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Why do you guys watch KO? or MSNBC, for that matter?

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OKthatsIT Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 10:45 PM
Original message
Why do you guys watch KO? or MSNBC, for that matter?
Look, the guy walks a tight rope, irregardless of his own leanings, he's playing as many people as he can. Isnt that called 'ratings'?

Clearly, WE ARE the fringe movement. Moderate majority Dems put their heads in the sand after 11/2 finding comfort in complete and utter denial.

Olbermann just a hit and run sensationalist(flying papers he tosses into the air before he breaks for commercials..like HE'S FRUSTRATED?)

DU, you're groveling and its unbecoming. You make the news when you find the evidence..don't fall into a shithole by watching a guy with an identity crsis in the making.

KO isn't worth a dime if HE can't figure it out for himself. He will continue to 'play you' and 'you' and 'you' but when one of 'you' loses interest in this OLD and UNSENSATIONAL story...he'll move on.

Damn, just remember, there is no 'liberal press' or media out there.
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ruthg Donating Member (352 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 10:47 PM
Response to Original message
1. Good point....
or most of them were......
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Paul Hood Donating Member (717 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 10:49 PM
Response to Original message
2. Cause his is the only show that will cover real news. n/t
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mousie Donating Member (398 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 10:52 PM
Response to Original message
3. I only turned it on
'cause there was a lot of talk about it being on here, and I thought it was going to be our big moment of the day! I had hope for MSNBC for awhile, then thought maybe CNN... bottom line is, none of them are good.
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crispini Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 10:57 PM
Response to Reply #3
7. Talk about kill the messenger!
KO reports a statement from a Kerry lawyer and gets ragged on for it? Sheesh.
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mousie Donating Member (398 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 11:02 PM
Response to Reply #7
11. no, really
I have not watched him often, but just don't get the feeling he's really on "our" side. Maybe I'm wrong, I just haven't liked some of his OWN comments much. (It's not about the message from the lawyer.) Then again, somebody else reminded me he's not supposed to be on ANY side. I'm just not impressed with him or anyone on the news at this point.
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crispini Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 11:05 PM
Response to Reply #11
15. Fair enough.
He does indeed have a snarky attitude. Not to everyone's taste. And no, he's not on "our" side -- you want "our" side you get Randi Rhodes, the true liberal red meat. Or Malloy.
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Chimpanzee Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 11:31 PM
Response to Reply #7
19. It wasn't the reporting but the analysis that pissed me off
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bush_is_wacko Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 10:05 AM
Response to Reply #19
39. And the "analysis" is MSM typical blather
Edited on Tue Dec-28-04 10:07 AM by bush_is_wacko
If you want to keep reading and/or watching him for "truth" you need to understand that he may do his research and get the facts, but he ALWAYS includes an opinion in his drivel. Every time I have ever read his stuff, that opinion is not favorable to the "truth's" I see flying around everywhere BUT the MSM. Blackwells latest maneuvering looks guilty, guilty, guilty to anyone who has been following this mess. We have yet to see what our President and his nasty team have up their sleeves, but I'm sure the strategy is as always evasion.
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WebeBlue Donating Member (415 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 10:52 PM
Response to Original message
4. Cause I'm a dork looking for any silver lining.
You do speak to the "higher" self in us, and I know that..but sometimes it's wearisome taking the high road all the time. I like to hope against hope, so guess I can't complain when I experience the let down of disappointment in KO..wanted it to be he was reporting cause he cared. Yeah, I know, my naivete is showing thru.
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crispini Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 11:00 PM
Response to Reply #4
9. So now you've got psychic powers, and can figure out KO's
motivation for reporting based on his broadcast tonight. Or. you're going on this post by a total stranger?

Can't the man want ratings AND to be a good reporter? And why does it matter what his motivations are for reporting?
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bunny planet Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 11:27 PM
Response to Reply #9
17. I think I heard somewhere that KO really is a liberal. I just think he
wants something to happen to justify his being out on the limb in MSM.
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OKthatsIT Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 11:36 PM
Response to Reply #4
22. well i want more coverage, too
but i found myself waiting, salivating, then only to be let down by the most superficial reporting on the most SERIOUS of TREASONOUS CRIMES!
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Clark2008 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 10:53 PM
Response to Original message
5. Hmmmm....
And all this time I thought I liked him because he performed a service that isn't available in any other television venue: he reports the facts and doesn't let his political leanings get in the way (BTW, KO doesn't vote and says he doesn't so he has no vested interest on what he reports. When he does have a vested interest, like winning Sexiest Newsman, he tells you, straight out).

