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Good news for civil discourse

January 21, 2011 by B. Daniel Blatt

Seems the folks at MSNBC are following through on the current concern on the left for raising the level of political discourse: Keith Olbermann abruptly fired by NBC.

(H/t:  Reader Eric Olsen.)

UPDATE:  Allahpundit offers some thoughts:

Unhappiness with Olby among MSNBC employees has been rumored for ages, and somespeculated last year that Comcast might want to “rein in” MSNBC, but as I say, this is all just theorizing at the moment. In fact, even Mediaite, which should have access to insiders at MSNBC via Dan Abrams, only has the company’s vague official statement at the moment

UP-UPDATE: At the NYT’s Media Decoder, Bill Carter reports:

Keith Olbermann, the highest-rated host on MSNBC, announced abruptly on the air Friday night that he is leaving “Countdown with Keith Olbermann” immediately. . . .

In a closing statement on his show, Mr. Olbermann said simply that it would be the last edition of the program. He offered no explanation other than on occasion, the show had become too much for him.

Highest rated on MSNBC indeed, but with ratings far behind any show in FoxNews’s prime time line-up.

Filed Under: Civil Discourse

Comments

  1. AJ says

    January 21, 2011 at 10:31 pm - January 21, 2011

    Thanks for breaking some excellent news for me. I tend to like MSNBC, obviously, but I couldn’t watch Olbermann. He was the Hannity of MSNBC and it was ridiculous and impossible to watch. Hopefully Rachel Maddow will step in to fill the 8 pm slot. She obviously has a liberal slant, but treats all her guests fairly, unlike Olbermann.

  2. ThatGayConservative says

    January 21, 2011 at 10:54 pm - January 21, 2011

    His fellow hatemonger must be sweating bullets (more than usual).

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EC3XxN0pdkg

  3. Patriot Goddess says

    January 21, 2011 at 11:19 pm - January 21, 2011

    Olbermann is leaving for his new post in the WH as civility czar.

  4. American Elephant says

    January 22, 2011 at 12:24 am - January 22, 2011

    One batsh*t crazy as*hole kicked to the curb, two more take his place, MSNBC moves Larry liar liar liar creepy liar O’Donnell and Sargent Schultzie up to replace him.

    The word seems to be that it wasn’t about his politics, just the fact that he was an insufferable prig/diva that cant get along with anyone, and that absolutely no one can stand (gee, imagine that).

    So they are replacing him with more affable as*holes?

  5. American Elephant says

    January 22, 2011 at 12:25 am - January 22, 2011

    Olbermann is leaving for his new post in the WH as civility czar.

    Comment by Patriot Goddess

    Oh, that’s good! Threadwinner!

  6. Jesse says

    January 22, 2011 at 12:40 am - January 22, 2011

    Well AJ, they all suck but he was the one with the BIGGEST ratings, and replaced with the one with the WORST ratings. They must be kidding, but I guess maybe they want to become more centrist now that CNN has become way to lefty!!!! If they pick up a real RIGHT host or someone else then they will prick my ears.

    They also want to have more Centrist/Right hand guests feel welcome and also for the shareholders!

  7. Seane-Anna says

    January 22, 2011 at 1:54 am - January 22, 2011

    I echo American Elephant at #5!

  8. ThatGayConservative says

    January 22, 2011 at 2:52 am - January 22, 2011

    He’s got a plan for Monday morning:

    http://www.moonbattery.com/olbermann.jpg

  9. Evan Hurst says

    January 22, 2011 at 6:19 am - January 22, 2011

    Oh, and if anybody didn’t understand what I was saying above, I was saying that this is mostly a nation of easily led rubes.

    It’s too bad, because we had such promise at one point.

  10. Evan Hurst says

    January 22, 2011 at 6:16 am - January 22, 2011

    Your statement that Olbermann’s ratings are behind Fox’s ratings suggests that you somehow think that popular sentiment is an arbiter of quality.

