MSNBC.com has an excerpt of Keith Olbermann’s book “The Worst Person In The World”. Should I shut down the comments for this entry now or wait until things get out of hand?

They aren’t really the worst persons in the world, of course.

Somewhere somebody’s ending freedom, or sticking a shiv into a witness, or defrauding an orphan, or bombing a home. And there’s almost nobody in this book who—in any kind of empirical analysis of the worst person in the world at a given moment—could truly hold a candle to any of them.

But my guys and gals have all, in their own ways, tried.

Orphans may have nothing to fear, and freedom is more likely to hurt itself laughing at them than to be hurt by their Rube Goldbergian machinations. But these Worsts (if you’ll permit the term) are the mortal enemies of honesty and dignity, of selflessness and class.

In short—they’ll do.

The epithet tracks directly to three of the great influences of my late childhood: George Carlin, Bob Elliott, and Ray Goulding. They were classified as comedians, yet each—Carlin in his remarkable solo career and Bob & Ray in their nonpareil tandem work—was a social commentator.

Cable News Ratings for September 13, 2006
P2+ Total Day
FNC - 1,008,000 viewers
CNN - 524,000 viewers
MSNBC - 284,000 viewers
CNBC - 163,000 viewers
HLN - 244,00 viewers

P2+ Prime Time
FNC - 1,990,000 viewers
CNN - 926,000 viewers
MSNBC - 411,000 viewers
CNBC - 141,000 viewers
HLN - 441,000 viewers

25-54 Total Day
FNC - 353,000 viewers
CNN - 182,000 viewers
MSNBC -130,000 viewers
CNBC - 61,000 viewers
HLN - 106,000 viewers

25-54 Prime Time
FNC - 628,000 viewers
CNN - 323,000 viewers
MSNBC - 170,000 viewers
CNBC - 56,000 viewers
HLN- 176,000 viewers
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FNC announced this afternoon that Martha MacCallum will host a new afternoon program called The Live Desk with Martha MacCallum from 1-2 pm ET; Dayside’s old timeslot (Dayside’s Jerrick and Huddy are headed for mornings on the FNC broadcast network). Jane Skinner will become a permanent daytime anchor for Fox News Live in MacCallum’s current timeslot of 2-3 pm ET.

FOX News Channel (FNC) has named anchor Martha MacCallum host of a new afternoon news program, The Live Desk with Martha MacCallum, and FNC anchor Jane Skinner a permanent member of the FOX News Live anchor team, announced Roger Ailes, Chairman and CEO, FOX News. The Live Desk with Martha MacCallum takes the place of FNC’s Dayside whose anchors Mike Jerrick and Juliet Huddy will begin co-hosting a national morning program which is scheduled to appear on FOX owned and operated stations in January 2007.

In making the announcement, Ailes said, “Both of these women are very well liked by our employees and loved by our audience. Jane has proven herself as a trusted journalist with an unwavering commitment to the news and Martha is a unique talent who has a solid understanding of the stories we present that affect the lives of our viewers.”

The Live Desk with Martha MacCallum premieres Monday, September 25th from 1-2PM EST will feature MacCallum anchoring from inside the FNC control room — bringing viewers closer to the day’s breaking news from around the world. MacCallum will also take her audiences beyond the headlines with a panel that will bring a fresh perspective on topics affecting all Americans. She joined FNC in January 2004 as an anchor for FOX News Live and prior to that served a variety of positions at NBC and CNBC from 1997 to 2003.

Debra Lafave’s victim’s mother will be interviewed on On The Record with Greta Van Susteren tonight.

UPDATE: Apparently, On The Record won’t be the only show talking about that story at that hour. MSNBC will be putting on a 10pm special consisting of Matt Lauer’s interview with Lafave and Rita Cosby’s interview with Lafave’s victim’s mother from this morning.

