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Is Comcast Killing Off Progressive Talk?

I do believe he had their number one rated opinion show, but I'm not sure if that was a function of his time slot or the popularity he had as a host.

It's been pretty well documented that he's a pain in the rear to work with/for. Even in his ESPN days, he was hated. The abrupt nature of the firing/quitting just screams "scandal coverup", if you ask me. A company in the middle of a controversial merger just doesn't need a guy like that on the air when they have other hosts that are more professional and will likely get the same ratings.
 
Going back to Nashville said:
The format was changed because the oldies had bad ratings. The liberal talk did even worse despite
being the flagship for Jerry Springer, the former mayor of the city.
Click to expand...

In the Cincinnati market, anything that's not WLW is second-tier, even 50 kW 1530 (which as you note, wasn't exactly burning up the ratings as a "Real Oldies" station, either).

All of the talk radio oxygen is sucked up out of the market by the uber-dominant WLW, and to a much lesser extent, the syndicated first-tier programming on WKRC/550.

And don't get me started about Jerry Springer as a radio host. If he were not a "big name" in the market, none of this would have happened.
 
OhioMediaWatch said:
Judging from your other posts on R-I, I would never have guessed that. :D
Click to expand...

I like Marc Maron too. Just because I disagree with someone doesn't mean I can't appreciate their talents. Springer is a likable guy.
 
Very telling that when NPR filed Juan Williams, the right wing was all over the blogosphere about
"unfair," "freedom of speech," "free expression", "management showing its bias."

But when a progressive is fired, it's his fault for being a jerk, good riddance, bravo, etc.

Conservatives are for freedom of expression only as long as its expression
of the right wing party line.
 
Frank Provasek said:
Very telling that when NPR filed Juan Williams, the right wing was all over the blogosphere about
"unfair," "freedom of speech," "free expression", "management showing its bias."

But when a progressive is fired, it's his fault for being a jerk, good riddance, bravo, etc.

Conservatives are for freedom of expression only as long as its expression
of the right wing party line.
Click to expand...

AMEN!
 
Prog talk flopped in liberal Boston. Now someone pays a station to have it put on. They don't show up in the ratings. Maybe libs are listening to the local NPR stations instead. Admittedly Clear Channel now has cons talk on 1200 with a power increase and it's not setting the world on fire but even the worst ratings they're getting now are more than what they got with libtalk.

If Entercom, Greater Media, or CBS (who own the other talk or news/talk stations in town) felt prog talk was the way to go they would have switched. This is why WRKO runs Savage, not Steph Miller.
 
Are Low Ratings Killing Off Progressive Talk?

If radio stations can't sell ads they try something different.
Don't worry, there are more than enough spots on TV dial to find liberal opinions

As it is some think MSNBC may stay left of center but get different hosts, spiff up their approach,
attract a good audience, etc. Comcast wants to make money and Olby was a headache in the end.
New owners did not want him.

Back to sports? Not ESPN though as he burned his bridges there. Olby has made enemies but some corporations (and hey not all corps are evil, right? NBC gave him a place to speak for years and paid him well) might want to pick him up if he can make them money. And word is he's getting a good severance package
 
Frank Provasek said:
Very telling that when NPR filed Juan Williams, the right wing was all over the blogosphere about
"unfair," "freedom of speech," "free expression", "management showing its bias."

But when a progressive is fired, it's his fault for being a jerk, good riddance, bravo, etc.

Conservatives are for freedom of expression only as long as its expression
of the right wing party line.
Click to expand...

There are some significant differences between NPR's firing of Juan Williams and MSNBC's release of Keith Olbermann.
First of all, NPR was not wild about having its analysts working elsewhere in general, and it appears Fox in particular.
Second, Olbermann was allowed to do a sign-off program, which says his departure was somewhat more amicable.
Third, Olbermann apparently was not fired for political opinions per se, but because of other activity that ran afoul of MSNBC guidelines.
Also, NPR is a government-funded network, associated I believe with PBS which now is involved in a "170 Million Americans" campaign in a bid to keep tax funding from being cut, while MSNBC's bottom line is covered by advertisers.
Finally, Williams remains a progressive voice, albeit one that may be a different shade of progressive from Olbermann. Conservatives are no more monolithic, as one may see comparing, say, Rush Limbaugh and Michael Savage.
 
Frank Provasek said:
But when a progressive is fired, it's his fault for being a jerk, good riddance, bravo, etc.
Click to expand...

