Phil Griffin, MSNBC President: We Want To Be Like Fox News

[Are_grits_groceries]

MSNBC President Phil Griffin said in an interview with the Chicago Tribune's Phil Rosenthal that he hopes MSNBC can grow to be more like Fox News, but that he won't be putting any "hard-right shows" on his network.

Griffin praised Fox News chief Roger Ailes for the television phenomenon he's created.

"He's changed media," Griffin said of Ailes. "Everybody does news differently because Roger's changed the world. Roger early on figured it out and was brilliant."

To Griffin, developing a successful cable news network means creating a place for "like-minded" viewers to come for the network's hosts' takes on the news.

"We're talking about the actions and passions of today, which tend to be political," he said.

"I don't think we have quite the passionate support that Fox does," he said. "Some shows do, but as a network we don't. Our prime time is getting there. But that's what we want to get."

But despite the desire to emulate Fox, Griffin insists he would not put on a hardcore conservative news show. "Could we put on a hard-right show? No. It wouldn't fit," he said. "I want flow."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/03/phil-griffin-msnbc-presid_n_560746.html

Well, I can see Maddow and Olberman flowing out of the door. They aren't like anybody else there.

[joeybee12]

1. Yup, in the age of cable news, news has become entertainment...just

give people what they want...don't inform them...just pander.

[tblue]

12. The news is cancelled.

I can't find it on tv anywhere. Infomercials, newstalk maybe. But news-news is nowhere to be found.

[ginnyinWI]

25. try PBS.

Yes it is slow-paced. But it's real news.

[Ron Green]

34. You're kidding, right?

PBS news is paid for by Chevron, Bank of America and Monsanto. How much "real news" are they going to allow?

[Donnachaidh]

40. nah -- I'll take BBC America over PBS any day of the week. n/t

[Mojeoux]

42. True and they show it on PBS, but I think they want more lefties like Rachel

IMO the MSNBC guy figures that if fox stirs up shit and makes news, why not have left wingers stirring shit the other way.
There has to be a market, I mean lefties voted in Obama in a landslide.

[chillspike]

2. msnbc should offer

janeane garofalo a show.

who else?

[aquart]

3. "Flow"? WTF is "flow"?

[maxsolomon]

7. flow is an ideological consistency between programs

it won't work - liberals are too skeptical to have the same brand loyalty as Fox viewerbots.

[Caliman73]

41. I agree

While neither the left/liberals nor the right/conservatives are a true monolith of ideology, Fox news and history have certainly shown that Conservative ideology can be crystallized and packaged more neatly than Liberal thought. It is organic to conservative thinking to idealize a reference point in history or traditions that need to be kept. Liberal thought on the other hand has a basic core, but evolves as society changes. It would be exceedingly difficult to encapsulate that concept into a corporate network.

[RandomThoughts]

Well there are a few meanings.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)


I actually believe in part of that concept, a person must focus to get things done anywhere in life, but there is another meaning to it based on the river.


It is also why I say the spiritual has been used by some in power for years in secret, although you could argue if what they are experiencing is turning to good or bad, I would say look at the fruits to know.

They have been doing it to dominate, and then turn around and tell people it does not exist as they do what their group likes best for themselves. There are many people that just have it happen to them based on their spirit, something many call muse, while others know it is happening.

One of the reasons I think it is important for people to know the supernatural exists, although I disagree with the forms some think on.

But the people in power been using the supernatural for self gain and social things for years, and the supernatural has also helped good people in power, so it is not that easy to quantify or say who is more good or more bad.


Note that my beliefs on the supernatural is that it works through people both good and bad, so you have to find the good in things, and try not to be used for bad.

But that depends on way you think is good and bad.


If you think this is wrong, then explain the ceremonies at places like Bohemian Grove Or the Ceremonies in some secret fraternities.



Basically from my observations, it works to form a resonance wave, basically timed individual items in sequence to form a wave. If timed right they build on each other in cascade form like dominoes. Although I do not see that as supernatural, although things that are true are true in many places so that might be it also, but it does seem to be an effect that I have seen. To stop it, you just knock out a dominoe. That is breaking it, where momentum is stopped, but that takes timing also. But again that is just best explanation by observation.

I think things that happen are each pieces of some bigger part. But again it can be good or bad from what I have seen, and note that I do not do those things, but I have observed some of them happening.

[spanone]

4. news is NOT for like minded viewers.....we're fucked

[onehandle]

5. Fox News, but with truth instead of lies. I don't see Maddow and Olberman leaving unless...

...unless they get a big three network offer.

Could be worse.

[Arkana]

13. Yeah. Chasing Olbermann and Maddow away would kill off a good 50-60% of their viewer base

immediately.

