What’s hot/What’s not: 11/11/07
What’s hot:
Rosie O’Donnell - The story flared up big on Monday and quickly died by Wednesday. But it was the talk of everyone; Would Rosie O’Donnell come to MSNBC primetime? In the end the story was overblown and the outcome predictable.
MSNBC admits going left in primetime - Giving Bill O’Reilly a huge adrenaline shot in his feud with NBC, an article in the New York Times talking about the Rosie talks came out framing the story as part of MSNBC’s turn left in primetime.
Glenn Beck gets a big raise - Glenn Beck signed a mega-million dollar deal for his radio program and consequently got his name in print all over the place. It doesn’t immediately impact his HLN program any, but there could be a coattail effect at some point.
The Situation Room and Lou Dobbs Tonight switch positions - There’s a lot of speculation about the kind of impact this switcheroo this will have on both shows. Still early days yet so no conclusions can be drawn.
What’s not:
Tucker Carlson - First a story comes out in the New York Times saying MSNBC’s “Tucker” is in danger of being cancelled. Then FTVLive comes out the next day saying “Tucker” is cancelled. Both Big Head D.C. and Fishbowl DC talked with Tucker who said it was news to him. What was interesting in all this was that there was no official MSNBC pushback on the story, unlike the last time FTVLive said Carlson and Rita Cosby were going to be dropped and there was pushback on Tucker (but, tellingly, no pushback on Cosby who eventually did part ways with MSNBC). MSNBC’s official silence on the matter this time is therefore noteworthy. If the show isn’t cancelled and I were Carlson, I’d be more than a little unhappy with MSNBC leaving me twisting in the wind like this…
Radar fisks Keith Olbermann - Keith Olbermann did a Special Comment on Waterboarding and President Bush early in the week. Later in the week Radar dug into Olbermann’s special comment and found that Olbermann’s evidence against waterboarding might not be quite what he said it was.
REDACTED - I’d tell you what this was but I’m boycotting it…
ICN being thin in the blogging department next week - More on this tomorrow…
I hate to say it but after years as a pretty loyal FNC viewer (particularly Shepard Smith), I’m almost inclined to watch Lou Dobbs at 7:00 and I won’t exactly be surprised if others follow…so I agree, that is definitely hot.
Comment by Sarah — November 11, 2007 @ 8:39 pm
“…Later in the week Radar dug into Olbermann’s special comment and found that Olbermann’s evidence against waterboarding might not be quite what he said it was…”
Radar and/or Spud/ICN - tomorrow’s WPITW!
Comment by Missy — November 11, 2007 @ 10:29 pm
Good point re: Tucker Carlson and MSNBC not debunking the rumors that he will be gone once his contract expires.
MSNBC’s silence speaks volumes, doesn’t it.
Comment by FishOil — November 11, 2007 @ 11:40 pm
I also am a pretty loyal viewer of FNC, but have been tuning into Lou Dobbs lately. I’m sick to death of debates and elections. I wanted other news and Lou Dobbs has provided that.
I have learned more from him about our scheming Congress trying to pass bills in the dead of night hoping we don’t notice. That is another story.
FNC is getting more tabloid and nothing else except the Presidential election. Enough already.
Comment by Barb — November 12, 2007 @ 1:28 am
Nope. It was with Premiere Radio Networks…
Comment by Spud — November 12, 2007 @ 10:17 am
#5: As Spud said, Glenn Beck’s raise was from Premiere Radio and it just doesn’t figure.
Beck is not on NYC, the No. 1 market and his audience is far, far, behind Rush, Hannity, Dr. Laura, Savage, et. al.
Comment by Ira — November 12, 2007 @ 1:50 pm
Glenn Beck’s radio show is the third most popular in the demo.
Comment by jmkaib — November 12, 2007 @ 4:12 pm