Re: Keith resigning/ousted/whatever happened...it just doesn't matter.

[itsallhappening]

If you look at the actual number of people who watch all of the talking bobble-heads on all of the cable "news" shows, it's just over 5 million people combined.

That's just over (drumroll, please) 1.5% of the population!

Big deal. Most people don't even know who these people are, much less give a damn what they're instructing their viewers to think.

[Name removed]

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[niyad]

2. you are seriously lumping KO, Rachel, etc, with limpballs, beckerhead, etc/

I would say, welcome to DU, but doubt you will be here that long.

[itsallhappening]

4. The numbers are facts. That's all I'm saying.

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[itsallhappening]

9. What? It's an opinion show.

That's what those shows are there for.

But that's not the point, really. The ratings and numbers are facts. Check tvbythenumbers.com for all of the ratings. Hardly anyone watches these shows.

[Angry Dragon]

19. And why do you feel it is an opinion show??

[itsallhappening]

24. Because part of the reason I watch Keith, Rachel and Ed is that I know

where they stand.

The reason I don't watch Hannity and Beck and the rest of Faux is that I know where they stand.

We probably are just alike in that regard.

[Angry Dragon]

31. However that does not make it an opinion show

opinions based on facts does not make it an opinion show

[itsallhappening]

33. So those shows are just recitation of facts?

[Angry Dragon]

36. Depends on which shows you are talking about

[itsallhappening]

61. The prime-time cable political talk shows on all the networks.

[Angry Dragon]

76. Don't even try to compare those as being the same

Fox is cable and uses no facts

[Marie Marie]

5. You may be right however,

this viewer is really going to miss him. Just liked his style.

[itsallhappening]

11. On a personal level, sure. I was just citing the numbers.

[wisteria]

41. Oh, a numbers and $$$ person. I hope another cable network picks him up, just to

prove to Comcast that they really screwed up on this one. If this is the new NSNBC, I will be happy to end my time with them and Comcast.

[itsallhappening]

58. Yeah. I like facts.

[blogslut]

6. Okay

You keep telling yourself that 5 million people mean nothing.

[itsallhappening]

16. I will.

In a nation of 300+ million, that's not a lot of people. All of those viewers from all of the cable shows combined don't even equal the viewers who watch Katie Couric in one night.

[blogslut]

25. Okie dokey

But in a nation where a bare minimum of the population makes an effort to VOTE, the people who faithfully watch political television are probably more likely to be voters. It matters.

[itsallhappening]

28. 132,618,580 people voted in 2008.

5 million viewers on all of cable opinion shows.

That's 3.7% of the people who voted.

I stand by the point based on the facts/numbers.

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0781453.html

[blogslut]

32. You ever hear of a thing called

"word of mouth"?

I'm going to leave you now. Good luck with your agenda.

[itsallhappening]

34. Yes, I have.

My agenda is facts.

[Name removed]

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[itsallhappening]

14. OK.

?

[movonne]

8. It may not make much difference to you...but most of the people here

like Keith...I don't care how many people hear him..I want to..

[itsallhappening]

15. True. I was addressing some of the views about how it will impact

the electorate. I don't think the numbers support that.

[Name removed]

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[Motown_Johnny]

12. but some of the stories covered there do find their way to the network news shows

Rachel keeps covering the bomb in Spokane while nobody else seems to be

Yesterday I saw a piece on it on my local news (in Detroit)


I have no evidence to support the assumption that Rachel's coverage contributed to this but it may have been a factor.

[itsallhappening]

18. That's a good point.

I'm sure some of it starts on cable. It's just a fact, though, that on a nightly basis 98.4% of the country is not watching any cable opinion shows.

[October]

60. Most of the country doesn't listen to Limbaugh either. Another fact. /nt

[itsallhappening]

63. Absolutely. He even lies about his listenership.

I remember a ditto-head telling me once that Limbaugh said he has 20 million listeners per week.

Per week?

Well, that's 4 million/day (if THAT'S even true).

Very small number of people.

[grasswire]

13. but you took the trouble to register on DU...

...to tell us it doesn't matter?

[itsallhappening]

20. No, Been registered here a few months. Mostly read stuff here.

[arcane1]

17. True, but there are only 166,913 users here on DU

that number doesn't change the fact that I would be very sad to lose it :(

[itsallhappening]

21. Agree. On an individual preference basis, that's true.

My point was about the effect on the country at large.

[drm604]

22. Amazing.

People think we're stupid.

[ornotna]

23. "instructing their viewers to think"

You're funny.

[rustydog]

26. You either are very naive or have humongous cojones making

a post like this with such a partisan audience. Keith is like a God to some who post here, and with so few posts to give us a feel for your point of view and beliefs,you are verrryyy suspicious!

Welcome to DU. I hope you have thick skin!

[itsallhappening]

29. I have thick skin. It's just words on the Internet. The numbers/facts speak

for themselves.

[October]

66. Numbers are interesting.

For example...

In the U.S., majority does not rule. Every state -- regardless of population -- gets 2 Senators.

A progressive voice/opinion is important and can educate. Even if it's only a small percentage -- it matters, and your numbers are just that...numbers. Olbermann's reach was beyond his viewership. He also guested on other shows, was quoted in newspapers, headlined news, etc. I did not watch every KO show, yet felt/knew his influence and opinions.

Numbers lie or can be reported with a slant to enhance a personal viewpoint.

[itsallhappening]

68. Someone else rasied that point, and it might be a good one.

I'd just have to know some numbers/facts before I fully believed it.

