Why would they give Cenk a show if they were going to put MSNBC

[WCGreen]

on a more conservative bent...

Just wondering if Kieth may have just been getting sick and tired of doing his show.

I could be wrong but the hiring of Cenk, who is actually more liberal than Kieth, doesn't fit the narrative that is going around now.

The merger doesn't take effect until Jan 28th....

And why isn't Rachel, who is far more liberal than Kieth, not being squeezed out.

Just wanted to point that out.

[hlthe2b]

1. I didn't get the impression that Cenk's stint would be permanent...

It might end up that way but I thought the announcement made it sound like he'd be filling in for the time being...:shrug:

[WCGreen]

3. they have to see how he does in the ratings...

It is, after all, a business.

[hlthe2b]

6. really? They had no problem ditching their highest rated show...

:mad:

[WCGreen]

9. you are just assuming he was fired...

from what I was reading it seems as if was more of a mutual thing and that only the day was picked by MSNBC.

Look, I stopped watching Kieth a while back. It was getting tiresome and I think he wasn't giving his all.

That's just my opinion, of course.

[hlthe2b]

11. I've read nearly a dozen articles... All from others in the business.

All concluding he was fired.

[Honeycombe8]

23. Maybe he was. Maybe he wasn't. He had been looking for another job for awhile...

is what the people on Anderson Cooper's show said. They said those in the biz have known that KO has been unhappy at MSNBC for some time and was scouting around.

Then one of the guys said that KO had problems in his relations with his bosses, except for one, who was his protector. That man left abruptly after the Comcast deal (I can't recall if he was fired, or left on his own).

It could be that KO was canned immediately after his "protector" left. Or it could be that KO didn't want to stay w/o his "protector" there, or because his protector was fired.

No one knows yet.

Or it could be that KO didn't want to work for Comcast and asked to be let out of his contract, and the company paid out his contract & said he could go now.

I hope KO gives the real story when the dust settles.

[sabrina 1]

12. Too bad you stopped watching. He was getting better and better

Some of his work was award-winning journalism recently. Not to mention the fact that he built that network and was the highest rated show still.

Well, I won't be watching any of them anymore. I don't trust that network and wish I had known a long time ago what they did to Ashley Banfield. But I only found that out about a year or so ago.

[gateley]

22. That's what puzzles me, too. nt

[napi21]

5. You're right. The announcement said "filling in". A lot of people on DU have talked abut Cenk

getting his own show, and this just night be the test. If he does well in the ratings, and all his supporters send emails of support to MSNBC, that just might be the end result.

[Youth Uprising]

13. Someone posted

that Cenk was going to be part of the new lineup with his show replacing The Ed Show.

[hlthe2b]

14. Here is the actual wording "filling in" in the 6 pm slot.

“"Cenk Uygur, MSNBC contributo­r and host of the popular web show "The Young Turks," will be filling in as host of the 6 p.m ET hour."

[bbgrunt]

2. I think people like Cenk and Rachel are much

newer to the game and are still establishing themselves....and haven't shown their metal against their bosses yet. I think Ed may be the next to go--he has already balked against the corporate control and his voice has been moderated somewhat on the tv as opposed to his radio show. The fact that he used to be a repuke shill makes me wonder how far he will go to stand up to the censorship when push comes to shove.

Keith wasn't interested in the money or glory. He couldn't be controlled.

[WCGreen]

7. Ed bores me....

He seems to manufacture stuff and give it a liberal spin which, in all honesty, exactly what they do over at fox.

I love Rachel because, although she does the same thing, she makes it her own and is very smart with toned down emotion to make it easier for the passive, non committal viewer to learn about an issue without being banged over the head with brute propaganda.

Listening to the same slant on stuff night after night is a bit boring to me, especially if the outrage seems contrived.

[calimary]

20. The main thing I hate about Ed Shultz's show is he has too many republi-CONS on.

I do not want to hear their views. I have no interest whatsoever in their point of view or giving any time to their side, "in fairness" or any other weasel-word rationale. I'm sick of hearing their views. Their views suck. Their ideas are for shit. Their attitudes are arrogant and wrong and completely fucked. Their policies only end up hurting most people except for the very very wealthy and well-connected who don't need any help in the first place. Their greed and shortsightedness and selfishness and penny-wise/pound-foolish positions are damnable. I'm up to here with what they think and what they want and what they demand. Up to here. I've heard enough from them to fill 20 lifetimes. They don't belong on MSNBC in any great numbers AT ALL. Let them go to their own corner - over at Pox Noise where they belong. They can have everything their way at Pox Noise. And let them STAY there.

