What Will Keith Olbermann Do Next?
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Keith Olbermann (Image via Creative Commons)
Tim Goodman from the Hollywood Reporter suggested he consider a range of options from Fox (yeah, you read that right) to PBS to the Oprah Winfrey Network.
Tom Buckley in The Examiner writes:
Some DC news insiders speculate that Olbermann just might land at CNN. The network's primetime is in a shambles; Spitzer-Parker is on life support, Piers Morgan continues to shed viewers more each night, and Anderson Cooper has turned his attention to a new syndicated show starting this fall. Keith just might be the spark to light a comeback at CNN.
TMZ has even gotten in on the media frenzy, reporting sources close to the situation say Olbermann's next move will be to the internet because his exit deal stipulates he can't appear on television for a period of time.
Olbermann, who hosted "Countdown" since 2003, has had a tumultuous relationship with MSNBC management. Tension especially increased in November when he was suspended for making campaign contributions in 2010 to several Democratic candidates.
Bill Carter writes in the New York Times: "Mr. Olbermann’s outspoken, and sometimes controversial, support of liberal positions and Democratic candidates redefined MSNBC from a neutral news channel to one that openly offered a voice to viewers on the left, much as Fox News has done for conservatives."
NBC is in the middle of a takeover by Comcast, and some have suggested that the merger may be partially to blame for Olbermann's sudden departure. But both NBC Universal and Comcast insist the deal has nothing to do with the liberal host.
Comcast said in a statement released Friday night: “Comcast has not closed the transaction for NBC Universal and has no operational control at any of its properties including MSNBC. We pledged from the day the deal was announced that we would not interfere with NBC Universal’s news operations. We have not and we will not.”
Olbermann gave no reason for his leaving "Countdown." But he did have this to say on his final broadcast Friday evening: "There were many occasions, particularly in the last two and a half years, where all that surrounded the show but never the show itself was just too much for me. With your support and loyalty, and if I may use the word insistence, ultimately required that I keep going. My gratitude to you is boundless."
Watch Olbermann's final "Countdown" words here.
Comments
As I have stated before,
Keith doesn't need to help other news programs like CNN because he has established himself, like Jon Stewart, as a person that tells it like it is and is not hindered or controlled by the censors of freedom of speech.
He needs to start his own news media program like Jon where he can "In Fact" tell the truth and not be "Handcuffed" by government and local laws and rhetoric relating to it.
Freedom of Speech means exactly that it defines and cannot and should not be infringed on in any way no matter who it offends especially if it is the "Truth".
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I like watching Keith's show it is very informative and is very straight forward unlike Fox News which many of you foolishly watch even though you know you are being lied to makes me think of the war in Iraq a war started basically on lies and was proven so yet we continue to fight there JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
I respect Keith's journalism so much that I got hooked onto his show i was flipping through the channels a year and a half ago seeing what all the major news networks are talking about off course Fox news just made me switch the channel right away then same thing happened with CNN but not as swift as fox I then turned to MSNBC watched the whole episode of "Countdown With Keith Olbermann" and was immediately hooked not only can I see the true sense of journalism from this guy I can also see what he was bringing to the show was the Truth something foxnews is the opposite of.
I am very disappointed with Keith's decision cause hes one of the last few real journalists around that will tell it like it is much less so with Jon Stewart who although chooses the satirical route with his show yet he tell you the news without covering up the truth like foxnews yes foxnews. One thing that comes to mind that may be the reason for his sudden unfortunate departure might be the Gabrielle Gifford's shooting and the not surprising post response from our very patriotic politicians. I couldn't be more disgusted when Sarah Palin and the likes thereof acted like they had no accountability for what happened even though she proudly used terms like RELOAD! I can see why Keith might not want to be any part of such a corrupt and atrocious system of government where blame is passed onto each other instead of claiming accountability like Keith did and surprisingly John McCain. Although they are not directly responsible for the Arizona shooting they stood up and said something out of their hearts instead of their behinds like Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, & Rush Limbaugh have been doing.
I wish Keith all the best kind of like how i did the same with Dan Rather who was also a journalist I had huge respects for its a shame how we just keep sinking deeper and deeper into the abyss where the truth is very hard to come by its all up to Jon Stewart Now.