I think you need to learn about Keith Olbermann. Not even other liberals like the guy. He's a pompous windbag that has a penchant for sexually harassing female employees.

But in the end, it turns out he was fired because he wanted more money and NBCU didn't think he was worth it. A pure business decision. For everyone afraid they're going to lose their precious liberal network, they're not only keeping Schultz, Maddow and Lawrence O'Donnel, but they're bringing in one of the Young Turks guys to take the 6pm slot. I think you're in safe hands.
 
Don C said:
But in the end, it turns out he was fired because he wanted more money and NBCU didn't think he was worth it.
Click to expand...

Hmmm. He was in the middle of a 4 year deal for $30 million. Explain.
 
TheBigA said:
Don C said:
But in the end, it turns out he was fired because he wanted more money and NBCU didn't think he was worth it.
Click to expand...

Hmmm. He was in the middle of a 4 year deal for $30 million. Explain.
Click to expand...

Take your pick:

http://www.deadline.com/2011/01/nbc...-have-ended-their-contract-last-show-tonight/

http://gatewaypundit.rightnetwork.c...-quit-because-msnbc-wouldnt-give-him-a-raise/

http://www.tmz.com/2011/01/22/keith...cable-news-network-nbc-universal-secret-deal/

As someone mentioned earlier in this thread, he just isn't bringing enough money in to deal with all the baggage. They have more professional guys who will work for less money.
 
This shows what is wrong with radio. A guy cares about the integrity of his work and some of you think he's a pain in the butt because he doesn't knuckle under to the no-talent suits. Well, also because he has opinions different from your's. Go read The Fountainhead sometime.
 
Don C said:
Take your pick:
Click to expand...

Your second link merely quotes the first. And this is outside TMZ's area.

Sounds to me like someone is out to discredit KO, and justify MSNBC's actions, at a time when he can't defend himself.

I'd want to see if some more credible sources pick up on the story.
 
MattParker said:
This shows what is wrong with radio. A guy cares about the integrity of his work and some of you think he's a pain in the butt because he doesn't knuckle under to the no-talent suits.
Click to expand...

No, it has nothing to do with "integrity", even though Olbermann has none. He's been described as a jerk by almost everyone he's ever worked with. You've hitched your wagon to the wrong horse here if you want to be taken seriously.

TheBigA said:
Your second link merely quotes the first. And this is outside TMZ's area.

Sounds to me like someone is out to discredit KO, and justify MSNBC's actions, at a time when he can't defend himself.

I'd want to see if some more credible sources pick up on the story.
Click to expand...

Have you ever heard of Occam's Razor? Stop it with the "everyone is out to get poor Keith" nonsense. He wasn't booted due to some conservative conspiracy. And enough about his "integrity". He was suspended 2 months ago for donating money to campaigns in violation of his contract. The guy is a bum.
 
Don C said:
No, it has nothing to do with "integrity", even though Olbermann has none. He's been described as a jerk by almost everyone he's ever worked with.
Click to expand...

Almost everyone with talent is described as a jerk by people with less or no talent. So are people who tell the truth (or at least their truth). Apparently the alternative to being a jerk is being hypocrite. People in radio are not noted for tact but at least Olbermann doesn't say one thing in private and another in public - and he's got talent enough to get away with it.

I keep reading all these Keith-is-a-jerk comments. I'd like to know who says it and what specifically he did that was jerky. Meanwhile, I just will enjoy watching the right-wingers revel in a liberal host getting fired.
 
MattParker said:
I keep reading all these Keith-is-a-jerk comments. I'd like to know who says it and what specifically he did that was jerky. Meanwhile, I just will enjoy watching the right-wingers revel in a liberal host getting fired.
Click to expand...

Here are some links that should meet your criteria (in other words, a bona-fide liberal source).

In this link, a 1990 incident is described where Olby kicked down a door because a promo wasn't good enough. Also described is a 1997 quote from his old ESPN boss.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/22/AR2011012204006.html

Here is another list of the awful things he's said to people:

http://gawker.com/5016676/the-many-insults-of-keith-olbermann

I'm not talking about his public persona or his politics. I'm talking about the fact that he's an grade A jerk in the eyes of just about everyone he's ever worked with. That kind of guy doesn't usually win a battle over salary if he doesn't deliver ratings. Why do you think O'Reilly still has a job? Video proof that he's a jerk is all over the Internet. The only reason Fox keeps him around is that he gets 3 million viewers a night.

I'm not talking about his on-air personna or his politics.
 
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