Johnny Dollar has the video of Judge Andrew Napolitano’s appearance on Studio B this afternoon where the Judge discusses the Nancy Grace interview suicide with Shepard Smith…

CNN will be airing a Dr. Sanjay Gupta Special on Genius this Sunday at 10pm ET…

In the new Dr. Sanjay Gupta Primetime Special, CNN senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta examines the mysteries behind genius and attempts to answer the classic nature/nurture question of whether high intelligence is inborn or the product of environment. The one-hour program, “Genius: Quest for Extreme Brain Power,” premieres Sunday, Sept. 17, at 10 p.m. (ET)

A practicing neurosurgeon, Gupta starts with a look inside the brain and a discussion with scientists who are using cutting-edge brain imaging to find remarkable differences in the brains of highly intelligent people. Gupta’s quest takes him from the physiology of genius to the links and differences between intelligence and creativity. Along the way, he meets savants – people with severe mental limitations who possess breathtaking talent – and gifted students, whose educational needs are often unmet.

“As a new parent myself, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the best ways to nurture intelligence and creativity, especially in children,” Gupta said. “From that starting point, we’ve met all sorts of remarkable people, from those you might call geniuses or prodigies to the people who study the concept of genius from all sorts of perspectives. Hopefully, we’ll shed some light on the meaning of genius and the way great ideas are born.”

“Genius” will feature the following segments:
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From CNN…

With the mid-term elections just weeks away, CNN takes politics to the streets with the “CNN Election Express Yourself,” a customized Airstream trailer designed to give Americans across the nation an interactive political experience.

During the weeks prior to the election, CNN Election Express Yourself will travel coast-to-coast, visiting many cities and major events, arriving in New York City just prior to Election Day, Nov. 7. This unique traveling exhibit debuts on Friday, Sept. 15, in Seattle at the Puyallup Western Fair.

“We are living in a new age of independent thinking and self-expression, and it’s particularly evident when you look at how people are talking about politics,” said Scot Safon, senior vice president of marketing and promotion. “We thought we’d give our audiences a chance to express themselves on a whole range of issues that have an impact on the American political scene. With the CNN Election Express Yourself, we are giving people a hands-on opportunity to learn more about the political process while they share their individual perspectives with CNN’s entire global audience.”
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CNN announced that Friday’s Anderson Cooper 360 will feature a one hour special consisting of student produced reports on U.S. troops and peacekeeping missions overseas…

Anderson Cooper 360° offers new perspective on the war on terrorism through reports written and produced by six graduate journalism students from the University of California, Berkeley, who spent part of the past year filming U.S. troops and peacekeeping missions around the world. Their stories provide an intimate look at everyday life in the military behind the front lines. The one-hour special, “Beyond the Front Lines,” airs on Anderson Cooper 360° at Friday, Sept. 15, at 11 p.m. (ET).

“These fascinating reports from six students positioned in the Middle East, Asia and Africa provide a deeper perspective on today’s world events,” said David Doss, senior executive producer for Anderson Cooper 360°. “We were impressed by the strength of the pieces from these aspiring journalists and were pleased to be able to showcase them to the world on our program.”

The segments include a report from two students aboard the U.S.S. Tortuga, a supply ship in the South China Sea; another from two students at a base in Djibouti, an East African country where fears of terrorism run high; and another one from two students traveling with a rock band touring military bases in Islamic countries to entertain U.S. troops.
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MSNBC has been spending a lot of air time the past couple of days on the Debra Lafave story. First it was repeating Matt Lauer’s interview with Lafave all day long. Now this morning Rita Cosby had an exclusive live interview with the mother of the victim.

TVNewser has the internal memo outlining changes taking place at CNBC’s News Desk…

CNN announced this morning that it will be airing “CNN Presents: Firehouse 54-4 - A Larry King Special” this Saturday and Sunday at 8pm ET…

CNN’s Larry King will anchor a special tribute to some of the heroes of 9/11 for his first-ever CNN documentary, CNN Presents: Firehouse 54-4 - A Larry King Special, airing on Saturday, Sept. 16, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 17, at 8 p.m. All times Eastern.

