MSNBC still looking for a radio partner for Morning Joe?
At the bottom of Michael Learmonth’s Variety article on Boomer Esiason and Craig Carlton taking over Don Imus’ slot on WFAN, Learmonth notes that MSNBC is still trying to shop Morning Joe to radio stations…
MSNBC had hoped to strike a new deal with WFAN to carry “Morning Joe,” and sources said the cabler is looking to other radio stations as possible outlets for Scarborough’s show.
MSNBC is experimenting with different co-hosts for Scarborough, including news reader Mika Brzezinski and humorist Willie Geist. His move to the morning opened up a slot at 9pm, where MSNBC general manager Dan Abrams has been filling in since earlier this summer.
MSNBC/NBC shouldn’t be surprised that WFAN wants nothing to do with them. They have a developing record of screwing over partners in deals.
For example, they screwed Verizon out of MSNBC programming, which will include Olympics next year by signing a deal with a local cable company that prohibits verizon from carrying MSNBC.
They screwed over The Washington Post by partnering with The New York Times.
The screwed over Accuweather by dumping their product and creating their own product.
MSNBC.com is screwing NBC by using The Weather Channel as their official weather provider on MSNBC.com/MSN.
Microsoft is suing NBC for copyright infringement, but they are partners (supposedly) in MSNBC.com.
NBC is beyond F’d up. They are sinking fast, and it shouldn’t surprise them that nobody wants to do business with them, or their programming.
Comment by Nobody — August 14, 2007 @ 3:20 pm
Why in God’s name would a radio station put completely unwatchable, boring TV on its air? Scarborough’s show sucks
big time…..
I’m waiting for the return of Don Imus, hopefully on The new Fox Biz Channel & Fox Talk Radio, or WABC and a nationwide network….now that WFAN has shot itself in the foot by putting Boring Boomer in AM Drive {ratings disaster to follow}….does CBS/Viacom think they’re gonna get top dollar for live talent reads now?
Comment by Nick D. — August 14, 2007 @ 3:37 pm
Nick took the words right out of my mouth. The TV program is horrible with ratings to match, so why would any radio station or network want to take on the same?
And as far as WABC, don’t most of their current talent already have better ratings than did Imus? Why would they be after him?
Comment by Missy — August 14, 2007 @ 3:41 pm
You mean like this, from MSNBC’s home page?
Don Imus in talks to resume radio show
-Dismissed DJ reaches deal with CBS four months after Rutgers comments
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20263533/
Comment by ImNotBlue — August 14, 2007 @ 3:54 pm
Morning Joe on the radio - ugh. Imus is coming back and he’s all done.
Drudge Report’s headline DON IMUS $20 Million Dollar Man!
I’m actually going to watch Olbermann tonight to see how he covers this one. Thanks to him, Imus is $20 million richer and is coming back.
Comment by Mel — August 14, 2007 @ 4:26 pm
they should be looking for a radio host instead.
Comment by Chris (My Two Sense) — August 14, 2007 @ 4:33 pm
MSNBC/NBC shouldn’t be surprised that WFAN wants nothing to do with them. They have a developing record of screwing over partners in deals.
What utter rubbish!
For example, they screwed Verizon out of MSNBC programming, which will include Olympics next year by signing a deal with a local cable company that prohibits verizon from carrying MSNBC.
They gave Cablevision an exclusive. They didn’t deliberately screw Verizon. I will guess that it was a bad contract because it lacked the foresight to anticipate FiOS was coming. Now they’re stuck with it. Of course MSNBC would like to be on Verizon FiOS but they can’t do anything about it until the Cablevision carriage agreement is over.
They screwed over The Washington Post by partnering with The New York Times.
Ok, I’ll give you that one.
The screwed over Accuweather by dumping their product and creating their own product.
Bullshit. Accuweather screwed MSNBC over not the other way around. Accuweather was doing a very bad job with their product on MSNBC to the point that MSNBC got fed up and torpedoed Accuweather in favor of WeatherPlus.
MSNBC.com is screwing NBC by using The Weather Channel as their official weather provider on MSNBC.com/MSN.
That may be Microsoft’s doing and not NBC’s. You don’t know for a fact that NBC wants to use the Weather Chanel.
Microsoft is suing NBC for copyright infringement, but they are partners (supposedly) in MSNBC.com.
Oh and you don’t think two companies can work together and still have legal disputes? Where I work that crap goes on all the time. One has nothing to do with the other.
Way too much NBC hate from you Mr. Nobody…
Comment by Spud — August 14, 2007 @ 5:00 pm
Why would anyone want to simulcast Joe In The Morning when they can wait and pick a sure money maker in Don Imus? Yes, those who mocked the Second Coming will soon eat their words. As for TV it is just a question of time. My mornings will soon be filled with sadistic rantings just the way I want it. Cardinal Egan sermons and Dr Phil. Who wants to wake up in the morning to all that “we are happy” crap on TV? Us Imus fans will settle for nothing less that vicious.
@Spud:
Nothing you can say will change our hatred of NBC. When it comes to hate facts are not necessary.
