Olbermann gone from MSNBC

[1inStripes]

Keith Olbermann gives abrupt goodbye to MSNBC show
AP

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Keith Olbermann AP ? FILE - In this May 3, 2007 file photo, Keith Olbermann of MSNBC poses at the Ronald Reagan Library in ?

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By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer David Bauder, Ap Television Writer ? 8 mins ago

NEW YORK ? Keith Olbermann, MSNBC's most successful and controversial personality for his outspoken liberal prime-time program, gave an abrupt goodbye to viewers and said Friday was his last show.

It was not immediately known if he quit or was fired. Olbermann did not address the question, and MSNBC said only that they and Olbermann had ended their contract. He signed a four-year contract two years ago.

"MSNBC thanks Keith for his integral role in MSNBC's success and we wish him well in his future endeavors," the network said in a statement.

A spokesman said Phil Griffin, MSNBC's president, would not comment on Olbermann's exit. Spokesman Jeremy Gaines would say only that the acquisition of NBC Universal by Comcast, which received regulatory approval this week, had nothing to do with the decision.

Olbermann was suspended without pay from the network for two days in November for donating to three Democratic candidates, which violated NBC News' policy on political donations. Olbermann complained that he was being punished for mistakenly violating an inconsistently applied rule that he had known nothing about.

The host apologized to fans ? but not to the network.

MSNBC essentially molded the network in Olbermann's image. His program is MSNBC's top-rated, gaining in viewers after his evolution from a humorous look at the day's headline into a combatively political show in the latter days of the Bush administration. MSNBC decided that point-of-view programming was the way to go, and hired Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O'Donnell ? both occasional subs for Olbermann ? to fill out its prime-time lineup.

His exit was so sudden that MSNBC didn't have time to change its ads; a "Lean Forward" promotion for the network featuring Olbermann aired within a half-hour of his final goodbye.
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Olbermann, before leaving the show with a final signature toss of his script toward the camera, thanked his audience for sticking with him. As was often his habit on Friday nights, he read a James Thurber short story, this one titled "Scottie Who Knew Too Much" and published in 1940.

The story's final line: "It is better to ask some of the questions than to know all of the answers."

He thanked a series of people, including the late Tim Russert, but pointedly not Griffin or NBC News President Steve Capus.

"There were many occasions, particularly in the last 2 1/2 years, where all that surrounded the show ? but never the show itself ? was just too much for me," said Olbermann, whose father died recently. "But your support and loyalty and, if I may use the word, insistence, ultimately require that I keep going. My gratitude to you is boundless."

He said he was grateful to the network that he was given time to sign off, noting that when he left ESPN in the 1990s, he was given 30 seconds ? cut in half at the last minute to get in tennis results.

But Olbermann was known for a mercurial personality behind the scenes and he was almost fired last year for the political donations. He quit a prime-time show on MSNBC in the late 1990s, complaining that management was making him report too much on President Bill Clinton's impeachment scandal.

He was particularly critical of Fox News Channel and his direct competitor, Bill O'Reilly, frequently naming him his "Worst Person in the World" in a segment popular with his fans. Bosses at NBC had discussed trying to keep the tone of the vitriol down.

Olbermann came in to work after the shooting of Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, airing a special comment in which he promised to tone down inflammatory rhetoric and challenged others to do the same.

MSNBC announced that O'Donnell, who had frequently filled in for Olbermann before starting his own 10 p.m. show, will take over Olbermann's time slot starting Monday. "The Ed Show," with Ed Schultz, will move to 10 p.m. Cenk Uygur of the Web show "The Young Turks" will fill Schultz's vacated 6 p.m. time slot.

It's unclear what Olbermann's plans are now.

He could give a boost to struggling CNN's prime-time lineup, but Olbermann would mean CNN would make an abrupt shift in its nonpartisan policy. It was not immediately known how quickly Olbermann could switch to another job if he wanted to; such contract buyouts typically include noncompete clauses.

David Brock, founder and CEO of the liberal media watchdog Media Matters for America, said Olbermann "led the charge" against "conservative misinformation in prime time."

"Keith is an innovator and extremely talented broadcaster who showed there was a market for progressive views on cable news," Brock said. "I'm sure we'll be hearing more of him soon, and I eagerly await hearing of his next move."

The mood was different at Newsbusters, a website operated by the conservative Media Research Center: "You guys at Newsbusters should really break out the champagne and party," wrote one reader about Olbermann.

[R13]

Seen that earlier then got online and watched his farewell sign-off, unfortunately was a product of the merger.

[centennialdawg]

:mooning::thankU:

[Gotch]

I'm sure both of his regular viewers are very disappointed.

[centennialdawg]

I'm sure both of his regular viewers are very disappointed.

:snickerpup:

[R13]

Riiiiight, the highest rated show on the network and one of the highest rated pundits out there...riiiiiight. I knew with the merger it wouldn't be all that great news for him, but didn't think things would end this way in a dispute so quickly. MSNBC killed their golden goose, they've screwed themselves with letting this happen.

[Gotch]

Being the top rated show on MSNBC is like being the Florida state downhill skiing champion....congratulations.

[R13]

You do realize that MSNBC was moved to digital packages in most places in the country? And that MSNBC is still the second highest rated evening news program on tv? Nice job thinking that one through.

[Gotch]

Olbermann's show was the 13th highest rated cable news show for 2010 which did indeed make it NUMBER ONE WITH A STAR on MSNBC. Of course it placed 5 positions behind O'Reilly's 11pm RERUN......but congratulations anyway.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/1...itle=undefined

You do know that Florida is not only hot but the flattest US state, right?

[R13]

Okay? You get your MSNBC argument thrown out and ignore the fact it's not on basic cable either? Other fun facts too. Who are Fox news prime viewers? Older(a lot of times retired) viewers, as are most conservatives(older/elderly) and depend on one single source for their news - the conservative outlet FNC. Who are liberals and MSNBC's viewers? A lot younger, who split their news with other stations like CNN, along with the biggest drain that thing called the INTERNET(from MSNBC's site to watch the shows like I do, to blogsites to countless other sites). Throw that on top with it being put in the digital package, it makes sense and they're still 2 in the news stations. That's somethings we don't hear when conservatives brag about the ratings.