MSNBC’s coverage plans for the South Carolina Primary on Saturday…

Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann will anchor MSNBC’s special live coverage of the South Carolina Republican presidential primary and the Nevada caucuses Saturday, Jan. 19. MSNBC will be live throughout the day with reports from South Carolina and Nevada, which are shaping up to be crucial states in the races for the Republican and Democratic nominations.

MSNBC’s special Saturday political coverage will include a “Morning Joe” special, live from West Columbia, S.C., with Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, 7 a.m.-12 p.m. ET. At 12 p.m. ET NBC News Washington Bureau Chief Tim Russert hosts a special live edition of his weekly MSNBC program, “Tim Russert,” with guests The New York Times’ Gail Collins, the New York Daily News’ Michael Goodwin, and the New York Post’s Fredric Dicker, who give a local perspective to the campaigns of former mayor Rudy Giuliani and Sen. Hillary Clinton, as well as a look at Saturday’s caucuses and primary.

MSNBC will continue live coverage all afternoon, with Alex Witt anchoring 1-2 p.m. ET, Norah O’Donnell anchoring 2-4 p.m. ET and David Shuster anchoring live from South Carolina, 4-6 p.m. ET.
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CNBC announced that Lacy O’Toole will be heading the networks L.A. Bureau…

CNBC, First in Business Worldwide, today announced the appointment of Lacy O’Toole to Los Angeles Bureau Chief. In this role, O’Toole will manage CNBC’s West Coast coverage of breaking news, the housing and mortgage crisis, and the entertainment industry as well as continue to oversee big network projects such as CNBC’s series of special reports on Warren Buffet with anchor Becky Quick and anchor Erin Burnett’s recent trip to Dubai.

“This appointment is a testament to Lacy’s talent, hard work and dedication,” said Jonathan Wald, SVP Business News, CNBC. “Our Los Angeles Bureau has increasingly become a major source of news for the network, and I am confident under Lacy’s direction the bureau’s first-rate coverage will continue to grow.”
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CNN announced its programming plans for Martin Luther King Day, which include a Democratic Debate and an AC360 special…

As the nation honors the 79th birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., on Monday, Jan. 21, CNN delves deep into race and politics as it broadcasts the latest Democratic presidential primary debate from Myrtle Beach, S.C., and a live Anderson Cooper 360º special about the influence of race upon politics in America.

From 8 p.m. to 10 p.m, CNN will host the two-hour debate with the Congressional Black Caucus Institute, live from the Palace Theater. CNN’s lead political anchor Wolf Blitzer will serve as moderator for the debate, and CNN correspondents Joe Johns and Suzanne Malveaux will serve as panelists questioning the candidates.
Following the debate, Anderson Cooper hosts a special post-debate edition of Anderson Cooper 360º from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m., which will provide analysis and insight from members of the Best Political Team on Television.
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The Pensacola News Journal’s Troy Moon writes about Morning Joe broadcasting from Pensacola this morning…

Joe Scarborough brought his MSNBC news/talk program Morning Joe to Pensacola this morning and shined the spotlight on his hometown throughout the live three-hour broadcast from The Fish House.

The program kicked off at 5 a.m., with the streets of Pensacola still dark.

But inside the dowtntown restaurant, dozens of fans and gawkers had already filled the room to watch Scarborough and co-host Mika Brzezinski kickstart the show.

Quite a to do going on between John Edwards, Bill O’Reilly, and Keith Olbermann the past couple of days over the issue of homeless veterans. It started with O’Reilly criticizing Edwards’ stump speech about the number of homeless veterans in the country. ABC News’ Political Radar has a breakdown of that.

Last night, Keith Olbermann went after O’Reilly for criticizing Edwards’ claim. Here’s the video of that…

Olbermann Watch takes issue with the takedown…

I don’t think we’ve heard the last of this…

The Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Political Insider writes about a movment to get Ralph Reed removed from CNN’s election night analysts…

A group called Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington is calling on CNN to remove Republican strategist Ralph Reed from its team of election-night analysts, calling Reed “a proven liar” who carries a grudge against GOP presidential candidate John McCain.

Reed, former chairman of the state GOP and ex-head of the Christian Coalition, was one of CNN’s unpaid commentators last week, as votes from the New Hampshire primary rolled in. His presence was later noted in a Washington Post blog.

Saturday’s Republican primary vote in South Carolina also provides some context for this development.

CNN’s release on Sandra Endo joining CNN Newscource…

Sandra Endo is joining CNN Newsource’s Washington, D.C., bureau, it was announced today by Paul Crum, executive director of news operations, administration and affiliate services for CNN/U.S.

Endo will serve as a national correspondent and will report live from the scene of breaking news events and from the nation’s capital, providing live reports for more than 800 CNN Newsource partner stations.

“Sandra will help us continue to give our affiliate news partners and their viewers a distinctive, first-class view into our coverage of breaking news and Beltway activities as well as updates from the upcoming political battle and how it affects them,” Crum said. “We are pleased to add Sandra to our team of experienced, first-class journalists.”
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Talking Biz News blogs about a bit of a to do on CNBC between Margaret Brennan and American Apparel CEO Dov Charney…

American Apparel CEO Dov Charney and CNBC reporter Margaret Brennan got into it Wednesday, with Charney accusing Brennan of asking “dirty” questions on the air about his pending sexual harrassment lawsuit.

MediaPost’s Gavin O’Malley writes about NBC’s first ever digital upfront for markets outside the home…

Under its new arrangements, NBCU will provide short-form clips (90 seconds or less) from shows ranging from “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” to “The Office” to news features focusing on important issues, such as the presidential campaign. NBCU content will be provided daily, and can be customized for specific markets. Local stations owned by NBC can provide weather, news and sports information in their respective areas.

Update: Mediaweek’s John Consoli has more…

Announced at the presentation were deals with IdeaCast, in which NBC will partner in NBC@The Gym, and with The University Network, in which NBC will partner in NBC on Campus. Visitors at 900 fitness centers nationwide which offer IdeaCast provided digital delivery of content and advertising, will get to see programming from MSNBC and CNBC on large screens strategically located within the gyms’ cardio areas. Advertisers will be able to run spots within the content or to take part in sponsored-vignettes, such as workout tips, which will air during the program breaks. The ads will be sold jointly by IdeaCast and NBC.