Established over a century ago, Engine House 54 and Ladder 4 are located in the heart of Manhattan’s theater district in Times Square. As one of the city’s busiest firehouses, it responds to nearly 14,000 emergencies each year. Like all New York City firehouses, the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, changed the station forever, although it possibly suffered more losses than any other firehouse in the city. King speaks to surviving firefighters as well as to family members of the fallen as they share their memories and emotions for this documentary.

“Of all the professions I have dealt with in my career, I find none more remarkable than firefighting,” King said. “Firefighters’ dedication and passion to all is extraordinary. I think that comes through in this special.”
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Gay.com writes about Thomas Roberts’ announcement that he is gay. I was sort of skittish about posting this but since Roberts himself has “come out”, it’s public…

CNN anchorman Thomas Roberts acknowledged that he is gay while speaking Friday at the annual convention of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association in Miami.

Roberts was a member of a panel, “Off Camera: The Challenge of LGBT TV Anchors.” He told the audience that the conference was the “biggest step” he had taken to really be out in public and that he had slowly been coming out at CNN over the past several years, according to Boston journalist Johnny Diaz, a Boston Globe staffer who wrote about the conference on his blog, Beantown Cuban.

Diaz’s blog is here…

CNBC announced this morning that the Mad Money Back to School Tour is headed to Georgetown September 29th…

Jim Cramer, host of CNBC’s “Mad Money w/Jim Cramer” is continuing his “Back to School” tour and his next stop is Georgetown University’s Gaston Hall, Friday, September 29 in front of a studio audience of more than 700 college students. Last week, Cramer’s “Back to School” tour was held at Boston College.

In Washington, Cramer will also attend the National Book Festival, which is organized and sponsored by the Library of Congress and hosted by Laura Bush. The National Book Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 30, on the National Mall. Cramer, the author of the best selling “Jim Cramer’s Real Money” is one of the featured authors at the National Book Festival, which is open and free to the public. He will attend a dinner at the Library of Congress on Friday, following the taping of the program and a special breakfast at the White House on Saturday morning, both hosted by Laura Bush.
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The Boston Phoenix’s Dan Kennedy has an interview with “Cable News Confidential” author Jeff Cohen that’s going to have people kibitzing…

You make a strong case for how dysfunctional the three cable news channels are. But how will your book reach anyone who doesn’t already agree with you?

Once it gets around — especially at MSNBC, and somewhat at Fox and CNN — I suspect that people will be passing it to each other. Reporters and producers are very thin-skinned and self-absorbed.
By the time I left Fox, it had a lot of esprit de corps. There was a lot of, “Wow, we’re on the march, we’re happening.” And spirits were higher.

Of course I didn’t know that O’Reilly was making lewd phone calls.

He didn’t make any to you?

No, he sure did not. But then I got over to MSNBC, and it was complete backbiting and gossiping and it was just not a healthy environment. And I assume that this book will get passed around there, and a little bit at CNN. I’ve got some good stuff in there on Fox, too.

I don’t think people have to agree with my political outlook, especially the insiders, to want to thumb through this. I assume the index is going to be worked over.

Inside Radio…no relation ;^)… speculates on Sean Hannity’s radio future in the possible wake of ABC Radio merging with Citadel…

And right out of the gate, we have an earthquake: news that Sean Hannity is extremely likely to leave ABC Radio Networks, as soon as it is contractually possible.

That means Hannity, one of the country’s most important talk show hosts, would be free of the combined operation as soon as one year from its completion date. Or, by mutual agreement, it could happen even earlier.

Either way, it’s a near certainty that the conservative talker and FOX News Channel television host will be moving his base of radio operations somewhere else.

DealBreaker.com cheers Alexis Glick’s move to FNC…

Alexis is one of our favorite business reporters. She was terrific both at CNBC and on the Today show. She radiated a confidence and credibility bred from experience actually working in finance. Her resume includes Goldman, Morgan Stanley, and actually managing floor operations at the NYSE. As a the host of Today all this would have been wasted on the stupidity of the network morning programming—fashion shows, marriages, cooking lessons. Ugh. It hurts us to even think about it.