[Name removed]

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[malaise]

30. Time for me to order flowers

Over and out

[wisteria]

35. Oberman attracted a lot of attention, enough to get Fox News, and the right wing talking heads to

mention him quite a lot.

Who are you? A Comcast employee trying to smooth things over? Screw you.

[itsallhappening]

56. People on Fox and MSNBC mention each other a lot.

A large percentage of each network's programming is a pissing contest between tv hosts.

LOL @ "Comcast employee trying to smooth things over." No, I work for myself, actually. It's great. I'll pass on the invitation to screw.

[WinkyDink]

37. And the %age of the TELEVISION-VIEWING population would be?

Because there's a percentage of the GP who don't know who is President.

[Brickbat]

39. FWIW, I agree with you. People on websites get wrapped up in website bubbles and can easily lose

perspective. And welcome to DU!

[tammywammy]

46. +1 n/t

[EstimatedProphet]

64. + another 1

[itsallhappening]

67. The "cult of personality" thing is very strange.

And thanks.

[Name removed]

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[H2O Man]

42. legalize lonnie anderson's hair

[Swamp Rat]

51. uh ha-ha-haaaa!

[eleny]

43. .

[wicket]

44. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[City Lights]

45. Huge unrec.

:thumbsdown:

[madinmaryland]

47. Un-recced. And whatever.

[scarletwoman]

48. I rec'd this OP - not that it made any difference, of course - but here's why:

I have no idea what the motives of the author are, so all I can do is take the message at face value.

And, lo and behold, I can't disagree with it. Olberman's audience is (was), irrefutably, a very small percentage of our population.

As someone who has no TV, it's always been fascinating to observe DUers expending all sorts of time, energy, and emotion over whatever they have happened to watch on TV.

I've noticed how deeply people become invested in seeing their point of view confirmed on TV. And it has long made me wonder: does hanging onto the words of a TV talking head make us stronger or weaker?

Do we relax our own reactions to the absurdities and injustices happening all around us when someone on TV makes a few noises about it? When Olberman says something everyone cheers about, does it ultimately make us feel like we're off the hook to take any action on our own?

We keep looking for saviors, which guarantees that we will remain weak. Until we understand that only we can save ourselves, we'll just keep spinning in place while the Owners run us over.

sw

[WinkyDink]

49. No, the argument is specious. ANY TV program's audience is only a small % of the entire population.

Unless you know of one with 250,000,000 viewers out of over 300,000,000 possible?

[Swamp Rat]

50. Perhaps, but I also see television as a conduit of power, wielded by a select few.

It has long become a weapon, of sorts, used by the interloping corporatists, though I cannot say to what depth and geographic extent the impact on the populace is.

[itsallhappening]

54. Nice post.

[mgcgulfcoast]

52. keith was great

he will be missed.

[Ichingcarpenter]

53. Thanks non thinker

your wisdom and posts will always be paid attention to.


LOL!

[itsallhappening]

55. You forgot the hyphen.

Think.

:)

[wyldwolf]

57. It has more to do with the influence he has - which extends way beyond his audience

I see your point, but he provided some very good talking points and video moments that extended way past his actual live audience.

[itsallhappening]

59. That's a good point.

I just think that some people tend to overestimate the impact of these cable tv hosts.

[October]

70. I think it's more about there being so few progressive voices

To post that it doesn't matter is salt in the wound. That's why your motives are being questioned.

Remember when no one knew who Glenn Beck was? He was once a small voice on a show that few watched.

Losing one voice when there are already so few is huge -- relatively speaking. THOSE numbers and that perspective counts, too.

[itsallhappening]

75. Perhaps. Interesting view.

Frankly, at this point I don't care if anyone's questioning my motives.

People like you who address the point are contributing to the discussion. The others aren't.

[wyldwolf]

71. "people tend to overestimate the impact of these cable tv hosts."

Individually, yeah, probably. But no one can deny the impact of partisan hosts collectively. And our side just lost one.

[Mimosa]

62. Hmmm.

I have occasionally watched a few of the conservative talking head shows just to keep track of the propaganda. Fox News is THE conduit for the Republican Party.

I've seldom watched Olbermann or Maddow. Since I agree with many of their views the programs usually bore me.

BTW, 'bobble-heads' is a term frequently used on right wing sites.

[itsallhappening]

65. Fox is a telethon for the Repub party. (Can't remember who said that, but it's perfect.)

MSNBC is the opposite of Fox.

I didn't know that term was used on right-wing sites. I don't read them, but if you do, I'll take your word for it.

[Ichingcarpenter]

69. MSNBC is the opposite of Fox

What to do a FACT Check on that?

On who is more accurate?

I thought not.

[itsallhappening]

74. Sure, post it.

One's right, one's left.

If you can find a truly non-partisan fact-checking source looking at both channels, I'll read it.

[Ikonoklast]

72. One less strong Liberal voice.

You are completely wrong.

His influence surpasses the numbers, but you know that.

Enjoy your stay.

[otohara]

73. Breaking News

for someone who is an "unknown" to the rest of the population, he sure got their attention moments after the announcement, including every local TV station in my city.

It's a big deal - The Telecommunications Act of 1996 RUINED radio and many people lost their jobs. This Comcast takeover of NBC is a big fucking deal - We have lost a progressive voice at a very important time.

Check out the Keith Olbermann numbers on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=keith+olbermann&aq=0

Breaking news: The TV isn't the only way to watch a program or segments of a program.