Republicans already driving change?

[RIJIMMY]

Gregory is a drip, but hopefully the bias will be a little less. The rightful place for these guys is on a panel to express their opinion, not reporting on a political event.

MSNBC says Olbermann, Matthews won't anchor By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer
14 minutes ago


NEW YORK - MSNBC is replacing Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews as co-anchors of political night coverage with David Gregory, and will use the two newsmen as commentators.


The change reflects tensions between the freewheeling, opinionated MSNBC and the impartial newsgatherers at NBC News. Throughout the primaries and summer, MSNBC argued that Olbermann and Matthews could serve as dispassionate anchors on political news nights and that viewers would accept them in that role, but things fell apart during the conventions.

Gregory, the veteran Washington hand, will anchor MSNBC's coverage of the presidential and vice presidential debates and election night, network spokesman Jeremy Gaines said Sunday. The change was first reported by The New York Times.

The tipping point appears to have come during the GOP convention when Olbermann criticized MSNBC for showing a Sept. 11-themed video prepared by the Republicans.

MSNBC executives, who had publicly defended their anchors' roles while privately monitoring them throughout the political season, made the change over the weekend after discussions with Olbermann. Despite the controversy around him, Olbermann has been a hero with left-leaning viewers and keyed MSNBC's growth among coveted young viewers.

During her acceptance speech last week, Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin talked about the "Washington elite" not accepting her qualifications for the job. Some delegates on the convention floor began chanting, "N-B-C, N-B-C."

Olbermann began to have difficulty keeping his opinions in check, or simply stopped trying.

He sarcastically dismissed GOP pundit Pat Buchanan on the air after Buchanan said the Republicans had been enlivened by the entrance of a conservative Republican.

"Those reading US Weekly with the picture of her and her youngest daughter with the word `scandal' written across it won't be so happy," Olbermann said.

He expressed little sympathy at another point when GOP anger at rumors over the Internet about Palin were being discussed.

"We'll see if people feel sorry for unfounded rumors on the Internet," he said. "If that's the case, Senator Obama's probably standing up and cheering and waiting for people to feel sorry for him."

Perhaps most embarrassing, Joe Scarborough was discussing positive developments in John McCain's campaign at one point when Olbermann was heard on an offstage microphone saying: "Jesus, Joe, why don't you get a shovel?"

Scarborough, a former Republican congressman and host of MSNBC's "Morning Joe," got in another nasty on-air exchange with MSNBC reporter David Shuster, and Matthews snapped at Olbermann on-air when it appeared Olbermann was criticizing him for talking too much.

All the drama made MSNBC a punch line when top NBC anchor Brian Williams appeared on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" last week. "Is there no control?" Stewart asked him. "`Is it `Lord of the Flies?'"

A sheepish Williams said that every family has a dynamic of its own.

"But does MSNBC have to be the Lohans?" Stewart said.

Olbermann was in Denver during the Democratic national convention, but performed his co-hosting duties for the GOP convention in a New York studio. NBC President Steve Capus said the decision was not political, that Olbermann had been sent back to anchor coverage of Hurricane Gustav.

MSNBC's decision comes just before Olbermann's "Countdown" show is set to air, on Monday, his interview with Barack Obama. That will put Olbermann in direct competition with his nemesis, Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly, who interviewed Obama last week and is airing a portion of it Monday in the same 8 p.m. EDT time slot.

[spence]

Republicans? How about the viewers...

I always thought Oberman was a bit too flip in his election coverage. Mathews surprises me though.

-spence

[RIJIMMY]

thats why there was a question mark.

Matthews, to me, is a freak. He wears his party on his sleeve.
to be clear, I have no issue with his expressing opinion, its just that is no context. For example, when Buchanan is on a panel, he is labled as a conservative or right wing, but how often do you hear anyone on the news being labled as left wing or liberal? Not very often. Comments need to be put in context. I think thats fair to the public/

[RIROCKHOUND]

Originally Posted by RIJIMMY

thats why there was a question mark.

Matthews, to me, is a freak. He wears his party on his sleeve.
to be clear, I have no issue with his expressing opinion, its just that is no context. For example, when Buchanan is on a panel, he is labled as a conservative or right wing, but how often do you hear anyone on the news being labled as left wing or liberal? Not very often. Comments need to be put in context. I think thats fair to the public/

I tend to agree.
People tune in to Countdown, O'Reily etc.. to get/hear opinion. They should here reporting when they turn on coverage. Gregorry seems fairly middle of the road, even if he isn't..

Anyone see the SNL mocking CNN and the love for Obama???

[slow eddie]

it does not matter. no party is for the middle or lower classes. just liook at where their money is coming from. and it will continue to flow back to the rich and powerfull. i do get a kick out of liberal or conservative b.s. when they start to show with action, instead of words, that's when something good might, i said might, come out of all of this election b.s.

[Rockport24]

yeah I gotta agree with this move, doesn't really seem right to have known left wingers as anchors, unless MSNBC wants to be the official liberal channel (aren't they already?) LOL

[RIJIMMY]

think this is lessons learned from the Dan Rather scandal?

[justplugit]

Matthew's prolly still can't sit still long enuff for the show,

after having that tingle run down his leg when he heard Obama's first speech.

[spence]

Originally Posted by RIJIMMY

think this is lessons learned from the Dan Rather scandal?

No, I think it's a combination of two factors.

1) Keith Oberman's personal war against FOX News
2) The GOP's targeting of MSNBC

Going into the election, and the media field day that will ensue, they can't afford to loose viewers if the perception is that they are the new Air America

I've found Oberman's show to be interesting at times, but he's often way over the top. This might be fine for his personal show, but it's out of place during real-time coverage. His comments of the 9/11 memorial might have been genuine, but he really stepped in it.

Mathews was collateral damage. Usually I don't find him to be all that liberal, but he was a bit starry eyed the last few months. Considering he and Keith were a team, this made it all the worse.

-spence