    OMG, really?

    This is a country that has elevated reality television to the top of ratings.

    I mean…this is a country where American Idol wasn’t cancelled after the first episode.

    Please, don’t appeal to “popular sentiment.” Appeal to reason and fact and qualitative argument.

  11. Throbert McGee says

    January 22, 2011 at 7:45 am - January 22, 2011

    Oh, and if anybody didn’t understand what I was saying above, I was saying that this is mostly a nation of easily led rubes.

    THNAK YOU FOR CLEARIFICATING THAT!!!

  12. The_Livewire says

    January 22, 2011 at 9:29 am - January 22, 2011

    #10 Yes, thank you for explaining the 2008 Presidential election so clearly.

  13. Sebastian Shaw says

    January 22, 2011 at 9:38 am - January 22, 2011

    But MSNC still has Laurence O’Donnell, Ed SHulz, Contessa Brewer, & the anima animus chick, Rachel Maddow. MSNBC must clean house & do a complete revamp if they are serious. Flush out everyone at MSNBC. Otherwise, the rot remains, despite Olbermann’s departure.

  14. AF_Vet says

    January 22, 2011 at 10:46 am - January 22, 2011

    “9.Your statement that Olbermann’s ratings are behind Fox’s ratings suggests that you somehow think that popular sentiment is an arbiter of quality”

    “Arbiter of equality?” No. Barometer of the marketplace of ideas? Yes.

    Batshit insane liberal rantings don’t sell in America for a reason.

    Nice strawman though.

  15. Auntie Dogma says

    January 22, 2011 at 10:56 am - January 22, 2011

    How silly of you all, except this Evan. MSNBC and their ONLY host willing to critically lay into the President just parted company. And you’re happy? Maddow couldn’t get her obedient Demo-nose any farther up Obama’s butt if she lubed it first.

    As for flushing MSNBC out. That’ll happen, right after Murdoch and Ailes tend to their own Augean stables.

  16. AF_Vet says

    January 22, 2011 at 11:04 am - January 22, 2011

    “right after Murdoch and Ailes tend to their own Augean stables.”

    Ummm, why would they flush away (‘Augean stables’…really?) the most profitable, most-watched network on Cable news? There’s a reason that the conservative FNC is the most popular cable news netwrok in the country and MSNBC is sucking Fox’s brown wind.

    You lefties aren’t very good at this whole capitalism thing are you?

  17. rodney says

    January 22, 2011 at 11:59 am - January 22, 2011

    If MessNBC is monitoring this:
    Could you please make Rachel ‘Baroness of Sound Bytes/Countess Out-of-Context/Empress of Edited-for-Content Maddow,
    the next victim (oops!) of your Human Resources ‘ax’ (oops!)

  18. Peter Hughes says

    January 22, 2011 at 12:24 pm - January 22, 2011

    I couldn’t be happier that this hate-monger is off the airwaves. Hopefully Chrissy “Thrill Up My Leg” Matthews will be next.

    BTW – Mediaite is reporting that MSNBC got rid of Olbermann for the same reason that proctologists retire: they got tired of dealing with… well, you know.

    Sorry, couldn’t resist. 😉

    Regards,
    Peter H.

  19. Cas says

    January 22, 2011 at 12:55 pm - January 22, 2011

    Hi Sebastian,
    “But MSNC still has Laurence O’Donnell, Ed SHulz, Contessa Brewer, & the anima animus chick, Rachel Maddow. MSNBC must clean house & do a complete revamp if they are serious. Flush out everyone at MSNBC. Otherwise, the rot remains, despite Olbermann’s departure.”

    And just have commentators who share the opinions that you have? Were is the fun in that?

  20. American Elephant says

    January 22, 2011 at 1:16 pm - January 22, 2011

    Your statement that Olbermann’s ratings are behind Fox’s ratings suggests that you somehow think that popular sentiment is an arbiter of quality

    Um, DUH. That is the essence of both democracy AND capitalism. No wonder you reject it.

