Olbermann would cure NBC ills?
I hesitate to put out even more red meat because some of you have had more than your fill the past couple of days. Nevertheless, here we go. Blogging Stocks’ Jonathan Berr says that NBC should promote Keith Olbermann more on its Nightly News broadcast to drive up its ratings…
If General Electric Co. (NYSE:GE) really wants to boost the faltering ratings at NBC’s “Nightly News with Brian Williams,” it should bring in Keith Olbermann.
The host of MSNBC’s popular “Countdown” show is far from traditional anchor material. He’s loud, occasionally obnoxious and extremely In other words, he’s interesting and people will watch him even if they don’t agree with his political views.
Brian Williams doesn’t have to be replaced; Olbermann would serve as a good counter-point to the affable anchor who was anointed by Tom Brokow as his successor. Maybe Olbermann can have a Lou Dobbs commentator role on the show. Something has to be done.
Great idea! Let’s completely throw any shred of journalistic credibility at NBC down the toilet so that Keith Olbermann can come out and rave like a lunatic about how evil Republicans are. It’s all about the ratings. Go for it GE!
Comment by bigred — March 2, 2007 @ 1:50 pm
Nice way to out yourself as a left-wing nut.
Comment by Lurker — March 2, 2007 @ 2:06 pm
KO isn’t always doing commentary, you know! He’s articulate, knowledgable, and gets to the heart of the issue. He could improve any show!
Comment by Jeri — March 2, 2007 @ 2:21 pm
KO isn’t always doing commentary, you know! He’s articulate, knowledgable, and gets to the heart of the issue. He could improve any show!
Comment by Jeri — March 2, 2007 @ 2:21 pm
That kind of talk is shunned upon on this site Jeri. :)
Comment by Shaun — March 2, 2007 @ 2:35 pm
If NBC really wants to go any lower in the ratings they SHOULD have KO come in with his SPECIAL COMMENTS of SPIN. That would be a really intelligent move!
Comment by Paul — March 2, 2007 @ 2:46 pm
NBC’s ratings are alreday on a fast dip. Put this big joker and that will be the final straw. Yes, let’s put this clown on.
Comment by RGL — March 2, 2007 @ 3:33 pm
Oh my God, what an insane idea. Any credibility NBC has would be gone forever with this guy there. He can’t even argue a point with anyone who disagrees with him, let alone make comments on a story. He is no journalist!
Comment by SOPHIA — March 2, 2007 @ 3:44 pm
OT a little: Have you ever seen Olby without a script? He’s totally like a fish out of water. Cannot put even a couple of coherent sentences together. I’ve seen him and Matthews team up on political coverage ( nice fair and balanced choice by NBC, by the way ) I say, “Go for it!!”
Comment by Jim — March 2, 2007 @ 3:58 pm
IMO Olbermann can’t cure nbc’s ills, i love countdown but the nightly news is not a Humor program.
i agree with SOPHIA, Keith does not invite anyone who disagrees with him on his program, keith lables those people worst person’s in the world.
you cant take somone serious when reporting the news when they dont take themselfs seriously.
i aint bashing keith olbermann i love his program
take it for what it is.
Comment by Jason — March 2, 2007 @ 4:02 pm
Guess what? A contribution to the Nightly News broadcast is part of Olbermann’s new contract. He has said, and so has the NBC brass, that the contributions will NOT be Special Comments. Time to untwist your knickers.
Comment by Keyser Soze — March 2, 2007 @ 4:05 pm
Does the CBS Evening News still do the “free speech” or commentary segment that aired when Katie first took over as anchor? An Olbermann commentary segment could be tolerated if it is identified as commentary and if Scarbourgh or another Republican was also given equal time on a different night. Personally, I don’t think these commentary segments helped CBS’s ratings even with Hannity, Limbaugh and others contributing. I doubt it would be any different at NBC.
Comment by Scott — March 2, 2007 @ 4:13 pm
Olbermann is either a love him or hate him kind of guy. The hates far outweigh the likes as his pathetically low ratings indicate. I don’t think he’ll be a bonus for NBC News. Besides, the NBC brass has clearly stated that he will NOT be allowed to rant and rave on their airwaves. What this writer proposes seems to be out of the question for NBC for the time-being. Who knows what they’ll consider though if they continue their ratings decline.
Comment by Alison — March 2, 2007 @ 4:45 pm
You guys see that new ad MSNBC is running with a fake BOR and LK? Then they say something like telling all sides of the story or something like that and then they promo all their shows. Why is Countdown on it? What a joke of an ad.
Comment by Lurker — March 2, 2007 @ 5:09 pm
Putting Olberman on Nightly? That will provide Bill O’Reilly with at least a weeks worth of “NBC is moving to the far left” material.
Comment by Grandpa D — March 2, 2007 @ 6:09 pm
Alison, IMO you’re exactly right. Olbermann is definitely a love or hate guy and if he isn’t allowed to use his “special comments” neither his supporters or detractors will bother paying attention.
Comment by Buck — March 2, 2007 @ 6:16 pm
I think NBC should take a chance and have Keith Olbermann anchor the nightly news. Whether you like his politics or not, (on pure craft alone) he IS an excellent newscaster. Didn’t Les Moonves at CBS originally want a Jon Stewart type (or the actual Jon Stewart) to do the nightly news before they got Katie? Obviously, that move would have been way too jarring coming off the traditional anchor, but Olbermann would be a perfect “buffer” between “traditional” and “hip”. He’s a little too old for hip and yet he’s not quite traditional. Honestly, the good press he has gotten lately (including the glowing CBS fluff piece) is only helping to acclimate him to the mainstream. I think Olbermann has said in past interviews that the bottom line is “whether the network is making money”. I think given the opportunity to anchor, Olbermann would “acclimate” himself to the mainstream, toning down his act (just a bit).
