Olbermann to Announce Post-MSNBC Plans; UPDATE: Going to Al Gore’s Current TV?
- Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:21pm by
Meredith Jessup
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UPDATE:
According to the New York Times, Olbermann will announce Tuesday that his next venture may include a move to Current TV, a public affairs channel co-founded by former Vice President Al Gore:
Neither Mr. Olbermann, his representatives, or executives from Current TV would comment on the move, but they did not deny that the channel, which counts former Vice President Al Gore as one of its founders, will become at least one partner in Mr. Olbermann’s future media plans.
One of the people with knowledge of the plans said Mr. Olbermann would have an equity stake in Current TV. The people insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized by their employers to comment in advance of the official announcement. …
Current TV has set up a presentation with advertisers for Wednesday afternoon in Manhattan to announce its future plans. The channel may be betting on Mr. Olbermann to put it on the cable map. The low-rated five-year-old channel needs the help. Targeting young people, it originally subsisted on YouTube-style submissions and video journalists. More recently it started producing and acquiring traditional television series, like repeats of “This American Life.” …
A move to Current TV would challenge Mr. Olbermann’s fans of his MSNBC show — where he drew about a million viewers a night — to follow him to a channel that is considerably less accessible. Current TV is available in only about 60 million homes, and is usually available only on the digital tier of cable television systems, which requires a separate receiver. MSNBC, which is owned by NBC Universal, is available in 85 million homes and is almost always available as a basic cable entry.
But the addition of Mr. Olbermann, the former sports anchor who made himself a progressive star at MSNBC, would surely elevate the channel, bringing it attention it has never before received. The channel also wears its liberal politics on its sleeve.
With Current TV, Mr. Olbermann would also gain a measure of independence. Unlike most cable channels, including MSNBC, which are owned by large media companies, Current is privately and independently owned by Mr. Gore and other backers.
If the rumors of a move to CurrentTV are true, Olbermann would likely feel right at home on a network that is unabashedly liberal and not bound by the business model of a corporate venture.
It’s also possible that Mr. Olbermann will separately pursue other ventures, including an Internet destination. Mediaite reports:
This theory was somewhat supported by a tip that pointed out that a simple whois search reveals that the domain names “theolbermannshow.com” and “thekeitholbermannshow.com” were registered January 19th, 2011, just two days before his last appearance on MSNBC.
————–
Recently dismissed cable news anchor Keith Olbermann is expected to announce his plans for a post-MSNBC career Tuesday, according to a statement released by the former host’s new public relations team. According to the release, Olbermann’s fate will be divulged during a press conference set for Tuesday morning at 11 a.m. ET.
Via the Hollywood Reporter:
A release from the company states that Olbermann and “his new partners will make an exciting announcement regarding the next chapter of his remarkable career.” No further information about the call or Olbermann’s decision was available.
Olbermann announced last month that he was immediately and unexpectedly stepping down as host of “Countdown” in MSNBC’s primetime lineup.
Online bloggers are taking turns guessing where the controversial host — who spent Super Bowl Sunday tweeting about the National Football League is a “socialist” enterprise — may end up.
Mediabistro suspects Olbermann may not appear in another traditional TV role, adding that the press release notes that Olbermann “and his new partners will make an exciting announcement regarding the next chapter in his remarkable career.”
Additionally, Variety’s Cynthia Littleton tweeted Monday that Olbermann’s reps say “we shouldn‘t assume that it won’t involve TV.”
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Comments (190)
Wornout
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 7:02pmIf Olbermann holds a press conference…will anybody listen?
Report Post »DashRipRock
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:59pmyou mean assistant fluffer
Report Post »thejackal
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:41amBHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Good one dude!
Report Post »dcwu
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:56pmGINSU ads?
Report Post »heavllyarmed
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 11:34pmbilly mays did die
Report Post »DashRipRock
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:56pmSo he is the new Spokes Person for
Summers Eve?
Report Post »vennoye
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:56pmMaybe he will team up with Mike What’s his name on Radio………won’t be able to tell them apart!!
Report Post »RWWallpaper
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:56pm…if a tree falls in the forest…
Report Post »Randyrocker
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:53pmWho in all of the United States cares or even gives a hoot?
Report Post »Nigel2
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:50pmI’m sure this will have all the far left loons talking.
Report Post »therockczar
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:49pmKeith who??
Report Post »heavyduty
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:48pmI don‘t mind because he doesn’t matter. He has always been a nobody, he will continue to be a nobody, and in the future he will still be a nobody. Any media outlet that’s in their right mind will not touch him.
Report Post »Daniel4
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:45pmI can guarantee that he WILL NOT be working at Burger King. He‘d never make it screaming at customers at the drive thru telling them that they had to ’Have It His Way’ and wonder why they would just drive off.
He might have a future in Monty Python’s Argument Clinic, though.