[h9socialist]

23. And the wheels at MSNBC know it!

[kjackson227]

6. This would be MSNBC Network suicide. Any network president...

who would want to emulate Faux News gets the side-eye from me. Wonder if MSNBC can get rid of this guy. Hope Keith covers this tonight.

[lazarus]

8. what's hurting their ratings

is that they're not on the basic tier everywhere. For instance, I get a standard def feed for them here on Cox, but HD for Fox and CNN. My mom's on Dish, and she doesn't even get MSNBC. But she sure gets Fox and CNN.

NBC/Universal needs to flex their muscles and get MSNBC on the basic tier across the country. CNN will fall to a well deserved third place across the board.

[RainDog]

9. tv will be the last refuge of stupid white people

and everyone else will be watching shows online.

[pinboy3niner]

10. He's saying K.O. and Rachel are the kind of shows they WANT

They are the "some shows" that have passionate support, and ". . . that's what we want to get."

[Parker CA]

14. That's how I read it too, not that they want to go right.

[Are_grits_groceries]

15. Here's what caught my eye:

"creating a place for "like-minded" viewers to come for the network's hosts' takes on the news."

That sounds like Faux.

[pinboy3niner]

27. He means to appeal to like-minded moonbat viewers, not wingnuts

He wants to emulate Fox in capitalizing on partisan appeal. Not copy fox's spin right, but do the same thing by by appealing to the LEFT.

[Are_grits_groceries]

32. "like-minded moonbat viewers, not wingnuts"

Moonbats? Who are you calling moonbats exactly?

[pinboy3niner]

37. Calm down--it's a term of affection

Righties are called wingnuts and lefties are called moonbats. I wear the label "moonbat" proudly. A lot of leftists refer to themselves as moonbats.

My point is that MSNBC wants to copy Fox's strategy of targeting one part of the political spectrum. He's not saying he wants to go after Fox's part of the spectrum, just that he wants to use the same APPROACH--in MSNBC's case, by appealing to partisans on the LEFT.

[Are_grits_groceries]

38. Ok

I'm calm. I was waiting for a reply. I never heard the moonbat as leftie idea before.

[onehandle]

19. That's exactly right. nt

[kjackson227]

22. This is true, but he still should've clarified himself more...

by denouncing the way Faux News lies in order to achieve those numbers. Maybe if he would get rid of Morning Joke and put in a more progressive show in it's place, the ratings might get better. Also, bring back Schuster.

[Rex]

11. Be more like Fox News!? More propaganda and less actual news?

Whatever, good luck with that crowd.

[winstars]

21. I am confused also but...

You would think that he could/would know how to speak clearly but maybe he means he would like to be like Faux News as in bigger ratings for MSNBC??? Other than that, he seems like an asshole for even wishing to be anything like those fucks!!!


AND BRING BACK DAVID SHUSTER WHILE YOU ARE AT IT!!!

[ginnyinWI]

30. if he wants MSNBC to be a left leaning version of FOX

then I'm doubly glad we have decided to cut the cable. I mean who wants to be pandered to and told only part of the truth?

Never trust someone who only wants your eyeballs glued to their commercials.

[Skidmore]

16. Anyone know how to contact this man?

He needs feedback.

[grasswire]

20. yes

[e-mail]

He has written back to me several times.

[tridim]

17. Suspending one of their best daytime truth-tellers was a good start toward that goal

[KharmaTrain]

55. Schuster Violated His Contract...

He not only broke his contract with a company that gave him a break, he did a pilot for a competitor. It'd be like your favorite ballplayer doing a tryout for your rival DURING the season. Griffin was right in suspending him. Just as I don't like when an employer screws someone over in their contract (been there, done that) the same goes for some employee loyalty while signed to the dotted line.

[blucaller]

59. No. He. Did. Not.

He would have been summarily fired had he broken his contract. Griffin has put a gag order on all MSNBC employees regarding his personal vendetta against Shuster and you are only getting the corporate suit side of the story. Shuster is represented by N.S. Bienstock, a highly professional and reputable firm that would have never let him violate his contract. Griffin had made it clear he would not advance or be renewed when his contract expired. All Tees were crossed and Is dotted before he went on that audition on his own dime.
While Griffin can defame Shuster with impunity, Shuster would be in violation of his contract if he defended himself in any way, because he could be said to be questioning Griffins veracity. Does that sound like a fair deal to you? And none of his cohorts are allowed to speak up for him.

The cable universe is so small it would be impossible not to test with a competitor in his situation.

I stand with one of the hardest working journalists in television, and not this petty jerk that wants to emulate FOX News.