Ed Shultz could start by getting RID of that obnoxious, smug, smart-ass heidi what's-her-name from Las Vegas or Hell or wherever she's from. NO interest whatsoever in anything coming out of her yap. And that miserable ron christie can go take a hike too. And I yearn for the day when pat buchanan is finally retired. Sick to death of hearing this nauseating, knuckle-dragging sarah palin apologist carry on and on and on as MSNBC's resident Dirty Old Man. Give it up, pat. She'll NEVER climb into bed with you - EVER. Keep on dreaming if you have to, but it won't EVER happen.

[grasswire]

4. doesn't the firing of Keith put everyone on notice to tone things down?

It's like a horse head in the bed. A warning.

[WCGreen]

8. We don't know if he was fired....

perhaps KO was justed KO'ed and wanted to be done with it.

[DesertFlower]

16. he had 2 years left on his contract.

[JDPriestly]

21. Wasn't it the British who made an admiral walk the plank every now and then . . . .?

Keith is our greatest admiral.

If they wanted a spot for Cenk, they should have fired Joe Scarborough and placed Cenk in that spot.

[Youth Uprising]

10. Exactly!

That's what I was wondering. Though, I have to disagree with you about Rachel being far more liberal than Keith. They're about the same, with Cenk edging them off by a slight margin. Cenk has said some things on air that no one has had the guts to say before. Keith paved the way and Cenk followed. When Obama became president Keith became a bit complacent, but as Cenk slowly became a recurring guest on MSNBC, I believe he shook Keith out of his complacency and he started to follow on his footsteps, and then this happened.

[Honeycombe8]

15. Never heard of Cenk. But no one is more liberal than KO. It wasn't his bent, anyway.

It was his style. He has a very aggressive, non-appeasing style...including (maybe especially) with his bosses. He's even been rude to his co-broadcasters who are Republicans (well, one: Joe Schmo). KO was pulled off a live broadcast for saying "get out your shovels" right before Joe was coming on to comment. I think he thought the mike had been killed at that point. But it wasn't.

[tavalon]

26. Cenk is fabulous

And I am torn. I really want to support him and Rachel, but I don't want to support the network they are on. Fuck.

BTW, go to The Young Turks. He is no shrinking violet. He's liberal, liberal, liberal. Through and through.

[OHdem10]

17. It is not about left nor right----It is about civility. >

[tavalon]

27. Uh, huh. Whatever.

[OhioBlue]

18. just my opinion here...

but as far as the MSNBC line up goes.. I like Keith and Rachel. I think they talk about the issues with integrity.. i think they say what they really feel and believe. Ed and Cenk... not so much - they might talk more liberal... but I just don't trust them and don't feel the integrity with them. i think they go with what they think will give them better ratings and do some "shock jock" kind of journalism. I do equate Ed and Cenk and the left versions of some Right wing talk show hosts. In that it is more about the money than integrity. O'Donnell I think does come at things based on what he believes - he and Chris Matthews are both beltway types tho - not that it has to be a bad thing... we do need some of those voices, but I do appreciate that they were balanced out by KO and Rachel.

All in all... of all the previously mentioned, KO and Rachel are really the only 2 I trust that speak what they really think without the beltway brainwashing or the money incentive to be polarizing. Time will tell... if they keep Rachel, you might have a point, but if they do squeeze her out, I think it is b/c they want to keep those they can control.

[WCGreen]

19. But keith tended to manufacture outrage where no outrage was warrented...

I guess you have to do that on a day to day basis.

Perhaps I am just getting old. I can't sustain that high emotional drama that viewers of Kieth feed on.

I prefer Rachel because she is clever and low keyed.

[tavalon]

28. Rachel is scary smart and has great comedic timing.

[Kahuna]

24. They're lining up their Obama-bashers for election season. nt

[lonestarnot]

25. Cenk used to be a puke. You know that don't you?

[WCGreen]

29. Well, Obama use to he a Democrat...

I kid I kid I Kid...

[WinkyDink]

30. Heeheeeheee!

[Kablooie]

31. Did Comcast give Cenk his show?

Before Comcast took over, Olbermann had a show too.