Chickenshit NBC executive talks about KO "anonymously" because of "confidential settlement talks."

[Amerigo Vespucci]

NEW YORK – Keith Olbermann's exit from MSNBC appeared abrupt to viewers of his show, but the TV news commentator and his network were involved "in a relationship that's been failing for a long time," an NBC Universal executive said Saturday.

Olbermann's announcement at the end of Friday's "Countdown" that it would be his last show quiets, at least for the moment, the most dominant liberal voice in a cable-television world where opinionated talk has been the most bankable trend over the past several years.

As Olbermann read from a James Thurber short story during a three-minute exit statement Friday night, MSNBC simultaneously e-mailed a statement to reporters that the network and host "have ended their contract." Neither indicated a reason nor addressed whether Olbermann quit or was fired.

But the NBC Universal executive characterized it as a mutual parting of the ways, with Olbermann taking the first step. The executive spoke on condition of anonymity because settlement talks were kept confidential.

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/01/22/olbermann-msnbc-failing-relationship/?test=faces

[lyonn]

1. GE doesn't make it's living through their cable station, Right?

I feel like the media is a side issue with GE. It is their vehicle to get the corporate news out to the peons. The likes of Keith, Rachael, Ed Schultz, etc., are token democrats to suck us in. When they get the progressive side of politics to too many of the voters then they must change their programming. Just guessing of course.

While Ted Turner owned CNN they were the station to watch. Then the new kids in town took over and all the good stuff was scuttled, kinda like msnbc now. I feel so helpless and unimportant in the scheme of the good old American way. It's the old, do as I say, not as I do theory it seems.

[Marie Marie]

2. Said it before and I will say it again:

Without Keith, there would be no Rachel, no Lawrence, no Big Eddy and MSNBC would have been a distant 3rd in the ratings behind Fox and CNN. Thank you Keith, for all you've done for our side of the aisle. You will be sorely missed Sir!