never happened. Not allowed I guess. So the pressure may already have begun.

[grasswire]

14. "gadfly commentator"??

Who wrote this crap? Hannity? O'Reilly?

Please.

[underpants]

16. Can't be Hannity

neither he nor his followers know what gadfly means

[Zoeisright]

20. My thought exactly.

What a pile of steaming shit.

[coolhip33]

18. IF you absolutely HAVE to watch MSNBC then .....

do it online at JustinTV http://www.justin.tv/rockinroosters12#/w/785000336/14 . That way you still get your fix but are not supporting MSNBC TV advertisers. They will quitely slip back into 3rd place again which is the punishment they deserve.

[Tx4obama]

21. Regarding posting that link

Shhhhhh....
You probably need to cool it and not post that link in so many places.
I'd hate for it to become too public and someone shut it down.

[alfredo]

19. I'm sticking with him opening a Bed and Breakfast in New Hampshire.

[ladjf]

23. Keith was a threat to the "big heist", the transfer or stealing of wealth

from the lower income citizens into the coffers of the very rich.

The taxcut laws are the primary pipeline through which the wealth is flowing. ALL politicians who
support the taxcuts for the rich are dishonest.

[musette_sf]

24. Fish Wrap n/t