The paper-throwing thing is just a schtick.

I don't feel I'm being played, I feel I'm being reported to.

And, he also looks good in a dark suit.
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hangemhigh Donating Member (587 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 11:30 PM
Response to Reply #5
18. Respectfully disagree....
He does have a vested interest. Just like I have a vested interest in sales. What I sell pays the bills. For example, I sell USA products to walmart corporate. And I detest all that they stand for. And it's hardly any fun given that they can get anything in China for a fraction of the prices I have to offer. But January 1st I have bills to pay. Same thing. If his show doesn't support ratings and advertising dollars he's off the air. If his bosses don't support him, he's out the door.

KO has thrown us a few bones and after we've emailed him to death over election fraud. To act as if the cryptic drivel he gives us is any more than that is to deny the facts. He is simply playing to "our" demographic.

That he is thought to be the best available is a sad commentary on our "media." There is not a "reporter" on television today that sets the standard for true journalism, sorry to say. This has nothing to do with political leanings. A political reporter who wimps out by saying he doesn't vote? Hello??? I call that a gutless wonder. Hard for me to give much credibility when someone admittedly, doesn't have any skin in the game. He's all over the playgirl poll. No problem owning that because it doesn't mean shit. Yes, KO has his moments. He remains part of the machine, however. Let's not forget that.
KO is not reporting to you. He is reporting ABOUT you, friend. We need Katherine Graham again. She was a political player and had no problem supporting her reporters BEING reporters even when it pissed her Washington buddies.
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crispini Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 10:56 PM
Response to Original message
6. Because it's fun? And he's cute?
And he reports well? And has a snarky sense of humor?

Of course he wants ratings. What newscaster doesn't? I don't think you'll find anyone here saying that KO is the Savior of the Election Fraud Movement (tm).

What you WILL find is people dumping on KO because he's doing his job, which is 1) reporting and 2) being snarky. I don't see anyone here "grovelling".
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ClarkUSA Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 10:59 PM
Response to Reply #6
8. KO stuck his damn neck out for us when no one would touch this story...
that's why. If it weren't for him, NO ONE would know about it now, much less cover it or have Congressman Conyers on during primetime to talk about voter fraud.

That's why.
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seito Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 11:02 PM
Response to Reply #8
10. Hmmmm
Makes sense...
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crispini Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 11:03 PM
Response to Reply #8
12. oh, crap, ClarkUSA *and* Clark2008?
I am going to have a hard time telling you apart. In fact I don't think I noticed there were two of you until now! If I ever got you mixed up before I apologize! :P

Just don't EVER use the same avatar.... Please! :D
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Clark2008 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 11:03 PM
Response to Reply #8
13. As my son would say...
BENJI!!

(Instead of Bingo.... has his doggies confused. LOL!)
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zann725 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 02:14 AM
Response to Reply #8
31. True, but he's beginning to OVERTLY make fun of us.
Both on the show, and in his blog. Maybe he's getting pressure from "above"...even though he denies it. Or maybe he's getting tired of being barraged by all our emails. His ratings are great, but we probably wear him out, and he may be tiring of us.

I don't mean to bash him. I still think he took risks on us. And he is funny, and 'cutting-edge.' But he shouldn't be trashing his loyal fans, or our cause.
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crispini Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 11:18 AM
Response to Reply #31
50. Jeez, if I were in his position, *I'd* make fun of us!
Because it's terribly, darkly funny. The Drama! The Tin Foil Hattery! There's a story here, to be sure, but it is in great danger of being obscured by all of the ANGST! Boatloads of which I am sure arrive in his inbox DAILY.