Comment by Rickky — August 14, 2007 @ 5:39 pm
I’d definitely keep Willie Geist on the show. He filled in most of last week while Joe was on vacation, and he did a really good job. And while some of the other people they’ve had as the “sidekick” have been good (Chuck Nice has been okay the past few days, Col. Jack Jacobs and Jon Ridley were both pretty good) Geist has been the best.
-Scott
Comment by Scott Warheit — August 14, 2007 @ 6:58 pm
I’m waiting for the return of Don Imus, hopefully on The new Fox Biz Channel & Fox Talk Radio,
Nick: Interesting that you mentioned Fox (News) Talk radio because presently there is no fresh prgramming in the 6-9am timeslot. Adding Imus to go with O’Reilly and the other shows may allow them to easily package the entire schedule to AM & FM talk stations.
B*llsh*t. Accuweather screwed MSNBC
Spud: I learned something today: apparently the webmaster can bypass the filters for his own posts!! :)
Comment by Ira — August 14, 2007 @ 7:46 pm
A thanks to those previous posters who agreed with/complimented my earlier post…..
The New Fox Biz Channel makes TV sense…after all, Imus made a sports talk station a ton of money with only passing coverage of sports {in fact, indirectly, it was his sports coverage that did him in}…so why not a AM drive on Fox News Talk/FBC? MSNBC is loathe to admit this, but Imus was only there for over 10 YEARS!
Willie Geist I like….he certainly was the ONLY reason to ever tune in Tucker Carlson’s MSNBC disaster….
I guess I don’t really “hate” NBC/Universal, NBC News or MSNBC….I feel the opposite: complete, total apathy and indifference. Expect for Olbermann, who I hated in L.A., on ESPN, and now that he can’t seem to speak for more than 6 seconds without attackjing either George Bush or his master Bill O’Reilly, on MSNBC, where he only rarely draws more than 1/3 of O’Reilly’s numbers….but, then again…that is far greater than everything but the immortal “Doc Block”….does anyone else here get a little tired of watching the same sex predators being stung over and over every night?
Comment by Nick D. — August 14, 2007 @ 8:15 pm
I am happy, I don’t know if I am happy enough to watch MSNBC? I don’t know if this simulcast with radio has to be done? Take the pressure off Joe, let him put his feet up. See what a good mood I am in!
Comment by Ree — August 14, 2007 @ 8:24 pm
To those who rail against msnbc/joe’s ratings, a gentle reminder: his ratings, while low, are higher after 2 months than Imus was after 2 years on msnbc.
The show isn’t even officially his yet. Dontcha think its only gonna get better?
Yes, I am a joe fan– someone has to pipe in once in a while against the mob mentality on this blog. The same people day after day finding new ways to say they hate joe and want imus back.. Ok ok we get it– just get your facts straight. Let’s talk in a year or so, ok?
Comment by frank — August 14, 2007 @ 9:44 pm
One player filed suit against Don. The whole team may file suit before it’s over. Do you think he will be more careful of what he says in the future?
Comment by Ladyone — August 14, 2007 @ 10:15 pm
Spud: I learned something today: apparently the webmaster can bypass the filters for his own posts!! :)
Nope. It got caught. But I decided to let myself off with a warning this time. Next time I won’t be so nice…
Comment by Spud — August 15, 2007 @ 12:40 am
All the comments about Morning Joe and no one talked about the ’stone face’ gal-kick. Boring! Double-boring she is!
Comment by john — August 15, 2007 @ 11:52 am
Why doesn’t MSNBC get it?
Willie and Tucker! Willie and Tucker!
I tried Joe again for a few minutes this morning.
It will never work for enough viewers.
And as for Mika - enough said about this loser.
Comment by Cella — August 15, 2007 @ 1:06 pm
Gang…
Mika had her 10 seconds of fame by shredding a Paris Hilton story…lame, but got her on YouTube.
I tried again last week to watch “Morning Joe”, but it was video Sominex…isn’t it pathetic how Scarborough has completely caved from a 90’s conservative to a no-backbone MSNBC Bush-basher? Probably the only way he could keep his job {eh, Tucker???}
Frank….Imus’ first two years were the first two years of MSNBC’s existence; it was barely on cable {if memory serves,
MSNBC was only on about 30% of cable systems nationwide then, but I could be wrong}and totally unestablished….when MSNBC began its “Parade Of Loser Sub Hosts” {consisting of flop-sweating liberal ladies, unknown radio talkers who tried and washed out, and various MSNBC losers like Carlson}, the network had a decade of failure
but it was established….and, no, I don’t think it’s gonna get much better…
I still pray {rare for me, to be sure} that Roger Ailes decides Imus would fit Fox Biz/Fox News Radio {think anyone not related by blood to the staff is going to miss “Brian & The Judge?!}…
Also sad to hear reports Imus is leaning towards not bringing back Bernie….yes, I know, you can lay a lot of Imus’ problems right at McGuirk’s feet, but, damn, The Cardinal was funny……
Comment by Nick D. — August 15, 2007 @ 3:04 pm