So we’re happy to see she’s landed back where she belongs—working in business journalism. We only hope that this new management position doesn’t keep her off the air for too long.

The New York Post’s Mark Bulliet writes about the bizarre case of a woman whose son was abducted committed suicide after being being grilled by Nancy Grace. Grace rejects any connection between the interview and the suicide. Bill O’Reilly will be doing a segment on this tonight on The Factor…

Melinda Duckett told police that her 2-year-old son, Trenton, was snatched from his crib on Aug. 27 as she watched TV in the next room.

Two weeks later, former prosecutor Grace trampled on the woman’s timeline for the 26 hours before the alleged abduction took place and pressed her on her refusal to take a lie-detector test.

In the telephone interview, taped Sept. 7, Grace slammed her hand on her desk as she demanded, “Where were you? Why aren’t you telling us where you were that day?”

Duckett, 21, committed suicide the next day - and bombshell evidence possibly implicating the mom in her son’s disappearance has now surfaced, Grace and local media reported last night.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune’s C.J. has an update on Randy Meier that makes some news about MSNBC’s status…

Meier declined to be specific about what he’s doing these days. “I’m not doing much,” he said. “As I told you the last time we talked [in June], we invested in a couple companies; so I’m just kinda dealing with that.” He wasn’t ready to disclose what he and his wife, Kami, have invested in, “but I’ll guarantee you a lumber company is not one of them.”

When last we talked, Meier’s MSNBC contract was not being renewed, but it looked as though the network would fly him in for periodic freelance work. “That was the plan, but they’re hacking their budget, and it won’t be this month or next month. I think MSNBC had to cut hundreds of thousands of dollars from its budget.”

FNC’s John Moody sent out an email this morning announcing the promotion of David Rhodes to Vice President, News and Jay Wallace to Executive Producer, News…

To: All
From: JM
Sept. 14, 2006

I am, truly, delighted to announce two important promotions.

Effective immediately, David Rhodes becomes Vice President, News, reporting directly to me. I am tired of trying to think up new superlatives to describe David. Let me just say his keen mind, tireless efforts and strategic vision are not often seen in someone of his years. David now has the authority to make any news decisions in my absence (or, come to think of it, in my presence).

Jay Wallace becomes Executive Producer, News. Working with David, Jay will make our on-air product faster, fresher, and better looking. Jay’s work on Studio B and Fox Report have made him one of the most respected employees in the newsroom. He will continue to oversee those shows, while extending his authority to news content across the network. He will begin his new duties once the Sox are eliminated from the pennant race. So, soon.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tim Cuprisin writes about Greta Van Susteren’s Bret Favre interview scheduled for Thursday night…

Dairylander Greta Van Susteren is on familiar turf today, at Lambeau Field, where she’s scheduled to do a dream interview with Brett Favre.

The Fox News Channel host has waived her channel’s “fair and balanced” rule for the show that airs tonight at 9, volunteering to Inside TV & Radio that she’s a stockholder in the Green Bay Packers.

“I own one share,” she says. “I expect full bias. So shoot me.”

The Appleton native grew up on the Packers in the 1960s and talks about the pictures she has, somewhere, of Paul Hornung and Bart Starr.

“My only mistake was marrying a guy who was a Baltimore Colts fan. I’m still married to him, as a matter of fact.”

She says husband John Coale still rues the day that the Colts moved out of Baltimore. And she has at least one question prepared to maintain domestic bliss.

Reality TV Magazine notes that Tucker Carlson got eliminated tonight…

The first couple eliminated from Dancing With The Stars 3 is Tucker Carlson and Elena Grinenko. Tucker says “I loved it. It was a long way from my normal life…and there are no pockets in your dance trousers.” Tucker lends his support to Jerry Springer going forward because he is the other talk show host in the competition. Tucker also describes Elena training him as “It was like Einstein teaching addition to a slow child.”