Why Are the Times, the Post, and MSNBC on a Conservative Hiring Spree? (Slate)

[Amaryllis]

MSNBC announced Monday that it has hired George F. Will as a contributor, adding yet another conservative talker to its rapidly expanding roster of them. Two weeks ago, the cable news network gave former George W. Bush adviser Nicolle Wallace a 4 p.m. show. Former Fox News star Greta Van Susteren took over its 6 p.m. slot in January. And it has reportedly offered talk radio host Hugh Hewitt a show, as well. MSNBC is giving out shows to conservative pundits like Oprah giving out G6s.
Will Oremus Will Oremus

Remember when the network embraced its liberal reputation with the tagline “Lean Forward”? These days it’s running ads suggesting that people might accuse it of conservative bias—and it’s only half-joking.

MSNBC isn’t the only major media organization that’s tacking rightward lately. The New York Times’ opinion section infuriated its liberal loyalists last month by giving the former Wall Street Journal never-Trumper Bret Stephens an op-ed column, which he promptly used to question climate science and criticize clean-energy policies. In a sign that demand for prominent conservative pundits has surpassed supply, the same Hewitt that MSBNC is pursuing also landed a major op-ed column two months ago, signing on with the Washington Post.

The realignment would make perfect sense if media outlets whose audiences skewed liberal were struggling in the Trump era. But it’s just the opposite. MSNBC just posted its highest-ever quarterly ratings, beating centrist CNN in prime time. The Times reported record-breaking subscriber growth. The Post is aggressively expanding amid record online traffic and ad revenue. The last two have been running PR campaigns aiming to capitalize on discontent with Trump’s election. And they’re all getting pushback from the left on each conservative hire, with some even publicly canceling their Times subscriptions to protest Stephens.

So what’s behind the conservative-commentator craze? Let’s consider the possibilities:

Lots more:

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2017/05/why_are_the_nyt_wapo_and_msnbc_on_a_conservative_hiring_spree.html?wpsrc=newsletter_tis&sid=589dfd6ebcb59c58118b45d5

[yallerdawg]

1. One thing possible.

Fox News could actually go belly-up. It happens when companies are neck-deep in sexual harassment convictions - and now a round of racial discrimination may be kicking off.

Conservatives will have to have somewhere to go, they made Fox #1 for a couple decades.

M$M is not going to leave THAT money on the table.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

7. I agree with you about it being a potential exodus from Fox

however, why can't conservatives struggle a little in the job market like everybody else does. Why do they always seem to be able to leave one position and always just land on their feet somewhere else- in relatively short order. Where did liberal Air America personalities land when that went kaput (other than SENATOR Franken, of course)?

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. There are plenty of outcast republican anti-trump commentators to choose from.

The field of available camera ready liberals seems to be more spare.

[monmouth4]

3. As long as Andy has them on during the day, I'm cool. Tweety, Hayes, Rachel, Lawrence. Take

them off I'm never watching MSNBC for a very long time..Lack also leans right so he has no problems with this.

[Rebl2]

4. Same here

daytime don't care, but if they mess with evening lineup bye bye msnbc.

[shadowmayor]

5. Fawning Corporate Media rules

The corporate media needs to keep the message in the "middle" which is way to the right of the general population. How devastating it would be to have a major news organization support and report on the pollution, greed, corruption and fraud perpetrated by our giant corporations. Or as we might call it - what's really happening in America and to the rest of the planet. How about some good ol' fashioned war? Majority of folks say Nope - had enough and it isn't working out very well. Corporate media to the rescue - endless and breathless reporting about bad guys doing bad things and the great American military doing really cool stuff. Medical care for all? Well, not if we're going to rule the world with our bloated military. Education? Look away folks, the media has something important to say about what shit-stain Donald just tweeted. It's all about controlling the message and not letting populist ideas which are favored by most Americans rise to the top of the news broadcasts. It's all about controlling the message and controlling what people are thinking and talking about. You know - more fake news. The drama in DC is fun fun fun. The decay and rot and murder and waste going on around us and across the globe is not an important topic, because our fawning corporate media is paid to say so.

[Nitram]

6. It is a reaction to the election of a conservative to the White House.

I hope they put on the brakes and reconsider in light of the upcoming impeachment trials.