He's a REPORTER. He calls it like he sees it. If we flip out or go wack on him, he's gonna say something.
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OKthatsIT Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 11:31 PM
Response to Reply #6
20. hmmm...would you call him a good investigative reporter?
or are we just grateful to have any ole talking head on a major network mentioning fraud? I say mentioning because...had KO the full control over his material he would have covered it more like Bill Moyers. KO uses the usual buzzwords(yawn)but doesnt 'get down' to the deeper issues of collective consciousness, lack of conscience
which are quite frightening to me.

I SEE crimes all over the country. Why, did you check out that video interview with the Triad employee? OMG. Somehow and somewhere out there is the Constitution, Bill of Rights, Amendments, Federal and State Laws but should I demand their attention...then these criminals are right up in my face saying, "watch it, lil missy, or you'll be off to Guantonamo without A PHONE CALL".

Does KO ever mention the 'Dominionists' and whats the machine behind Bush and the Christian Right? Scary.

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Clark2008 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 11:39 PM
Response to Reply #20
23. It's kind of hard to delve that deeply in television format
There just is a restriction on time.

So, no... of all the talking heads out there today, I'm glad it's Keith who is reporting on it because he is fair. I was a fan of his before he got on the fraud story, so I can say that with sincerity.

And, no one on television is going to mention the "Dominionists" in a nightly newscast - they're just not. Now, if one of the shows wanted to donate two hours to religious agenda of the Christian Right, it would fit there, perfectly.
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OKthatsIT Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 11:48 PM
Response to Reply #23
25. KO should be mentioning the 'dominionists'
its who they are...and THEY are on a mission to destroy the Constitution.
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AntiFascist Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 04:21 AM
Response to Reply #25
32. I agree...
and other MSM have reported on this already. What a fascinating story this would make, at least for his blog: a conflagration consisting of every wierd cult that ever existed....not exactly a conspiracy "theory" if the linkages can be demonstrated.
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McCamy Taylor Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 11:04 PM
Response to Original message
14. Olberman is smart and entertaining and I like the fact that his ratings...
...soared as he covered votergate in November. Also I hear he left NBC orginally because he didnt like covering Monicagate, didnt think it was newsworthy, shows good journalistic sense.

Countdown is the ONLY MSM news show I watch, and I only watch him for the Votergate news. I have never really watched TV news for news. Used to read the papers until they got full of bs, now I use the Internet.

I watch the Daily Show, but that doesnt count as MSM does it?
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BarbinMD Donating Member (97 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 11:11 PM
Response to Original message
16. I haven't watched...
...television news of any kind since 11/3. Period. And I was a news show junkie...it's amazing how much more time I have on my hands these days. :P
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bloom Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 11:35 PM
Response to Original message
21. I agree
I saw him once - that was enough for me. I wasn't impressed.



To the people who watch it...

Democracy Now has news.

If you get the BBC or some other international news - it might be informative also.

The US has no credible commercial news - TV or Radio. It just doesn't.
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Clark2008 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 11:45 PM
Response to Reply #21
24. And, we can't watch both?
Are you saying we're "stupid" because we listen to KO?

BTW, Democracy Now is perceived as very left-wing and is not considered credible to mainstream people - and I'm surrounded by these sorts of people. They simply wouldn't believe it, so it only works with me for background.

The BBC is fine and I can safely e-mail that as a source without the information being dismissed out-of-hand because of perceived political leanings. And I can get folks to watch Keith Olbermann without them yelling and screaming to much that it's not Fox - or even yelled at by Dems that "it's a left-wing rag that no one will believe."

You have to get people interested before they will pay attention.
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bloom Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 11:58 PM
Response to Reply #24
27. I don't care what you watch
But I don't think people should expect anything.

I consider all commercial news to be Republican News. Do with it as you will.
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Slit Skirt Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 12:20 AM
Response to Reply #27
29. I would agree with this...
I like KO, I watch him a lot...he makes me laugh at very depressing news. What he is doing is reporting. That is what the news stations should do. What is happening is that "journalists" or people who call themselves journalists, are editorialists, and reporting their opinions as if it is fact. AND THAT IS THE PART THAT MAKES US VERY ANGRY. If Keith takes on that role, he is no better than fox news...just on the other side....which emotionally we would like to see, but is actually against what we are fighting for. We get excited because on occasion msnbc throws us a bone, which raises our expectations. I think people are still looking for that one hero that will save us...when in fact, we need to look in the mirror, and reach deep inside. We have to be our own heroes.
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latteromden Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-27-04 11:58 PM
Response to Original message
26. I don't watch Keith for the fraud coverage. He had me hooked a few weeks
before the election when he was mocking Bush's mistakes by showing clip after clip of him confusing Abu Nidal and Abu Abbas. Of course he's looking for ratings. But he also has the sense to cover the stories that should be covered by the rest of the mainstream media, but aren't.

