MSNBC should phase out its all-white lineup and have all its primetime shows hosted by blacks

[Empowerer]

That would make a very powerful statement!

They wouldn't, of course, have to fire anyone. But whenever a host decides to leave, they would just be replaced by a black host. In the meantime, MSNBC could begin to identify great potential black host and then groom them to take over, the way they've groomed Rachel, Nate Silver, Cenk, Willie Geist, Dylan Ratigan, Lawrence O'Donnell, etc. so they'll be ready to step in when the time comes.

[hlthe2b]

1. I would encourage bringing in one or more hosts of color, but why ALL?

Why would it be necessary to have all of them be African American (or perhaps, Hispanic. You surely note that there are no major Latino hosts of the big three cable channel shows either. :shrug:

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Empowerer]

7. Really? What's racist about this suggesttion?

I'm not saying blacks are better than whites. I'm just saying that having an all-black primetime lineup would be very compelling. They should consider it.

[Supersedeas]

14. Replace them all....really?

[RichGirl]

15. Nobody should be hired based on race, sexual orientation or sex...PERIOD.

[Supersedeas]

18. is there something about "should be" that you misunderstand....it is time for white progressives to

step aside...it is time to be phased out.

[Ter]

20. Without white progressives, Obama wouldn't be President

Try winning a Presidential race without a single white vote.

[Empowerer]

21. He wouldn't be president without progressives, period

Which includes black progressives, something some so-called progressives seem not to know.

[Dennis Donovan]

3. Isn't this your second post suggesting such a thing?

:shrug:

[Empowerer]

5. No - my earlier post suggested they replace KO with a black host

Now, after more thought, I'm suggesting that they replace ALL the primetime hosts with black hosts.

I don't think any current host should be fired. But when they move on, just move a black person into their place.

[Supersedeas]

29. and after more thought, that suggestion was recast as merely a thought experiment...

[provis99]

4. I don't care what color they are; I just want liberal fireballs.

If it turns out the way to go is an all-black lineup, so be it.

[DesertFlower]

6. i don't understand the logic.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Empowerer]

9. You're right - it might drive some white viewers away

But I'll bet that would be made up for - and then some - with the number of new black viewers it would attract.

[Supersedeas]

22. Let's see: replace Rachel with Ron Christie and then hope for the Conservative attitude takes root

surely the numbers should balance out....right?

[Donald Ian Rankin]

32. I think demographics make that unlikely.

75% of the US population is white.

So if you lose 20% of your white viewers, you need a 60% increas in non-white viewers to cover it.

(Yes, I know, I'm making all sorts of unwarranted assumptions about initial viewer demographics mirroring those of the country, but I hope the general point is clear).

[Empowerer]

33. I don't agree that such a shift would be impossible - or even difficult

You're right that we're just guessing since the basis should be viewer demographics, not the national population. But assuming the pool of current and potential viewers mirrors the national population and also assuming that MSNBC's current minority viewership is small, which is highly likely, it would not be difficult at all to double minority viewership by integrating the lineup and including people who look like them.

In addition, they would surely attract other white, progressive viewers for the same reason. Several of my white friends and colleagues refuse to watch these shows - and wonder why I do - because they are so disgusted with their lack of diversity. This concern is not a "black issue" or a "minority issue." It is an issue for all progressives - or at least it should be.

[BadDog40]

10. Liberals are all colors, get over yourself

[dkf]

11. Isn't that racist?

You would kick Rachel out because she is white?

[MadBadger]

12. The OP will say that she can stay, but when she moves on, hire a black person

And the same about other hosts.


I call it racist too.

[Arkana]

13. Besides being the ultimate shameful pandering, it's completely stupid.

Disqualifying someone because of the color of their skin is retarded whether the person is black OR white. This isn't central casting--we get the best people for the jobs and we go from there.

[Supersedeas]

16. replacing Rachel with a JC Watts, an Alan Keys or an Allen West type

Maybe Ken Blackwell or Michael Steele will satisfy those looking for strict racial qualification to replace white liberals.

[Empowerer]

23. So, only whites have been hired to host primetime because they're the best qualified?

No discrimination, racial preferences or exclusion has been involved?

What if, moving forward, the most qualified people just happen to be black so the cable networks hire only black hosts for their primetime shows as a result. Would you be ok with an all-black lineup under those circumstances?

[Supersedeas]

24. As opposed to being phased out (disqualified ) because they are not black enough for you?

What if....Ron Christie is the most qualified black of the candidates the cable networks interview for their primetime show...would adding Ron to the lineup contribute to the diversity of IDEAS that you feel deserve a little PHASE OUT in order to satisfy your need for a little racial cleaning?

[Empowerer]

25. Now you're just being silly

I was responding to the argument that "we get the best people for the jobs and we go from there." Obviously, being a progressive is one of the criteria required to be "the best person for the job" or else you'd have no problem if Rachel or Keith were replaced by a white conservative.

We're not talking about hiring conservatives, white or black, so your red herring is just that.

[Supersedeas]

28. Odd, I didn't find anything in your OP to suggest being progressive was a key critieria at all

But, because I point out that missing premise, suddenly I'm guilty of being silling and forwarding red herrings.

Damn, your rules of logic really do stretch considerably...and in one direction...your way or now way.

Silly....you must be trying to convince yourself of something.

[totodeinhere]

17. What about having some Hispanic, Native American, and Asian hosts as well?

Blacks are not the only underrepresented minority.

[golfguru]

19. I support replacing KO with a black American.

[Empowerer]

26. Of course I don't really think MSNBC should do this. It was a thought experiment.

It would be wrong for a network to hire only black hosts, just like it's wrong for them to hire only white hosts - which is exactly what MSNBC and CNN do.

For more discussion, see:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x596879

[Supersedeas]

27. it would be a powerful statement...a powerfully racisti statement

[Rosa Luxemburg]

30. They are white channels

their corporate masters say so

[Empowerer]

31. They are "white channels" because the audience seems to have no problem with it

If the audience - which is supposedly progressive - actually acted on its principles and demanded diversity as strongly as it demands progressive voices, this would change.

But given some of the attitudes expressed herein, that doesn't seem likely to happen any time soon.

[cherokeeprogressive]

34. I'm curious about what kind of "powerful statement" you think it would make.

You also seem to be making the assumption that the loss of white viewers would be made up by a gain in black ones. I agree there might be more black viewers after such a policy is adopted, but not in the numbers necessary. I'm sorry, but I don't think that many black viewers sit breathlessly in front of their televisions to see what Keith, Rachel, Ed, Cenk, Dylan, and others have to say day in and day out, and I don't think it's because of the race of the hosts. Most of the information is repeated time and time again on a daily basis anyway.

Making the claim that more black viewers would watch punditry shows simply because the hosts are black comes off as racist in my mind, and I would repeat what was asked in another reply which you didn't answer... why not a Latino or Native American host? Why black only?