Comment by KAK — March 2, 2007 @ 6:45 pm
Good to see O on nightly news. He will just accelerate NBC problems and drop in ratings. How anyone can take that fool to be a serious journalist is indicative of who watches NBC. He has a difficult time reading his script most of the time. Hope he keeps his ESPN options open, NBC needs to seriously look at where they are going. I no longer watch any broadcast channels except to get local news.
Comment by gb — March 2, 2007 @ 6:46 pm
KAK: You do realize that network anchors are expected to get out in the field and report from disaster zones and all around the world, right? Do you also know that Olbermann refuses to step foot out of the studio and into the field unless the field in question is a BASEBALL field? Olbermann wouldn’t quality to be anchor for that very reason, not to mention at least 10 other good ones I could think of off the top of my head. But I sure wouldn’t mind having some of whatever your smoking tonight.
Comment by Alison — March 2, 2007 @ 10:05 pm
Oops, apparently I’m already smoking something. I meant to say “qualify” not “quality” in that post above.
Comment by Alison — March 2, 2007 @ 10:06 pm
Yea, great idea. Look at the wild success MSNBC is having. Best laugh I’ve had all week. Leno would do well using this idea.
Thank you Spud.
Comment by steve — March 2, 2007 @ 11:43 pm
I’m beginning to think Keith did something to Alison in a previous life or something. Her obsession with him is truly astonishing - reams of words on somebody she says she doesn’t like.
Comment by Mr A — March 3, 2007 @ 6:35 am
I concur Mr. A…
Nevertheless, this is a crazy idea. Olbermann is a good broadcaster, he has the voice and the delivery. However, he’s already tipped his hand politically pretty dramatically in the past year-or-so. If NBC puts him on broadcast tv to anchor the evening news, all journalistic integrity would fly out of the window, as well as its already dwindling viewers.
The problem with the nightly news is simply that Brian Williams is not as good as Charles Gibson, nor is he as good as Tom Brokaw. Period. Personally, I thought Lester Holt should’ve gotten the job as Brokaw’s successor, but that’s just my opinion.
Comment by The Voice of Reason — March 3, 2007 @ 11:23 am
Alison: I think Olbermann has an Edward R. Murrow Award for his reporting of the 9/11 events. But this is beside the point.
I think the bottom line for these networks is making money. Let us not delude ourselves into thinking that one’s politically leanings will get in the way of making a buck, (see: Lou Doubs, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly, Chris Matthews, the best example being Olbermann himself.) I was only speculating that since the likes of Jon Stewart was considered, perhaps Olbermann may be the better fit, if a network wanted to take a chance going in a different direction with the nightly news (especially in reaching a younger audience).
The Voice of Reason: I agree, Lestor Holt should have been made anchor. And Campbell Brown should be sitting next to Matt Lauer on the Today show, instead of a woman who could pass for his mother.
Comment by KAK — March 3, 2007 @ 2:37 pm
crap…I meant “political” leanings…and “Lester” Holt
I hate my typos….blahhhhhh
Comment by KAK — March 3, 2007 @ 2:51 pm
Spelling aside, point well taken KAK.
Comment by The Voice of Reason — March 3, 2007 @ 2:54 pm
Having a role as a “commentator” usually implies some level of credibility, knowledge, breadth and understanding. One example of the lack of breadth — or depth — or credibility would be the questions, when was the last time Keith Olbermann had a “guest” on Countdown who was not there to simply support and parrot his position? When was the last time Olbermann dared to have anyone on who may be an intellectual challenge? I don’t think I’ve ever seen it. How is that background going to serve the Nightly News?
Comment by Tim Anderson — March 4, 2007 @ 11:29 am
So Brian Williams is overtaken by ABC World News Tonight, likely because NBC is increasingly slanting left. And this brain dead blogger suggests that the most biased MSNBC commentator replaces Williams.
But why stop with Olbermann? Is Bill Maher available? How about Michael Moore, George Soros. Hey, maybe they can entice Professor Ward Churchill from academia!
Dontcha just love it!!
Comment by Ira — March 4, 2007 @ 1:50 pm
Good Grief Alison & Ira, I am not on drugs or brain dead…..enough with the name calling.
Comment by KAK — March 5, 2007 @ 12:12 pm
KAK: Aparently you are the author of this blog piece, otherwise the so-called name calling wouldn’t be bothersome.
Here is are two tips from somebody who regularly write blog items:
1. Don’t be so thin skinned.
2. Don’t hide behind a phony acronym. Take direct responsibility for what you wrote.
Comment by Ira — March 5, 2007 @ 11:49 pm
IRA: Yes I wrote #’s 16 & 23 comments of this blog. So What? (My initals are KAK.) Others here seem to repsect another blogger’s opinions without the petty name calling (and give their own points of view, which are very interesting, see: The Voice of Reason & Tim Anderson). When a person resorts to silly name calling I think people tend to zone out what you are actually trying to say. But whatever IRA, keep on Blogging Dude.
Comment by KAK — March 6, 2007 @ 1:54 pm