Not to mention, if Countdown got cancelled, Greg Kordick would have time off indefinitely. Shit. ;)
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crispini Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 12:07 AM
Response to Reply #26
28. Wrod. And any news team that has the subtle sense of fun
to caption an entire segment with a banner talking about the Bush "strategery" -- they did that last week -- gets props from me.
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xiamiam Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 01:14 AM
Response to Original message
30. 15 minutes of fame
and maybe a little more if you can keep everyone happy...forget Olbermann...we get morsels ...and hang on to every little word..and there are scholars investing unimaginable amounts of time proving the statistical facts with no celebrity attachment...this is real...and they are not getting paid..anyone who is looking for ratings in MSM cannot be trusted...find the true news...run with it...fight for it...there should never be a celebrity made of a journalist...ever..
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thatcoloredfella Donating Member (42 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 05:49 AM
Response to Original message
33. Better Suggestion than Countdown?
I've been a fan of Countdown ever since Keith came back to MSNBC! I assume most Dupers are like me: educated, well-informed and have a wicked sense of humor.

I've sworn off the groveling Chris Matthews, got HBO for The Sopranos and Bill Maher, and I'm tired of the Anderson Cooper-pretty-people-news-clones, trying to outfox Fox!

Keith's show has it's drawbacks: Newsweek's doofuses Howard Fineman and Jonathan Alter, plus the other two regular White Guy pundits; those idiots from the first 'Apprentice'. But, it's news for people who know no WMDs' were found in Iraq and Saddam had no connection to 9/11.

If CBS was smart, they'd still him away. But, they won't.
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roenyc Donating Member (824 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 06:55 AM
Response to Reply #33
35. I agree with you
I have been watching countdown for a long time. first of all its on at 8 pm est. and its opposite O'Lielly so for me its a protest. and i just find Keith interesting. he moves the stories along quickly, always has an interesting guest that isn't partisan BS, and he is the first and ONLY news network to cover voter fraud.

oh and he really hates FOX and says so. especially bill O'reilly. he makes me laugh and thats good. and spares me the wishy washy stupid stories that Anderson cooper forces on me. ten seconds of dumb stuff then back to the countdown. Keith rocks! and he has opinions and voices them.

He took a lot of garbage for the vote fraud in the beginning from the conservatives. and kept going even though fox was dragging him through the mud.

there are very few news shows that will give you the news. Keith does it. Aaron Brown does it (if you can stay awake through it) and they are the news men i respect.

and for fun its Jon Stewart of course.
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OKthatsIT Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 10:37 AM
Response to Reply #33
41. now, imagine these investigations coming up with hard evidence
against Bush/Cheney...I'm sure the Network would 'hush his mouth' until the fervor died down.

Keith Olberman and Alan Colmes should share, because they have this 'walking the tightrope' thang in common and it must be incredibly painful to hold down your job and folks with ducktape are waiting in the wings(stage-right).

I cant watch Colmes either. Ive tried and I get sick to my stomach. bluhhhhhhh
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thatcoloredfella Donating Member (42 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 11:34 PM
Response to Reply #41
61. Look who's watching...
OKthatsIT,

You need to look at who the cable networks are going after, and why.

Why do 60-70% percent of Fox viewers think WMDs' were found and Saddam ordered 9/11? Because, they got almost all of their skewed news from Fox and the Conservative radio liars.

We on the Left, get our news in a variety of ways and from a number of sources. Why? Because we see the MSM Conservative bias, and can find the truth elsewhere. The Bush/Fox viewers are loyal and stick to what is biased ('good news' outta Iraq), and are very limited in finding it elsewhere.

