NBC News Chief Takes Swipe at O'Reilly

Newsday.com ^ | Jan. 17.2007 | DAVID BAUDER

[Kimmers]

PASADENA, Calif. -- Bill O'Reilly's criticism of NBC News as a liberal-leaning network is "really kind of sad and pathetic," the network's news president said on Wednesday. Steve Capus attributed the Fox News Channel host's criticism of the network to O'Reilly's ongoing feud with MSNBC's Keith Olbermann. O'Reilly has said NBC News, as an organization, has gone sharply to the left. He cited the network's decision last fall to begin referring to the sectarian violence in Iraq as a civil war, a phrase the Bush administration has resisted. He made his displeasure clear in a recent interview with NBC's Andrea Mitchell, then later talked to a body language consultant who said Mitchell looked uncomfortable. A spokeswoman for Fox News Channel declined to comment on Capus' remarks. "I think it's really kind of sad and pathetic, some of the things that he's been lobbing at us these days," Capus told reporters here. "I don't quite understand it. I assume it's because Keith Olbermann has had such tremendous growth and there's real momentum behind Keith's broadcast." O'Reilly has long been the ratings leader in cable news. But Olbermann, who has stepped up commentary criticizing President Bush in the last five months, has seen some ratings growth opposite O'Reilly. As O'Reilly has been criticizing NBC, prime-time host Joe Scarborough of MSNBC has criticized him, making O'Reilly a frequent topic on the MSNBC program. "As far as I'm concerned, he's not commenting on NBC News," Capus said. "He's just trying to do this personal feud. The more he does it, the more success we have, so he can do it any time he wants, as far as I'm concerned. And I think the audience knows exactly what's at play here."

[Kimmers]

OK I searched from here to who done it and did not see this posted, which I found hard to believe.

[Long Island Pete]

Steve Capus attributed the Fox News Channel host's criticism of the network to O'Reilly's ongoing feud with MSNBC's Keith Olbermann.

Havent heard O'Reilly mention Obermans name in quite a few months but I guess that doesnt matter much.

[Rummyfan]

That tremendous growth KO has experienced has doubled his audience, from fifty left-wing conspiracy theorists to one hundred!

[driftdiver]

"Capus told reporters here. "I don't quite understand it. I assume it's because Keith Olbermann has had such tremendous growth and there's real momentum behind Keith's broadcast.""

I think he forgot the sarcasm tag.

[greyfoxx39]

The DBM is really trying to increase KO's numbers....just think, they might have the same success they had in boosting the sales of the Ditsy Chix CDs and concert tickets. ;)

[mkjessup]

Sounds like O'Reilly struck a raw nerve. Capus would sell his first born to have any of his no-talent talking heads on NBC show up with O'Reilly's ratings.

Well done Bill! :)

[B.O. Plenty]

The more he does it, the more success we have, so he can do it any time he wants, as far as I'm concerned. And I think the audience knows exactly what's at play here."

This means that O'Rielly is getting under his skin, and down deep suspects BOR is right.....and would not admit it if bamboo slivers were inserted under his fingernails.

[CPOSharky]

Oberman has nightmares about O'Reilly, and being a libidiot, that is equivlant to O'Reilly picking on Oberman.

Therefore, it is a feud.

[JimRed]

..."really kind of sad and pathetic,"...NBC News (as) is a liberal-leaning network

Yes it is, really sad and pathetic that O'Reilly and just about every other thinking individual is forced to that accurate conclusion.

[bert]

Fox and Friends jumped into the fray moments ago, echoing precisely what you said.

The fray has escaped primetime and escalated into a full blown war.

[Kimmers]

To be honest with you I did not know KO so I googled him. I recognized the face and I have listened to him long enough to roll my eyes and move on to the next channel.

[betsyross1776]

What happened did Ol Bill tell the truth about NBC. Look at Imus and what he and Matthews said about Bush and Cheney. Look at the people Scarbough puts on his show. look at the fat the lovely Meridith was in war protests.hissy Crissy high fives people on election night when liberals win. look at the rally with Maxine Communist Walters against Lieberman in the primary in Conn. . Imus and MATHEWS ARE TWO OF THE WORST.Oberman spums hate every night against the president and our country. Just com pair the two with an open mind and guess who wins and it is not msnbc and it liberal clones.

[mkjessup]

Fox and Friends jumped into the fray moments ago, echoing precisely what you said.

I need to send them my resume', I'm tired of working for free. LOL

[mkjessup]

I did not know KO so I googled him. I recognized the face and I have listened to him long enough to roll my eyes and move on to the next channel

KO is basically Howard Beale with only 5 percent of the gravitas.

[Miss Marple]

That comment on Olbermann's increased ratings gave me a great belly laugh to start the day, and I don't even like O'Reilly very much! HA!

