MSNBC FUTURE IN DOUBT

DrudgeReport.com ^ | August 18, 2002

[Paul Atreides]

"The fall may be the make-or-break time for MSNBC," NEW YORK TIMES TV hotshot Bill Carter is preparing to write in Monday editions.

According to newsroom sources, Carter is set to warn how "future investment and promotion budgets for the channel" may be at risk during the coming months, as the all-news network continues to slump in the ratings, lead by the nearly still-born DONAHUE.

The pressure is coming from the very top of the MSNBCNBCGE tree.

Earlier this year, at a meeting of NBC's top management, Jeffrey Immelt, the chairman of GENERAL ELECTRIC, specifically cited MSNBC as the area of NBC that most needed attention. "He gave the order," a senior NBC executive has told Carter said, "and the order was, 'Fix it."'

As for the ailing DONAHUE, MSNBC prez Erik Sorenson tells Carter: "We're in the silly season. The news is so slow; it's been the summer of kidnappings. That plays more toward [CNN's] Connie [Chung]. Her show is cotton candy. It's all tabloid, all the time."

Sorenson said that come fall DONAHUE will start to take advantage of more hard news developments. "We'll have an election to cover and a war in Iraq," Sorenson said.

Beyond that, look for Donahue to book more celebrities. "He's going to have Oprah on and Harrison Ford and George Clooney," Sorenson said. "I don't honestly expect to have an answer on this until November."

Developing...

[Paul Atreides]

"DUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!"

[SouthCarolinaKit]

I agree that BOOKNOTES is quite interesting but. . . Washington Journal has become unwatchable with the hours and hours of viewers calling in with DNC talking points and noone calling them on it. It's SO predictable. I used to
watch daily before the politically correct lines were instituted but now we get mostly blacks and old ladies on
the Dem lines spouting the same old same old. I check on
the guest list and watch only when someone is interest is scheduled: once a month at the most. As for the Book stuff on CSPAN 11, it's simply ballyhooing the publishing business which is 99% liberals pushing liberal authors and ideas.
I do like the once / month three hour interview with prolific authors. That's the first Sunday of every month.
We recently moved from an area which aired MSNBC to one that
doesn't; we've not notices any loss, although I've heard
that the heavy set guy on at 7PM is quite good.

[jackbill]

Perhaps if PMSNBC goes belly-up, my lousy cable company might use the slot to put on a UPN channel from Baltimore/Washington so that I can watch the Terps basketball.

[mystery-ak]

Who was that kid in the movie * A Christmas Story*...Phillis looks just like him all grown up.

[Paul Atreides]

I imagine he will.

I will be so glad when Salon FINALLY breathes its last breath. I am so sick of that crappy site being bailed out.

[Paul Atreides]

Ralphie, played by Peter Billingsly.

[Paul Atreides]

This sums up the landPhil...

[bert]

...The trouble is, getting them to see that they have a bias....

My reference was to the parent corporation. Any rational executive and there must be some on the parent boards or executive suites should be able to detect what millions of Americans who watch Fox News can see for themselves..... there is a market for pure old ungarnedrd truth. They just need to chuck the entrenched powers that be and start from scratch.

The Donahue fiasco illustrates the point exactly. The old ways are bankrupt.

If the company has failed, why not try something altogerther different?

Our task is to help them see....

[TexasNative2000]

"First, we're going to cut off it's head - then we're going to kill it."

[alnick]

One down ...

[glock rocks]

OMG, didn't we spray for those?

[mystery-ak]

Right, thanks...I had another senior moment....I hope it passes..LOL

[alnick]

Watch for even more PMSNBC refugees to start cropping up on Fox a la Whorealdo.

I wonder where Chris Matthews will land. He is on MSNBC, isn't he?

[C.C. Pelican Brown]

Sorry, Paul, have not read Slander yet. Did see the fab Booknotes w/Brian. He was noticeably tense, Ann was wonderful. Don't remember her mentioning conservative writers/publishers specifically, unless it was her reference to Regnery.

[Paul Atreides]

I think that these executives are surrounded by liberals who would crucify them if they strayed from the faith. Just look at the head honcho who claimed that a gay mafia was out to get him. Hollywood, who is forever drudging up the Blacklisting made the statement that he would never work there again. Just look at the celebrities who are admitting to being conservative, or having conservative leanings; they are, for the most part, ones who have already made it big (Heston, Arnold, Willis, etc.).

I think these parent companies are scared to death of liberals. Just look how they roll over for Jesse's shakedowns.

[Paul Atreides]

My reference is to what is in the book. She touches on the selling power of conservative vs. liberal books, as well as how they are treated by the publishing houses. I won't give it all away here, but I highly recommend the book.

[Uncle Hal]

If this is the slow news season why does O'Reilly draw 2 million viewers each night and Chung and Donahue draw maybe 300,000 to for 400,000 viewsers each? You can kiss Donahue goodbye.

[Paul Atreides]

You too, huh? ;-)

[VA Advogado]

Its been all down hill for MSNBC since they let Keyes go. :)

[Paul Atreides]

Their explanation fits right up there with "taken out of context."