MSNBC to drop Saturday afternoon newscasts, go to taped programming

[DeepModem Mom]

Inside Cable News: June 29, 2007
MSNBC to drop Saturday afternoon newscasts…

Starting this weekend, MSNBC will drop its 12-4 newscast on Saturdays in favor of taped programming. There was a rumor circulating that was just a test run but that is apparently not the case. I hear it’s long term.

The network had originally added the 12-4pm shift with Contessa Brewer back at the end of 2005. The network dropped its Sunday 12-4 newscast due to ratings last December. When Norah O’Donnell went on maternity leave and Alison Stewart left the network and The Most was cancelled, Brewer was moved to M-Fr daytime and a group of subs anchored the Saturday afternoon newscast. Now that too is going away. Again, apparently, ratings are the issue.

MSNBC would point out that it is ready to handle any breaking news that should happen and cut in if necessary as they did last Saturday when it reported the discovery of Jessie Davis’ body. But the fact remains that MSNBC’s competition will have regularly scheduled live newscasts throughout various periods in the afternoon and evening and MSNBC won’t.

http://insidecable.blogsome.com/2007/06/29/msnbc-to-drop-saturday-afternoon-newscasts/

[global1]

1. Some News Channel.......nt

[spanone]

2. who would notice???

maybe we could get 24/7 nancy grace????

[leftofthedial]

3. except for Countdown,

they could go taped 24X7X365 and it wouldn't matter.

[blitzen]

4. great, more reruns of To Catch a Predator and Life Inside San Quentin n/t

[KoKo]

5. Yep ....Dan Abrams has turned it into "crime most times" it seems.

And..they seem to have simulcast with CNN for terra reports. Not much knew on there.

[KharmaTrain]

6. The Belt Tightens Another Notch

The downsizing of network news is one of the big causes of the "Dirty Laundry" journalism we get today. If it bleeds it leads...and make it a story that's cheap to cover and manipulate. News now is a "product"...it's manufactured, sex-up and dumbed down to make it as "entertaining" as possible.

MSNBC's been hurting for a long time...poor ratings in most dayparts...and their answer? Cheapening the product more...saving a couple bucks and hoping for a little luck.

[stellanoir]

7. Oh goodie. . .

we can revisit the Paris drama and maybe resurrect ANS endlessly.

Can't wait. . .

In truth, I don't have cable and will not and get some of KO's stuff online.

Better for my sanity really.

In actuality maybe the 24/7 train wreck of the "snooze" is being reassessed.

Fairness doctraine anyone. . .?

[glowing]

8. Wouldn't it make sense to report real news like Keith does? They

might actually see an increase in viewership. Everyone turns the channel when the taped re-runs come on. If they for one second posted half of the news I can get from this board, they would have an audience come back to them.

People are starting to catch onto the fact that the news lies, distorts issues, and can't be trusted. Also, I think people are tired of Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, and Lindsey Lohan when there are more important issues... like jobs, war, govt corruption, healthcare, and education. People might not always know the issues, but they do know what is right and is wrong and when they spend and spend and spend and see nothing in return.

[xultar]

9. OH MY FUCKING GAWD! They shouldn't even be considered as a news channel.

[JerseygirlCT]

10. Oh no! Please oh please oh please never ever again start

those insipid Headliners and Legends canned things!

Or those awful prison stories, or really ANY of their canned programming. It sucks. It sucks big.

Why would anyone watch it?

[morningglory]

12. Why in holy hell can't they re-run Olbermann?!! n/t

[JerseygirlCT]

13. That would be a massive improvement over the recycled slop they use now.

Are you old enough to remember tv before cable? Late night tv -- before the stations signed off for the night? The junk that you'd get on then?

Yeah, that's what the junk MSNBC runs (Headliners, prison shows ad nauseum) reminds me of.

[emdee]

11. It's a better decision than giving Coulter an hour to spew hatred...

like they did on Hardball last week.

Are they really that desperate? It seems that any of the presidential candidates would be at-the-ready to be a guest and yet they give her a whole hour to wish death to us. Thanks, ~Hardball~.

emdee