    You go right ahead and keep thinking Olbermann represented quality instead of fascist propaganda, considering his product was free, and nobody was buying it, 99.9% of America disagrees with you.

    When you give away a quality product — say an iphone — for free, you have NO problem finding a market. When you give away crap for free, nobody wants it except people who like to smear themselves with feces.

  21. American Elephant says

    January 22, 2011 at 1:27 pm - January 22, 2011

    MSNBC and their ONLY host willing to critically lay into the President just parted company.

    You know, that is not necessarily a bad point considering the Obama administration (and thus Obama) JUST approved the sale of NBC to Comcast. I agree that Olbermann was occasionally willing to criticize Obama for not being fascist enough. Perhaps getting rid of troublemakers was part of the deal.

  22. V the K says

    January 22, 2011 at 1:53 pm - January 22, 2011

    I never got the appeal of Rachel Maddow. I guess liberals just enjoy being condescended to by pretentious twits.

  23. V the K says

    January 22, 2011 at 2:15 pm - January 22, 2011

    Some good schadenfreude as lefties wail and gnash their teeth over Olbie’s departure.

    With Olbermann silences, the Era of Free Speech has ended, and the Tyranny of Corporate Speech has begun in Earnest

    This is not about Olbermann. This is about the systematic dismantling of the progressive voice in this country.

  24. V the K says

    January 22, 2011 at 2:18 pm - January 22, 2011

    I find the liberal position that we have to put the Government in control of Free Speech to keep the Corporations from having control of Free Speech… um… stupid.

  25. North Dallas Thirty says

    January 22, 2011 at 2:31 pm - January 22, 2011

    Your statement that Olbermann’s ratings are behind Fox’s ratings suggests that you somehow think that popular sentiment is an arbiter of quality.

    I am always amused how Obama Party members like Evan Hurst will scream about how they represent the people while tut-tutting about how stupid the people are.

    But that’s typical. Evan Hurst is another Levi, one of those super-geniuses who could make the world so much better if it would just let him out from behind that spatula.

  26. ThatGayConservative says

    January 22, 2011 at 2:34 pm - January 22, 2011

    And just have commentators who share the opinions that you have? Were is the fun in that?

    Well, you could have “Fair and Balanced” instead of condescending liberal fart sniffers.

  27. ThatGayConservative says

    January 22, 2011 at 2:43 pm - January 22, 2011

    Can you spot the hypocrisy of Maddow and Mao/Stalin-NBC?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQ7r5ivupTU

  28. Gene in Pennsylvania says

    January 22, 2011 at 5:01 pm - January 22, 2011

    I think all Americans would have been better off with Oldermann on air at MSNBC 5 nites a week. Better than walking the streets somewhere. For instance anyone know the damage David Shuster has been doing to little children since his dismissal?
    I understand MSNBC not going for ratings, trying to be “too good” for the ole capitalist benchmarks. But it’s not like they’ve been getting emmys or pulitzers either. It’s a car wreck.People who leave MSNBC and their prescription drugs behind, what other jobs do they qualify for. Certainly not anything in “journalism”.

  29. American Elephant says

    January 22, 2011 at 9:12 pm - January 22, 2011

    Civility-schmility: I wanna see Republicans do THIS to Nancy Pelosi

  30. American Elephant says

    January 22, 2011 at 9:14 pm - January 22, 2011

    OOOPS, wrong link

  31. ThatGayConservative says

    January 23, 2011 at 3:50 pm - January 23, 2011

    31 It’s even better with subtitles:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haRZxPw0JYg&NR=1

  32. Sonicfrog says

    January 24, 2011 at 11:22 am - January 24, 2011

    I know it won’t happen… But… Wouldn’t be fun to have Olberman end up getting a show on FOX? Do you know how many peoples heads would explode?

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