213 replies to this topic

[Todd Gross]

This will bring a smile to Will's face:
Keith Olbermann Out At Current; Relationship “No Longer Reflected” Values Network Says

The fledgling news network released a statement saying that former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer will fill Olbermann’s time slot beginning tonight. The message says that “Current was … founded on the values of respect, openness, collegiality, and loyalty to our viewers. Unfortunately these values are no longer reflected in our relationship with Keith Olbermann and we have ended it.” Here’s the statement. Developing…


To the Viewers of Current:

We created Current to give voice to those Americans who refuse to rely on corporate-controlled media and are seeking an authentic progressive outlet. We are more committed to those goals today than ever before.

Current was also founded on the values of respect, openness, collegiality, and loyalty to our viewers. Unfortunately these values are no longer reflected in our relationship with Keith Olbermann and we have ended it.

We are moving ahead by honoring Current’s values. Current has a fundamental obligation to deliver news programming with a progressive perspective that our viewers can count on being available daily — especially now, during the presidential election campaign. Current exists because our audience desires the kind of perspective, insight and commentary that is not easily found elsewhere in this time of big media consolidation.

As we move toward this summer’s political conventions and the general election in the fall, Current is making significant new additions to our broadcasts. We have just debuted six hours of new programming each weekday with Bill Press (“Full Court Press, at 6 am ET/3 am PT) and Stephanie Miller (“Talking Liberally,” at 9 am ET/6 pm PT).

We’re very excited to announce that beginning tonight, former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer will host “Viewpoint with Eliot Spitzer,” at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT. Eliot is a veteran public servant and an astute observer of the issues of the day. He has important opinions and insights and he relishes the kind of constructive discourse that our viewers will appreciate this election year. We are confident that our viewers will be able to count on Governor Spitzer to deliver critical information on a daily basis.

All of these additions to Current’s lineup are aimed at achieving one simple goal — the goal that has always been central to Current’s mission: To tell stories no one else will tell, to speak truth to power, and to influence the conversation of democracy on behalf of those whose voice is too seldom heard. We, and everyone at Current, want to thank our viewers for their continued steadfast support.

Sincerely,
Al Gore & Joel Hyatt
Current’s Founders

Is ESPN hiring?

[Robert B]

You've really got to be a special kind of an asshole to lose that gig.

[Johnny Henning]

Is he really going to be replaced by Eliot Spitzer or was that a joke?

[Todd Gross]

And we have an update from the link in my previous post:

Olbermann’s fighting back: “Keith’s termination is baseless,” his lawyer Patricia Glaser says. “We will sue them for their improper conduct. They made a bad decision. They can expect a bad result.” And here’s Olbermann’s statement, an apology to viewers for joining Current which he says was a “sincere and well-intentioned gesture on my part, but in retrospect a foolish one”:

I’d like to apologize to my viewers and my staff for the failure of Current TV.

Editorially, Countdown had never been better. But for more than a year I have been imploring Al Gore and Joel Hyatt to resolve our issues internally, while I’ve been not publicizing my complaints, and keeping the show alive for the sake of its loyal viewers and even more loyal staff. Nevertheless, Mr. Gore and Mr. Hyatt, instead of abiding by their promises and obligations and investing in a quality news program, finally thought it was more economical to try to get out of my contract.

It goes almost without saying that the claims against me implied in Current’s statement are untrue and will be proved so in the legal actions I will be filing against them presently. To understand Mr. Hyatt’s “values of respect, openness, collegiality and loyalty,” I encourage you to read of a previous occasion Mr. Hyatt found himself in court for having unjustly fired an employee. That employee’s name was Clarence B. Cain.

In due course, the truth of the ethics of Mr. Gore and Mr. Hyatt will come out. For now, it is important only to again acknowledge that joining them was a sincere and well-intentioned gesture on my part, but in retrospect a foolish one. That lack of judgment is mine and mine alone, and I apologize again for it.

[Jim Ohara]

Is he really going to be replaced by Eliot Spitzer or was that a joke?

I keep hoping Anthony Weiner comes back to the talk show circuit and creates a show called Spitzer-Weiner.

How much of a dick must Olbermann be to offend Al Gore?

[Will]

Todd, you have made my week.


And did I not call it? I believe free cable access is the next station that is going to fire him.


Can't wait to see how his apologists defend this

[Ogul]

Aw, come on Will, he's a blowhard but he's hardly Rush Limbaugh here. He gets fired for being an asshole to his bosses, not for racist and/or sexist rants on the air. This isn't a case where one should take any pride in being happy about it.

[Will]

And right on cue...

[Christian U]

What is he getting fired for, anyway? I didn't get anything specific from the article.

[Will]

Probably for the same reasons he was fired from ESPN and MSNBC: for being an arrogant, difficult, petulant jackass who no one liked and was not worth the hassle.