That makes Fox viewers a valued and desired viewer, because they're the only ones stupid enough not to be insulted by the deteriorating quality of broadcast news.
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Cherie59 Donating Member (92 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 06:32 AM
Response to Original message
34. Exactly, no matter how much you like KO his boss is still the MSM.
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BlackVelvet04 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 08:09 AM
Response to Original message
36. When people get put on a pedestal
they really have nowhere to go but down.

People are always looking for heroes and they want to believe their hero will always do the noble thing. Life just doesn't work that way. People are people......they have bills to pay and bosses to answer to and their own agendas.

Let's not fall into the same mentality that causes the conservatives to all but worship bush and think he can do no wrong.

Let's be our own heroes and keep plugging away at this, step by step.
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hippiechick Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 12:25 PM
Response to Reply #36
58. Bingo
But I'm sorry to say, I think DU has already gone down that slippery slope of deifying those at the front of the echo chamber.

DU is now home to many fickle, desperate folks who are willing to follow just about anyone who tells 'em what they want to hear. Our critical thinking skills and independent nature, and respect for differing viewpoints (within the liberal realm) have gone out the window.

All it would take would be for KO to air an episode where he laughs outloud at the fraud folks and tells them they're full of shit, and he will be public enemy # 1 here at DU.

I just hope their crash landing on January 21st doesn't take the rest of us down.


:hippie:
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Karenca Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 09:11 AM
Response to Original message
37. if there were one just one "keith" on each other news station as well:
this stolen election would have had the coverage to penetrate the brains of the entire American conciousnesss.

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Snivi Yllom Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 09:48 AM
Response to Original message
38. I told people Olbermann is a A-hole
And that he is a dirty filthy mediawhore looking to boost ratings.


But I was dismissed by some "no, Keith is a good guy".

Uh uh. Keith Olbermann would fuck his mother for higher ratings.
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Karenca Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 10:45 AM
Response to Reply #38
43. That is
disgusting: "would fuck his mother".

He's a reporter ... and he has reported more on the stolen election than anyone else.
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righteous1 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 10:54 AM
Response to Reply #43
44. Some people expect a journalist to agree with their preconceived
Edited on Tue Dec-28-04 10:58 AM by righteous1
notions even if it means they have to lie to do it. Hate the message, kill the messenger mentality. It's shallow itellectually lazy and deluded reasoning for sure.
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Snivi Yllom Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 10:59 AM
Response to Reply #44
48. my problem with KO is this: Fast Food News
Edited on Tue Dec-28-04 11:17 AM by Snivi Yllom
He takes advantage of a story to try to promote himself. As soon as he runs the story as far as it potentially would benefit himself, he's done. His flashy style equivicates pop culture non-news in an attempt to generate ratings. His show consists of fast food news for light thinkers.

He should go back to Sportscasting which he excels at and leave the hard news to the adults.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A54273-2003Jul27?language=printer

Three, Two, One, Olbermann
MSNBC's 'Countdown' Host Puts News on the Fast Track
By Howard Kurtz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, July 28, 2003; Page C01


After an hour-long buildup on MSNBC's "Countdown," Keith Olbermann got to his No. 1 story for the night: "Britney Spears says she is not a virgin."

The "gyrating pop princess," it seems, had told W magazine that she had succumbed to the charms of Justin Timberlake, prompting Olbermann to ask: "How will this news affect life on our planet and the evolution of mankind?"

Asked about the story selection, Olbermann says he and his "Committee of Irresponsible Persons" hunt for such offbeat topics, adding: "You can't argue that it's something people were not talking about."

In his second incarnation as an MSNBC anchor -- after he famously quit over a show that turned into a Monica Lewinsky talkathon -- the former sportscaster is trying to assemble a new kind of nightly program: "a newscast that moves very quickly and does a lot of silly things in it," he says.

Not that Olbermann ignores serious news. Far from it. On any given night, he'll be talking about Iraq or Liberia -- along with cleavage-baring deodorized bras, scientist Stephen Hawking going to a strip club, topless photos of Cameron Diaz, and Snoop Dogg quitting as host of the raunchy "Girls Gone Wild" videos.

"The traditional hour of news that the networks have tried to do for 50 years just is not going to sell real well with an audience that's gradually had its attention span shrunk over the years," Olbermann says. "They're used to quicker cuts. The in-depth approach is not going to compete. That's what the ratings are showing, unfortunately."