Report Post »Jabber
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 5:12pm“He might have a future in Monty Python’s Argument Clinic, though.”
Why all the hate towards the British? Huh? Why?
Report Post »APatriotFirst
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:43pmWhen MSNBC bought out his contract, there is a clause that prevents him from certain things……..so will be interesting
Report Post »Jabber
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 5:10pmThat clause must have stated that he can only take a position on a network no one with a life has ever heard of and that no one with one operational brain cell would ever watch. I found this statement on another website HIL-arious:
“But the question now is what this means for Current TV, which averages a mere 23,000 viewers a night, and what it means for the former MSNBC host.”
23,000 viewers A NIGHT? Wow. HUGE career move Keith. Really. Huge.
Report Post »darlenekay
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:42pmWho cares. Please stop wasting space on this air head.
Report Post »CarolinaGirl
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:38pmWho gives a flip!
Report Post »Uni Nationi Sub Deo
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:38pm“Remarkable Career”….. Did I miss something?
Report Post »GeorgieJo
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:38pmCharlie Sheen needs a good PR guy……..
Report Post »Jill
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:36pmI am betting it will have something to do with AOL and HuffnPuff
Report Post »koyettsu
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:35pmlol maybe he will get a new show on MSNBC, honestly where the hell else is a guy like that going to go?
Report Post »gimmetheskinny
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:34pmIt would be hard for me to care less what this cat does postMSNBC or post anything else!
Report Post »JD Carp
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 11:16pmLook at it this way. He moves from PMS-NBC, a channel few people watch, to the Al Gore channel, one that no one watches.
GOOD CAREER CHANGE
Report Post »sissykatz
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:30pmOMG!!!!! He;s coming BACK….. At least we will get more laughs.
Report Post »reckless
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:30pmI’m so excited!
Report Post »I think I’ll go take a dump…
trolltrainer
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:30pmOlbermann is going to be the new The Blaze troll!
Job perks include a fully stocked basement complete with camp cot, hot plate, and computer.
They had to hire a new boy as Beckisnuts is slowly losing it and will need to go in for psychological evaluation. Let’s hope Olbermann lasts longer…
Y’all be sure to give him a hearty Blaze welcome when he shows up!
Report Post »what4
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:47pmWay to rock it TT!!!!! LMAO!!!
Report Post »beckwill
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:49pmCheetos all around!
Report Post »jedi.kep
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 2:14amAhhhh. Listen for a moment…
…
hear that? Yep. I don’t either. The sweet sound of silence. Rest in Peace Keith Olberman.
Report Post »stinkybisquit
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:30pmI’m waiting with baited breath. A little bit of peanut breath thrown in there, too.
Report Post »LiberalSlayer
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:25pmHe is opening a pretzel stand in NYC. Its about the only thing he is competent enough to do.
Report Post »flyguync
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:38pmActually, I think the “Soup Nazi” is retiring and Keith will be taking over his role – of course, he will have a different title: “Soup Socialist”
Report Post »IM_UR_HUCKLEBERRY
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:55pmNah…. you guys have it all wrong.
Report Post »Olberman is going to announce that he has been in disguise all along.
He will take off the disguise and REVEAL his TRUE identity….
“Barney Frank’s GYNECOLOGIST”
cheezwhiz
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 7:15pmHe will take off the disguise and REVEAL his TRUE identity….
Report Post »“Barney Frank’s GYNECOLOGIST”
———–
That explains Olbar’s unique cheery disposition
:D
IM_UR_HUCKLEBERRY
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:29pmWell, I mean…
Report Post »Olberman has been in bed with Barney and the Dems so long,
he may as well be checkin to make sure the sex is safe, huh?
Bluebonnet
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 4:39pmExcuse me folks, I’ve gotta go gag (without having to stick my finger down my throat.)
Report Post »troyvar
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:24pmThe question is, does anyone here really care?
Report Post »cnsrvtvj
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:28pmNow I’m getting a thrill running up my leg. Never mind, it’s gone already. An exciting announcement regarding the next chapter in his “remarkable” career? Are they serious about that? Liberals are so funny.
http://www.donsmithshow.com – see the Ronald Reagan tribute video
Report Post »Rogue
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:29pmI hope he is taking his entire personal wealth and resurrecting Air America. Hopefully it’ll be the final nail in the coffin of his career.
Report Post »beebacksoon
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:30pmwalkwithme1966
Report Post »That’s what I was thinking, too. Regardless, I don’t wish any ill feelings towards him.
what4
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:39pmWhat Bridge is it? Wouldn’t miss him jumping for the world!
Report Post »Kurty C Wipe
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:40pmNPR? or a freelancing artist in San Fransico?
Report Post »Quad-rip-legic
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:42pmI guess we will care if he is given a job here.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:44pmPress release at 11:00 a.m.
Report Post »Film at noon!
