Monday, September 8, 2008

The Last Place Cable Network Makes A Decision


From today's New York Times:


"NBC Universal executives are also known to be concerned about the perception that MSNBC’s partisan tilt in prime time is bleeding into the rest of the programming day. On a recent Friday afternoon, a graphic labeled 'Breaking News' asked: 'How many houses does Palin add to the Republican ticket?' Mr. Griffin called the graphic 'an embarrassment.'”

Mr. Griffin is the genius NBC network executive who defended the teaming of former ESPN jockstrap idolator Keith Olbermann and former Jimmy Carter speechwriter Chris Matthews to anchor the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. They were removed this weekend from anchoring any future political events, and replaced by David Gregory.

Both should be fired.

Olbermann and Matthews disgraced MSNBC with their insufferable ramblings, frequent adolescent cracks (Olbermann snidely saying a "Pawlenty" sounds like a side dish) and their unrelenting partisan unprofessionalism. These two characters should have been delegates to the Democratic convention.

Instead, MSNBC showcased them. For a last place cable network that consistently gets blown out in the ratings by Fox News and CNN, it's curious that the most important barometer doesn't apply to Olbermann and Matthews.

Olbermann is the most offensive person on cable television news, and Matthews, the rudest. The fact that they reportedly despise each other is amusing.

MSNBC long ago lost its credibility as a legitimate news operation. Maybe today's canning of Olbermann and Matthews from anchor duties shows they understand attempting to appeal to the Democratic party's moveon.org fanatics is not the right strategy to move up in the ratings. But I doubt it.