PUNISH DAVID SHUSTER WITH HIS OWN SHOW FaceBook Group: <http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=108187419213145&ref=mf>

sign the Bring Back David Shuster Petition: <http://www.petitiononline.com/NewsFans/petition.html>

[KharmaTrain]

61. Yep...Broke His Contract...Pure & Simple...

He was still signed on the dotted line, period. If he was unhappy or felt there was some kind of "vendetta" or was told he wasn't going to be renewed, he has representation that is paid to put out the feelers and handle the negotiations, not the talent. As long as Shuster was under contract to GE, he was in breach of that agreement by auditioning for CNN no matter what his his "highly reputable" law firm is. If he was force out or there was some kind of "vendetta" that kept him off the air or that he was discriminated against, that's also why you have an agent...and that a suit would have been filed against GE if he was so wronged. It hasn't happened.

Yes, cable teevee is small...thus Chicken Noodle Nuze pretty much knew what David can do and could have waited until his current deal had expired before approaching him...or giving him an "audition". In sports such an action would be considered "tampering". Once again, a contract is a contract...when your name is signed on the dotted line, you are there to serve the employer and when you go across the street and try out for the competition you are surely not serving your present employer.

This has nothing to do with David's abilities as a reporter...which I highly respect and I hope he does eventually land on CNN or wherever, but what he did was outright insuborination and there's no way to justify it...especially with a press release from his agent.

[blucaller]

65. Your certitude is weird unless you've seen his contract

and if that is the case you should put your money where your mouth is and post it. The agency I referred to is one of the top talent agencies in the country and they sent him out, in his best interest, and in full compliance with the contract. If he had broken the contract Griffin would have summarily fired him and would have legal justification for doing so.
As it stands, all Griffin can do is keep him off the air, pay him, and muzzle every other NBC employee with his customary warning they will be fired if they violate his edict.

[grasswire]

18. he didn't help his flow by suspending David Shuster

I'm honestly beginning to think Griffin is having an emotional meltdown.

[mod mom]

24. "hardcore conservative news show" isn't the problem-it's that they lie and give misinformation.

[Egnever]

26. You fail at reading comprehension

He is saying he wants to bring in more like minded shows so the channel has a continuity to its programing like foox does. That means more Rachel and Kieth flowing in the door not out.

[Are_grits_groceries]

33. He said "like-minded viewers", but

except for KO, Rachel and Ed, the rest of the network is more like Morning Shmoe.

[Egnever]

50. he also said it was the evening programing

that was providing the little continuity they had. If I were morning joe I would be worried about my job.

[Egnever]

51. The money quote

That makes this OP look silly.

"I don't think we have quite the passionate support that Fox does," he said. "Some shows do, but as a network we don't. Our prime time is getting there. But that's what we want to get."

It takes a special lack of reading comprehension to morph that into Rachael and Kieth are on their way out the door.

[Hekate]

28. MSNBC does that and I will be gone. Rachel Maddow can find a niche at PBS, but Keith would ...

... have to make a decision whether to kick the dial up to "crazy" and stay or tone it down and find another venue for his sharp intellect.

Crap. Emulating FAUX News will mean the terrorists have won -- or some other such hyperbolic analogy. :-(

Hekate

[Zoeisright]

29. Oh yes, lying and inciting violence is something you want to emulate.

Griffin is a buffoon and an asshole.

[Blue Owl]

31. The ONLY saving grace of MSNBC

is Keith and Rachel

The rest of that shit-filled propaganda network can go to hell -- especially if they think FOX news is something to be emulated.

[librechik]

35. so when will we see Joe Shmoe and Mika cancelled?

hard right shows not desirable, he said. Oh, I imagine he imagines that's a centrist show. Besides, it flows. Kinda like the Deep Horizon gusher.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

36. Relax, everyone. He's not saying he want's to copy Faux's RW slant.

[izzybeans]

39. I wonder what a channel that contained only shows led by scholars

would look like.

Imagine if CNBC was ran by Neil Fligstein or MSNBC had a show focused on politics hosted by Theda Skocpol, CNN had a show on globalization hosted by Immanuel Wallerstein. Would the world be a better place if our talking heads actually knew a little about what they were saying? Or are we doomed for this asinine bullshit forever?

I mean Glenn Beck uses a chalkboard right? Can't we actually find someone to write on the board legibly for once?

[Caliman73]

46. Depends on the delivery.

There has been a tension between scholars and the average person in the history of the US and I suppose globally. Some people aren't big into "them smart folk" telling us what we should know.

Rachel Maddow is very intelligent and well read, but delivers the information in a way that people can relate to it. Still she is vilified by the right such that she has been used to drum up campaign funding for some conservatives. Conversely, some of the worst professors I had in school were some of the most brilliant scholars. I remember one astronomy professor was involved in Hubble, and had named several celestial objects through his research, but man that guy was terrible at presenting information.

