What’s hot/What’s not: 9/29/07
What’s hot:
I really can’t think of anything that deserves Hot status this week. It was so dull…
Not…
Bill O’Reilly - No matter which side of the issue you come down on regarding O’Reilly’s comments on eating at Sylvia’s restaurant, and I think O’Reilly got a bum deal for the most part this time, you can’t deny the buzz generated by this story drowned out just about everything else this week including, unfortunately, the far more newsworthy launch of the new Fox Report with Shepard Smith. Oddly enough it wasn’t Keith Olbermann who was the big beneficiary of O’Reilly’s predicament this week, at least in terms of buzz. Rick Sanchez and Out in the Open barged in on Countdown’s “territory”; so much so that nobody on the blogs was talking about what Olbermann said this week…probably because they kept waiting to see what Sanchez and CNN would do next.
What’s not:
HLN’s decision making process - While HLN’s Nancy Grace scored by breaking the news that the young girl in the molestation case had been found, that was partially offset by the fact that HLN elected to re-run the episode at 10pm without covering up the girl’s face after Nevada Police had requested by 9pm ET that the media take steps to disguise her identity. If there wasn’t enough time for HLN to do it by the 10pm re-air, the episode should have been yanked in favor of an older repeat. HLN’s viewers would have understood and probably aplauded the decision to sacrifice topicality in order to comply with the Police request. The second Grace repeat did have the young girl’s face covered up.
Sandbagging interviews - Ambush interviews can be a dicy thing. If you’re right it can make for riveting TV. If you end up being wrong or the matter is in dispute, you have egg on your face and your network isn’t happy. In the case of David Shuster’s interview with Rep. Blackburn, the truth still isn’t a firmly settled matter as the sides were still arguing over technicalities Friday. Under the circumstances, MSNBC probably wishes Shuster hadn’t dragged them into this. All the leaking going on to the blogs shows that there are some hard feelings over this incident…
Keith Olbermann - Couldn’t break out past the Sanchez barrier to claim his usual spot as “the source on all things O’Reilly”. Maybe it was because Sanchez was a new voice and Olbermann has just about done it all on O’Reilly four or five times over by now.
Spud -
Does a David Schuster (a fill-in) really have that much editorial control? It would seem to me that there would be some sort of oversight by MSNBC over doing so beforehand. The point being…I can’t picture Dan Abrams sitting at a desk wondering what Schuster will be doing that day on “Tucker,” let alone the “gotcha” moment.
Nice insight, by the way, in pointing out how Sanchez stole Olbermann’s thunder…I didn’t consider it that way. I wonder now if Olbermann quipped to someone at MSNBC - “Hey, O’Reilly is my whipping boy!”
Comment by FishOil — September 30, 2007 @ 8:16 pm
HOT: The new Fox Report on a new level and great set.
Shep really is back in his element again and Trace Gallagher is a welcome addition.
NOT: The new format on the BOR The Factor. What’s with all the silly segments and the always additional blondes?
Comment by Dee — September 30, 2007 @ 9:35 pm
Honestly how much did it suck for KO this week..I mean for 4 years he’s bashed O’Reilly then the one week that he could of really hit it out of the ballpark..not only dose he get beat by everyone else and lands in 3rd place..O’Reilly increases his viewers..no wonder he and Media Matters are going after Rush now. LOL!!!
Comment by mlong — October 1, 2007 @ 1:25 am
Agreed on Olbermann. His whole career is based on attacking O’Reilly, so I take this as a real sign that KO is getting lazy, or sloppy, or both. I know that if I’d based that much of my shtick on going after one guy, I’d keep better tabs on him.
Comment by Caufield — October 1, 2007 @ 9:04 am
All,
Michelle Malkin opened her registration…Spud, you are always keeping up with Malkin news.
http://michellemalkin.com/2007/10/01/comment-registration-open/#comments
Comment by Ree — October 1, 2007 @ 1:25 pm