[msnimje]

O'Reilly is like Walmart to the libs. They hate anybody who works for and achieves the American Dream.

[kevinm13]

I am always amused when you call a liberal (or in this case a left-leaning liberal organization) by their true type - liberal -- and they get upset.

I think the noise from the NBC news chief is along the lines of any type of publicity is good publicity even if it makes NBC and its news group look bad. He only mentions Olberman because he needs much more publicity given his absolutely bottom of the listings ratings. They are jealous of the Fox News Channel success especially the shows such as O'Reilly Factor and Hannity and Colmes.

[Kimmers]

I like that analogy.

[Kirkwood]

The truth hurts.

[mkjessup]

The comparisons of NBC and the imaginary 'UBS' of the 1976 movie 'Network' are too eerie:

"Nelson Chaney": All I know is that this violates every canon of respectable broadcasting.

"Frank Hackett": We're not a respectable network. We're a whorehouse network, and we have to take whatever we can get.

I can well imagine that conversation taking place at NBC, and especially at CBS just before they signed Katie Couric!

[RabidBartender]

"Capus told reporters here. "I don't quite understand it. I assume it's because Keith Olbermann has had such tremendous growth and there's real momentum behind Keith's broadcast.""

BWAHAHAHAH....lol...did he really say that? Sportscenter Guy is an established failure in the TV news community. "The Big Show" on MSNBC - HAHAHAHA - failure. "The Keith Olbermann Evening News" on Fox Sports Net - LOL - failure. "Speaking of Sports" and "Speaking of Everything" on ABC radio - failure.

Sorry, your current show shall pass, as well.

[norwaypinesavage]

"I think the audience knows exactly what's at play here."

It certainly does, and for MSNBC, there is no audience.

[Calvin Locke]

Heard BOR on Ingraham a few months back. KO's picking on him to get publicity. Ergo, BOR ignores him.

"Feud? What feud? Who's this KO that NBC types keep talking about?"

[Long Island Pete]

That would be Keith Overbite on Countdown to No Ratings

[Calvin Locke]

Well, when your audience goes from a dozen to a baker's dozen, that's pretty substantial growth in cable, percentage-wise.

Especially at pMSNBC.

[mkjessup]

Well you know, I started reading up on some of the quotes of my fixation of the day ('Network' - 1976) and I am amazed at how fiction 30 years ago has become reality today.

In the movie, Faye Dunaway plays 'Diana Christensen' who is given a dressing down by 'Max Schumacher' (played by the late William Holden), check this dialogue out:

"It's too late, Diana. There's nothing left in you that I can live with. You're one of Howard's humanoids. If I stay with you, I'll be destroyed. Like Howard Beale was destroyed. Like Laureen Hobbs was destroyed. Like everything you and the institution of television touch is destroyed. You're television incarnate, Diana, indifferent to suffering; insensitive to joy. All of life is reduced to the common rubble of banality. War, murder, death are all the same to you as bottles of beer. And the daily business of life is a corrupt comedy. You even shatter the sensations of time and space into split seconds and instant replays. You're madness, Diana. Virulent madness. And everything you touch dies with you."

How about that? ;)

[JZelle]

" I assume it's because Keith Olbermann has had such tremendous growth..."


Apparently, Keith has started taking the blue pill.

[jackieaxe]

I'm sick of reading about reporters like they are part of the story. Yesterday I read how Katie Courie thinks there should be quota's for major network anchor woman. Sometimes I watch Obermann on MSNBC to get a different perspective but I usually click away in 10 minutes and usually at the end of an anti-FOX tirade. It's "sad and pathetic" the president of NBC news believes he's calling it down the middle.

[Maumee]

To justify his salary, Olberman has to water the plants, pick up, and empty the waste baskets every night before he leaves the studio.

[indylindy]

They should be proud of being outed as liberals. What is it that is so bad about being who you are? Isn't that what the libs say about others? This is another Rosie-Donald bs moment.

[leadpenny]

Olberman and O'Reilly

Goofy and goofier.

[jdm]

"I don't quite understand it. I assume it's because Keith Olbermann has had such tremendous growth and there's real momentum behind Keith's broadcast."

Why didn't Keith get his big raise then?

O'Reilly has long been the ratings leader in cable news. But Olbermann, who has stepped up commentary criticizing President Bush in the last five months, has seen some ratings growth opposite O'Reilly.

Why five months? Where did that number come from? What big news happened five months ago, in mid-August? Someone who's that precise, in this instance, would have bias against O'Reilly anyway.

[litehaus]

"from fifty left-wing conspiracy theorists to one hundred"

Sounds like my local paper telling "merely the truth" -St. Pete Slimes

[Rummyfan]

And Air America listenership!

[greyfoxx39]

Too long for a tagline, but it sure would be a good one!