[Ogul]

And right on cue...

I'm not defending him, I'm not apologizing for him. I don't even like the guy, but a man got fired, on the face of it, that is a sad thing, not something to take glee in. Now if he got fired because he said racist or sexist stuff on the air or something, then sure, it'd be a great thing that he's off the air, but getting fired because he was a jerk around the office? Whether you like the guy or not, whether he deserved it or not, that should be a sad thing to you.

[Robert B]

I can think of a LOT of people, off the top of my head, who I'd love to see lose their jobs.

[Christian U]

Probably for the same reasons he was fired from ESPN and MSNBC: for being an arrogant, difficult, petulant jackass who no one liked and was not worth the hassle.

Well, okay, fair enough, but then what's the "this" you're waiting for the the apologists to defend?

[Chewy Sun]

Probably for the same reasons he was fired from ESPN and MSNBC: for being an arrogant, difficult, petulant jackass who no one liked and was not worth the hassle.

Goes to show: unless you're paying the salary, there is always a finite limit to what talent gets you by.



Chewy........................................................ Obermann's ego will not allow him to just do regional news, so maybe talk radio?

[Ogul]

I can think of a LOT of people, off the top of my head, who I'd love to see lose their jobs.

But ones that have done no harm to you? I mean, there are people I'd like to see lose their jobs because they pursue bad public policy, or because they evoke hate speech on their programs, or because they work on an artstic project that I want to be better than it is, but whether you like Olbermann or not, he hasn't hurt any of us by being on the air, so why should it be "fun" that he's unemployed?

[Robert B]

But ones that have done no harm to you? I mean, there are people I'd like to see lose their jobs because they pursue bad public policy, or because they evoke hate speech on their programs, or because they work on an artstic project that I want to be better than it is, but whether you like Olbermann or not, he hasn't hurt any of us by being on the air, so why should it be "fun" that he's unemployed?

Well clearly that is how Will feels about Olberman.

Personally, I haven't thought about Olberman since he was reporting on Syracuse and UMass back in 1997, although I'm favor of seeing anyone who gives liberals a bad name lose their jobs.

[Will]

Well, okay, fair enough, but then what's the "this" you're waiting for the the apologists to defend?

Oh that was just a barely hidden trap for Ogul to fall right into.
I don't think anyone in their right mind can actually defend Olberman at this point other than his lawyer and he's being paid to do so.

[Johnny Henning]

I actually don't think ideology or personality were the real factors. I think he cost too much and brought in to little revenue and rating to justify it. He probably wouldn't take less so the company figures it's worth the risk of legal action to fire him.

Like always, I bet it's just business.

[Christian U]

Oh that was just a barely hidden trap for Ogul to fall right into.
I don't think anyone in their right mind can actually defend Olberman at this point other than his lawyer and he's being paid to do so.

Well, right mind aside, it doesn't seem like he's actually done anything in this case that anyone would need to defend? Other than being Olberman, I mean? Still, since it was baiting, I suppose it doesn't matter... I haven't seen a lot of Olberman, I have to say, and what I've seen looked like he was very obnoxious indeed but still close to factual reporting than your average punidt on FOX.

[Todd Gross]

Palin to GOP: 'Don't play it safe'

Former GOP vice presidential candidate and Alaska governor Sarah Palin has one bit of advice for the GOP ticket: “Don’t play it safe.”

But Palin did just that on TODAY Tuesday when she hedged on endorsing a candidate in the Republican contest — even as former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney appears likely to clinch the nomination.

Matt Lauer pressed Palin, who since her national debut during the 2008 elections has become a poster girl for vocal conservatives, to say whether she’d endorse Romney.

Palin punted.

“Anything is still possible, there can still be a bit of a shakeup, but the numbers are what the numbers are,” Palin said, adding, “Anybody running on that GOP ticket would be better than Obama.”

But when asked whether she would prefer to see a candidate with a bit more vim and vigor on the ticket, Palin cautioned: “There is no perfect candidate, and I would warn individuals never to put their faith wholly in a politician because that politician will disappoint you.”
Palin would know.

The former Wasilla mayor and Alaska governor was plucked from relative obscurity during the 2008 elections after operatives for Republican nominee John McCain realized the so-called “mama grizzly” resonated well with conservatives. Palin and her family were thrust into the harsh glare of the national spotlight.

On Tuesday, Palin focused on what she sees as President Barack Obama’s failures in the White House. Though the economy is making a slow comeback, Palin, like House Speaker John Boehner, who appeared on TODAY last week, feels that recovery “could be a lot better.”

And she offered a bit of caution for whoever ends up heading up the GOP ticket: “They’re going to get clobbered by the lamestream media.”

Lauer reminded Palin that as a TODAY show co-host, she’s “part of the lamestream media.”

Sweet shot by Lauer!