Showtime
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:45pmWhat do you want to bet he will be on Letterman that night?!
Report Post »DashRipRock
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:46pmlet me guess
he’s going to work for….. AOL
or as their new name will be GAY O L
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:48pmI wonder which gay bar he will be shaking it at. Probably the “Have you no Decency or Tingle” bar.
Maybe he got the coveted “Piss Boy” job at the whitehouse, hold that pail steady Keith.
Report Post »BMartin1776
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:53pmaww Dash you beat me to it.. I was just going to say maybe Arianna wil give him a job at AOL. She will be in control of all news content who better to give chunk of that to than Keithy.
Hopefully this guy will really let the bull fly so those who are fans can see who he really is unchained! Wherever he goes its going to be some radical arm of the WH propaganda machine.
http://www.savingtherepublic.com
Report Post »booger71
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:54pmNeedles and pins
Report Post »getridofem
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:54pmHe takes prime time spot with Al Jazeera USA Cable
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:55pm@DashRipRock
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:46pm
let me guess
he’s going to work for….. AOL
or as their new name will be GAY O L
Report Post »—————————-
DASH – That was a good one! And funny, too!
Mister President
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 7:04pmThe 20% or so of Americans who need to be ruled over and told what to do and how to do it care.
Report Post »cheezwhiz
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 7:07pmHe’ll work for the goat @ AOL ?
Report Post »Robert-CA
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 7:09pmI don’t give a damn .
Report Post »PA PATRIOT
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 7:10pmI know. He is leaving the country !
Report Post »Muslim in Chief
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 7:13pmKeith who???
Report Post »dwh320
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 7:15pmWho cares? And who is this Obermann person?
Report Post »Dustyluv
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 7:29pmWish he would stop showing up in my toilet bowl every morning…
Report Post »OneRepublic4us
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 7:36pmNo, no one cares.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 7:40pm@Troyvar
Simply put…nope.
Report Post »ANTISOCIAL-IST
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 8:00pmhopefully he’s going to drown himself
Report Post »easyed598
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 8:12pmHopefully it will be a radio show opposite Rush Limbaugh-No one will ever hear from Keith again.
Report Post »proudpatriot77
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 8:44pmMaybe he will announce his candidacy to be Egypt’s next prez…
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 9:45pmWait a minute, he is going from the last place MSNBC to Al Gore’s what…..the only way he is going to get less veiwers now is if he teams up with Rosie O Donnel & Joy Behar, they could call it the “Not Viewed” show. For the demographics of veggitative and dead, and the Berkley crowd.
Report Post »watchtheotherhand
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 9:50pmWow sounds like quite a step up from MSNBC !!!!
Report Post »jetmech568
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 9:51pmAl Gore has a TV channel??????????????/
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 9:52pmHe and Al will make a darling couple. Wonder if Al will give him a thrill up one of his legs?
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:00pmThis is how Al Gore is going to release his second shakra.
Report Post »blazebird
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:24pmLet everyone see what the extreem left looks like. Oberdork is the perfect poster child.
Report Post »Ditto Head
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 11:35pmHand in glove.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 11:37pmI do .. I am going to check my channel listing and block this if I can’t get a lower package without it! The only reason I keep the cable I have is for 24/7 weather and FOX News.
Report Post »click4cheapandeasyweb
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 12:07am“The question is, does anyone here really care?”
Hell, I don’t even care about the question let alone anything about him!
Report Post »FormerLib
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 12:07amYou mean he’s going over to a station with an even lower ratings than MSNBC? Ha ha ha ha!
Let’s see: ESPN to MSNBC to Current…next stop, public access TV in Wenatchee, WA.
Report Post »Shoot-To-Kill
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 12:25amHeck Thats perfect!!! I was afraid he’d end up on some station I like The only channel I watch less than MSNBC is Current (b.s.) TV. Good job Obie
Report Post »SlimnRanger
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 8:47amNot me,I don’t watch flith on television
Report Post »kenny
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:04amnope i don’t care about
Report Post »Dandylyon
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 11:05amTalk about “two pee’s in a pod”.It would seem Olberman is as nut‘s as he act’s.
HOW MUCH LOWER CAN YOU GO “OLIE”? is it cold in cable Siberia?
Report Post »weeblewacker1
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 11:27amif you know the real reason that he was “let-go” from msnbc,you would care! a lot!!! i just happen to be privy to a little inside info that i WILL-NOT make public at this time,due to some ppl might loose there jobs over it.all i can say about it is this,it will make head-lines on all networks and will be the number 1 story on the net for days! it is going to cause a hell of a mess on all the blogs! I wish i knew when it will become public,it has been eating me up for weeks,and it will do the same to you too when ya hear it.
Report Post »halojim
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 1:06pmCongratulation to Keith,
Report Post »I didn’t know he could go to a program with lower ratings.