How to Make Sure the Maddow Show Survives

[babsbunny]

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/143212/how_to_make_sure_the_maddow_show_survives

Posted by Amanda Marcotte, Comment Is Free at 6:00 AM on October 12, 2009.

Post-election, liberals appear to be turning off their TVs. We can't afford to lose the sole voice of intellectual liberalism in the cable news desert.


Rachel Maddow first came on my radar in the spring of 2004, when she, along with Lizz Winstead and Chuck D of Public Enemy hosted an early morning radio show called Unfiltered on the newly minted Air America, an attempt to counter rightwing talk radio with liberal programming.

Radio has this ability to make the listener feel like they share a secret with the hosts and the few, hard-to-know listeners out there. I hoped people tuned in to listen to the hosts trade jokes and talk about politics and music, and mostly I wanted other people to learn about this Maddow character, who brought to every episode a dynamic mix of sparkling good humour, intelligent analysis and a broad view of what issues should matter.

[Razoor]

1. really hope that her show stays on the air

I look forward to her and KO's show each weekday. would be a shame to see it go. but ill write MSNBC

[SemiCharmedQuark]

2. I watch her every day on Podcast...

I didn't know her show was in trouble.

[VenusRising]

3. I've actually turned her back on since the election.

Some of her pre-elections segments drove me bonkers and drove me away from her show. I think her show is much better now that's she's settled into a normal pace. I :loveya: Rachel, and hope she stays on.

[Riley18]

4. Seems like an excuse to take her off the air. Beck lost advertisers and still on Fox.

[Middle finga]

5. Why would MSNBC discontinue Maddow's show?

Outside of Faux Newz she has the second highest rated cable news program, Keith is the number one non-fox cable news show. All cable news shows ratings are down. Faux news don't count in my book.

Source

[Blue-Jay]

6. Don't worry. She's not going anywhere.

Check out the Meet The Press ratings when she's a guest.

[RoccoR5955]

7. Rachel is a breath of fresh air.

And I know, that at least in my area, more people are actually turning ON their TVs, just to watch her!
Then again, I live in an extremely liberal area.
I don't see where the article is coming from, other than trying to get more audience for her.

[Cowpunk]

8. I don't get the title.

It seems to imply that the article will explain how to make sure the Maddow show survives.

[Cowpunk]

9. Don't read this

Computer glitch

[TheWebHead]

10. I think the show's fairly safe

since they've been pretty consistently beating LKL, with Keith trouncing campbell brown. CNN's issues with ratings I think provide a layer of protection for both Keith and Rachel.

[dogknob]

11. OK... ONE MORE TIME!

Rachel, Keith et al face a very real threat. Thanks to their bosses (General Electric), they cannot report on the threat. GE is cool with the fact that the liberal movement has made them a few bucks. However, when faced with the very real grassroots movement their broadcasts have helped create, GE has apparently chosen to align themselves with the GOP. While everyone's attention has been focused on the healthcare debate, corporations like Comcast have been winning in the US court of appeals against the FCC. The FCC told Comcast that they can't own more than 30% of the cable TV market. Comcast, backed by Kay whasshername from Texas and much of the GOP, not only got the US 9th District court of appeals to overturn the restriction, but got them to admonish the FCC in the process.

While the case awaits the next go-around, Comcast has been systematically removing MSNBC from its basic cable service nationwide.

Being a major ISP as well, if Comcast, Verizon, Cox et al win this fight, it will apply to the Net Neutrality issue as well. If they win, you will one day click on your bookmark for DU and be redirected to a page from your ISP informing you that this page is accessible only to members of a "premium" plan.

Poor people with internet access got Obama elected and got HCR on the table. Realizing that those fights are lost, the GOP has decide to "pull the weed at the roots" and get rid of the public forum that has busted them into the minority.

The stories are out there, but you won't be hearing them from Rachel and Keith.

[Skittles]

12. worthy of its own thread

or has it already been its own thread? :hi:

[nc4bo]

15. +1. I'm right there with Skittles: Definitely worthy of its own thread.

Sometimes it's not enough to just know that consolidated media is not only bad for America but dangerous, it's also good to know just how big media (including cable/satellite providers) manipulates and slithers past laws and protections (those that are left anyway).

[TicketyBoo]

16. This sounds like doom and gloom.

I think it's not going to happen.

MSNBC? Although the connection isn't as obvious as Fox and Murdoch, MSNBC is aligned with Microsoft (the "MS," ergo, Bill Gates).

Bill Gates, the richest man in the world, doesn't make a lot of political statements, but you just know he's a Democrat. I don't think he's going to sit still for the internet (or MSNBC) to be squelched.

If you really think this is a problem, I'd advise writing some letters to Bill Gates (and his buddy Warren Buffett, the second-richest man in the world, also a Democrat).

We do have some rich and powerful men in our corner.

[mimitabby]

13. that's odd

Rachel Maddow is the only thing I DO watch on TV, well, except for an occasional Olbermann!

[kjackson227]

14. Rachel has THE best news and information show on the tube...

it would be ashame to lose her.

[Cleita]

17. Rachel is not going anywhere. She has good ratings and any time she guests

on other shows like MTP, their ratings skyrocket.

[mzmolly]

18. Not only Maddow, but Olbermann and Ed Schults and MSNBC period. WATCH PEOPLE!!!

:hi:

[Echo In Light]

19. K&R for Rachel

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

20. Give her Meet The Press

Let her be a participating moderator and go back to when they actually had a panel of journalists asking the questions

[HootieMcBoob]

21. If you have a directv record them

I'm pretty sure that directv shares that information with networks. If you watch the show and record it you are voting for the show. I record Ed, Keith and Rachel every night.