It would really depend on how the information was presented. I for one, would like to see intelligent, educated, and articulate presenters in the news.

[izzybeans]

48. Totally agree,

like any profession there are horrible communicators who can't break things down outside of the jargon of their work.

I just get troubled by the whole "Fox as the model" talk when it comes to "news" and wonder what the alternate universe would be like; the one where the commentators were experts in the objects they commented upon, instead of political hacks whose knowledge begins in talking points and ends at the end of the daily memo. Academics can get all red in the face and puff up their chests too. Maddow is the closest we have to a knowledgeable commentator and she does a wonderful job. She's the only talking head on cable news I watch any more. Though sometimes I do take a peak just in case one of them finally pulls a Howard Beale.

[Junkie Brewster]

43. I think this sounds like he wants to be the liberal answer to Faux

More power to him if that's the case, I say. The first thing they should do is give Ron Reagan his own show- so what if it's broadcast out of Seattle? That guy is a terrific host, studious, up-to-speed on the issues, polite but insistant. Then, they should make Joe Conason a guest commentator- for some reason, I don't think he'd like his own show. And while we're talking more freuent guests, how about Donna Shalala, Gloria Steinem and Robert Reich getting more face time? Also, I think they should get Morgan Spurlock's 30 Days show- the ones he did on mine workers, life on minimum wage, and immigration were beautiful examples of liberalism in action.

OOOOH! I think I just gave myself a little nerdgasm!

:blush:

[lib2DaBone]

44. Cable News.. same category as WWF and Monster Truck pulls...

..although the Monster Trucks have a lot more merit... Bigfoot and Gravedigger..

[Echo In Light]

45. After they canned Phil Donahue during the 'selling' of aggression it should have been obvious

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

47. I think you missed his point

I think he's saying they want more passion on the shows, without saying he wants it to be liberal.

[Froward69]

49. If you can Get MSNBC on Basic cable like fox is.

then you are on to something. the Other aspect is to get every waiting room in the country to tune in.

otherwise it is a pipe dream to reach as many as Faux.

[AnArmyVeteran]

52. What's Phil Griffin, Roger Ailes & 69 have in common?

I suppose as in love with each other as they seem to be they should consummate their relationship. It's sickening hearing the head of MSNBC lapping at Ailes like he did something good. It obviously shows Griffin is nothing but a whore himself who only cares about money. What a sad piece of shit Griffin is...

Griffin when asked if he was going to take MSNBC in a hard right direction he answered "it wouldn't fit', meaning he would do anything for money, even sell out everyone on his network who has integrity and become just like Fox. What a piece of shit Griffin is. Is there anyone at the top of any corporation who isn't a complete whore?

[lonestarnot]

53. OMG what a choice of role model

:puke: What an idiot!

[caty]

54. I want the truth.

I don't want the news to lean to the left or the right. I just want to know what is really going on. If someone is going to run a "news" network, then I want the "news". Not what someone thinks they should say. Not what someone thinks I want to hear. We can't make an intelligent decision if we don't get the facts.

[pinboy3niner]

58. Griffin's not talking here about news shows

He's talking about news/commentary programs like Keith and Rachel, which don't pretend to be nonpartisan. MSNBC still has straight news programs like those featuring Contessa Brewer, Alex Witt and Andrea Mitchell.

[Duer 157099]

56. The very definition of "misguided" personified n/t

[Initech]

57. Liberal media, my ass.

[Are_grits_groceries]

60. I am a complete idiot who is not able to read and comprehend, but

I don't trust Phil Griffin. Do you?

Schuster was canned.

MSNBC is a corporate entity and thus at the mercy of their masters. You believe that an uproar about Keith and Rachel would assure their return if they were let go. Since when do they listen to the left which comprises a lot of their viewers?

Rachel does a great job. However, IMHO she is skating right on the edge by tweaking some very powerful people who move silently behind the scenes. I do not believe they are ignoring her. They are just waiting.

If her reporting really begins to penetrate the MSM to a large extent, I wonder what will happen. She has had an effect regarding C Street and the kill the gays in Uganda law.

I'll get my :tinfoilhat:

[MilesColtrane]

62. Just the other day I was thinking that there aren't enough bloviating jagoffs...

spinning factual information in the service of a political agenda.

Thanks MSNBC.

[CBGLuthier]

63. Brilliant? That's like saying John Holmes perfected lovemaking.

[watercolors]

64. I stoped veiwing MSNBC over a year ago

Morning JERK made me realize were they were heading, along with a few other so called anchors?

[ShamelessHussy]

66. Moaning Joe with Shrieka Brzezinski are the tells - hopefully this doesn't mean Joe, Keith, and Rach

need to start looking for other work.