The wry anchor manages to wink at the audience while dipping in and out of the tabloid netherworld. The Hawking-at-a-strip-joint photo, from the London Sun, "justifies a discussion of whether or not pornography has become unbelievably mainstream in the last few years," he says.

As for the "Countdown" concept -- picking the day's top five stories, even if the winning piece involves sex or sleaze -- Olbermann notes that the top-rated subject still airs last. "The Number 1 song on a Top 40 countdown could be 'Yummy yummy yummy, I've got love in my tummy.' It's not necessarily Brahms."

He makes no apologies for kissing off many stories in three or four minutes; PBS this is not. "I'm more useful to the audience helming a ship in which you're going past the topics pretty quickly. My attention span has been shortened like everybody else's."

So a single program skips merrily along from American soldiers killed in Iraq to a missing Baylor basketball player to the chart-topper: "What's the point of the U.S. Air Guitar Championships? Dude."
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Karenca Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 11:04 AM
Response to Reply #48
49. Except,
the hard news is not being reported by anyone but Keith.
So, instead of misdirecting your anger on the only mouthpiece we have at the moment,
why not direct it at the hundreds of other news stations and papers that are not picking this up at all.
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Snivi Yllom Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 11:20 AM
Response to Reply #49
51. I would not call Coutdown a hard news show, It's more 'latenight talk'
It's very light on the hard news. He spends 90% of his time on the silly, ridiculous, and otherwise worthless Paris Hilton type stories.
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Snivi Yllom Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 11:22 AM
Response to Reply #49
53. If you want to treat a story as serious
you don't promote it in the National Enquirer. KO, is not the Enquirer, but he equates the 10% of hard news he runs with the man bites dog stories.
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Snivi Yllom Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 10:54 AM
Response to Reply #43
45. it doesn't change the fact he gets his checks from MSNBC
He's a media whore, and his pimping sensationalist style of telling stories is not true reporting.

Not only would he F his mother for ratings, he would then pimp her out for a 3 share.
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Miami Liberal Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 02:12 PM
Response to Reply #38
60. Don't you think that's a bit harsh?
He was ridiculed for even mentioning voting irregularities on his show, he stuck his neck out for this story. So he mentions a comment by one of Kerry's lawyers and now he's the devil incarnate?

This story is still unfolding, let's not count all our chickens before they're hatched.
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righteous1 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 10:19 AM
Response to Original message
40. KO is only reporting, if your mad it ought to be at Kerry's lawyer
not Olbermann. The Kerry camp says NO fraud, NO conspiracy, B/C won the election. It's not Olbermann saying this, actually he seems pretty irritated if you read his piece thoroughly
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Junkdrawer Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 10:44 AM
Response to Original message
42. Bill Moyers on MSNBC's Robert Wright...
...

In all three of those cases, confronted with a clear and present danger of punishment, none of the owners flinched. Can we think of a single executive of today’s big media conglomerates showing the kind of resistance that Sulzberger, Graham, and Erwin Knoll did? Certainly not Michael Eisner. He said he didn’t even want ABC News reporting on its parent company, Disney. Certainly not General Electric/NBC’s Robert Wright. He took Phil Donahue off MNBC because the network didn’t want to offend conservatives with a liberal sensibility during the invasion of Iraq. Instead, NBC brought to its cable channel one Michael Savage whose diatribes on radio had described non-white countries as “turd-world nations” and who characterized gay men and women as part of “the grand plan to cut down on the white race.” I am not sure what it says that the GE/NBC executives calculated that while Donahue was offensive to conservatives, Savage was not.

...

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/12/24/1731220
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Name removed Donating Member (0 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 10:55 AM
Response to Original message
46. Deleted message
Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.
 
wicket Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 11:42 AM
Response to Reply #46
55. what do you watch for news then?
n/t
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noamnety Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 10:57 AM
Response to Original message
47. Keith puts his money where his mouth is
Anyone who isn't sure what his ethics are should read his convocation speech: http://www.news.cornell.edu/campus/Olbermann_speech.html

or his salon piece on Rupert Murdoch: http://www.salon.com/news/sports/col/olbermann/2003/02/22/koufax/

Unlike most of the MSM reporters, he knows how to walk away from a situation where his morals are being compromised.
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Walt Starr Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 11:21 AM
Response to Original message
52. KO is the most objective news person out there
Sorry if he reported something a lot of people here don't like, but facts are facts. Kerry is playing a game.
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Snivi Yllom Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 11:34 AM
Response to Reply #52
54. dunno
If KO is the most objective reporter out there we are truly fucked.

