Comments on: MSNBC’s 10th: 10 years ago today MSNBC launched…

by: Nate

Sun, 16 Jul 2006 23:57:03 +0100

i really liked thier product back when they first started but i think once 2000 hit, they went down hill. even though i stopped watching for a good year when they called themselve “americas news channel”, then when laurie jennings came on board, i watched her from my days back when she was in boston. I really hope the do find thier niche because i really hope they stay on air but to be honest, i wont be surprised if they flunk. happy 10 msnbc.

by: ejnkight

Sun, 16 Jul 2006 12:32:47 +0100

It is great to see all this stuff. Especially the first few minutes of MSNBC. Interesting to see in the background that it looks like they had they had the familiar looking set to what we know today and this is given that they co-existed with CNBC in Fort Lee for the first few months. I guess they had their own floor in that office building. I wonder how and what changed when they moved in to the converted warehouse on Hartz Way in Secaucus?

by: Spud

Sun, 16 Jul 2006 09:10:22 +0100

It’s true that I don’t believe a flagship news program should be “entertaining”. News should inform, not entertain.

by: tanne

Sat, 15 Jul 2006 19:58:13 +0100

Well, Spud, at least you stayed away from Mr. A’s accusations, which as I see it are untrue also.

I’m sorry if you think Countdown isn’t “Serious” with a capital S enough to be a “flagship” news program. That’s the impression I get from what you’re saying. News requires Seriousness! No fun or entertainment allowed!

As for depth, give the show another hour and see what you’d get then.

by: Spud

Sat, 15 Jul 2006 17:24:05 +0100

Countdown is many thing but a Flagship News program it is not. Segments like Oddball, The Worst Person in the World, Puppet Theater…these are not the things that make a flagship news program. What Countdown is in my opinion is a cross between a newsmaker program and an entertainment program with more of an emphasis on the newsmaker side.

Tanne, you are confusing the issue here. When I say flagship News Program, Ideology doesn’t enter the issue. I’m talking about a program that wraps up the days news in far greater detail than Countdown ever could. FNC has one with The Fox Report. CNN doesn’t have one, though Newsnight came close when it was on the air.

MSNBC sort of had one earlier in the day with Lester Holt Live before Holt started showing up on NBC.

by: Mr A

Sat, 15 Jul 2006 14:36:52 +0100

Countdown is not by any stretch of the imagination a flagship news programme. It (like Tucker, Scarborough etc) is a news opinion type show designed to entertain. You cannot for example compare it to a network evening newscast, which is what the News with Brian Williams was modeled on IIRC.

Only you have mentioned politics for some strange reason of your own.

by: tanne

Sat, 15 Jul 2006 11:38:25 +0100

“Lack of a flagship news program”? What do you call Countdown?

And I am only interested in Spud’s answer here. I already know what the conservative posters call it–”an opinion show with fake comedy news and a LIBERAL host.” I want to find out what Spud calls it.

I also want to find out whether Spud thinks the “flagship news programs” on any other cable or broadcast network are completely unbiased and free of any sort of political slant whatsoever. Because if that’s what his criteria are for a “flagship news program,” then there really aren’t any.