KO's style of news is 90% fluff to boost ratings with a 10% pinch of hard news equated with Britney Spears boobs. KO even admits his news is what I call 'fast food' news. Mass consumption news designed to boost ratings.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A54273-2003Jul27?language=printer

In his second incarnation as an MSNBC anchor -- after he famously quit over a show that turned into a Monica Lewinsky talkathon -- the former sportscaster is trying to assemble a new kind of nightly program: "a newscast that moves very quickly and does a lot of silly things in it," he says.

Not that Olbermann ignores serious news. Far from it. On any given night, he'll be talking about Iraq or Liberia -- along with cleavage-baring deodorized bras, scientist Stephen Hawking going to a strip club, topless photos of Cameron Diaz, and Snoop Dogg quitting as host of the raunchy "Girls Gone Wild" videos.

"The traditional hour of news that the networks have tried to do for 50 years just is not going to sell real well with an audience that's gradually had its attention span shrunk over the years," Olbermann says. "They're used to quicker cuts. The in-depth approach is not going to compete. That's what the ratings are showing, unfortunately."

--------------------------------------------------------

You are right a game is being played.
As for what Kerry and his lawyers are up to, I doubt I'm wrong, and I'm 99% convinced it's a 100% political effort, but not the kind of politics that people here are hoping for. I think this is a place holder type of action so it can be claimed later "we tried".
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Walt Starr Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 12:06 PM
Response to Reply #54
56. Actually, I'm with you on both counts
and that speaks volumes as to the sad state of the media, which is the crossroads for advertising, marketing, politics, big business, and nowadays even religion, which is toi say the U.S. media is teh biggest pile of steaming bullshit ever to exist.

That said, the politics of this situaiton is to try and gain a foothold with the 20% of America who beleives this election was stolen.
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Snivi Yllom Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 12:15 PM
Response to Reply #56
57. I figured that's what you were thinking (nt)
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artv28 Donating Member (104 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-28-04 01:35 PM
Response to Original message
59. Would you rather watch O'Rielly or Paula Zahn?
Edited on Tue Dec-28-04 02:18 PM by artv28
KO is clearly the best option for 8PM cable news. Unfortunately even in liberal areas of the northeast, the #1 mis-informer gets 5-6 times more viewers than KO. I think Keith is pretty fair for the most part and sometimes we get upset if he's not as partisan as we would like. It's sad that a guy like O'Lielly dominates the news ratings in a prime-time hour. It makes me wonder if O'Leilly is really a right-wing jackass or does he just do it for the ratings? Unlike KO, people certainly don't watch O'Reilly for his good looks, sense of humor, and balanced news coverage.

KO did get a slight bump since the last sweeps (granted he was on vacation for a week in November and it could have been higher). News ratings in general also went up since the last sweep.


Nov04



Station Program Rating

CNN/BOS PAULA ZA 0.5
FXNC/BOS OREILLY 2.5
MNBC/BOS COUNTDN 0.5

CNN/CLE PAULA ZA 1.0
FXNC/CLE OREILLY 2.4
MNBC/CLE COUNTDN 0.4

CNN/DET PAULA ZA 0.6
FXNC/DET OREILLY 2.0
MNBC/DET COUNTDN 0.6

CNN/NYC PAULA ZA 0.6
FXNC/NYC OREILLY 1.8
MNBC/NYC COUNTDN 0.3

CNN/PHL PAULA ZA 0.6
FXNC/PHL OREILLY 2.0
MNBC/PHL COUNTDN 0.4

CNN/ATL PAULA ZA 1.0
FXNC/ATL OREILLY 3.3
MNBC/ATL COUNTDN 0.2

CNN/TAM PAULA ZA 1.1
FXNC/TAM OREILLY 3.9
MNBC/TAM COUNTDN 0.4


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