Keith Olbermann Casts A Wide Net In Job Search

[Newsjock]

Source: Forbes

Think Keith Olbermann has burned his last bridge in the television business? He doesn’t think so.

Seven months after he got dismissed by Current TV, the temperamental host is aggressively job-shopping, and he’s not being too picky about it.

In recent weeks, Olbermann has reached out to executives at a slew of different networks to communicate his desire for a new on-air role, according to people with knowledge of those conversations. Those include both cable outlets and at least one broadcast network.

He has expressed interest in taking over as anchor of existing shows and in starting a new show. Indeed, several of the networks he’s approached don’t have any news programming per se on their schedules. His frustration at not having a real platform during the height of election season has been evident.

Read more: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbercovici/2012/10/25/keith-olbermann-casts-a-wide-net-in-job-search/

[Ganja Ninja]

1. Forbes?

I don't think you can expect to get an unbiased story about KO in Forbes.

[backscatter712]

2. His new contract may have a lithium clause... n/t

[Big Blue Marble]

3. Why does't he set up his own internet network,

like The Young Turks or The TWIT tech network? It would be an
immediate hit.

[Hutzpa]

7. True

frankly I'm surprise he has not done that.

[backscatter712]

10. My guess is contractual reasons.

He's probably still under a non-compete agreement.

Any network who wants to hire Keith would probably have to pay Current seven or eight figures for the privilege of a waiver, and Keith probably can't cough up the cash to do that for a start-up.

[Hutzpa]

27. Thought Keith has a share or was a partner at CurrentTV

I think that's the deal we were told he signed, unless I'm mistaken.

Shouldn't that mean something?

[backscatter712]

51. Much of that went down the toilet when Keith got himself fired...

He may still be required to comply with a non-compete for a while though.

[Larkspur]

4. Keith should have stuck it out with Current

He had to know that Current was an upstart network trying to become a bona fide one, and it can take years for a network to reach its potential.

Meanwhile, MSNBC, his former employer, is doing well with Rachel, Ed and Lawrence along with Martin Bashir. And on the weekends, Chris Hayes and Melissa Harris-Perry are great.

I think that Keith still hasn't gotten over losing his dad. Yeah, I know it was a few years ago, but losing a parent you were close to is very hard.

[Kookaburra]

8. Didn't he lose both of his parents within months of each other?

I know that would have made me a basket case.

[PatSeg]

14. The losses were relatively close together

and it was obviously very hard on him at the time.

[win_in_06]

18. Define doing well at MSNBC please.

Because the ratings for all of those shows are poor.

[JohnnyRingo]

20. Tell CNN the ratings for MSNBC are "poor".

The Atlanta based network would kill for the recent market share enjoyed by prime time MSNBC shows. That MSNBC has approached Fox's ratings alone in the last year is completely unprecedented.

Rachel Maddow's show in particular has been beating Sean Hannity on a somewhat regular basis. She usually sits right behind him in ratings, but about once a week her show overtakes him.

Here's a great site for keeping track of news ratings on a daily basis:

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/category/ratings

[Fla Dem]

56. Please look at this..Cable News Rating for 10/24/2012. What are you selling?

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/10/25/cable-news-ratings-for-wednesday-october-24-2012/154650/

MSNBC programs do very well, except vs Fox's overall rating. However, MSNBC's primetime shows track very competitively in the desired 25-54 demo. FOX's big audience is the aging baby boomers (of which I am one) (baby boomer, not Fox viewer). Also to take into consideration, FOX is on the basic cable tier on most cable systems, while MSNBC is on premium tiers, so less viewers have access to MSNBC.

[renate]

5. I wonder whether he feels he needs to be in front of the camera

He was, after all, instrumental in MSNBC's shift to the left. Remember how it was when he was the only person anywhere (other than on Air America) who was doing anything other than reporting the truth, straight-facedly balancing it with a lie from the other side, and considering that "balanced" news?

He certainly seems to be a diva but maybe a quieter role as a news director might work for him.

[leftynyc]

6. I wouldn't hire him

He may share my politics but he has shown himself to be difficult to work with. His outsized ego is what contributed to his downfall. He made the mistake of believing his own hype.

[Texin]

16. I think that's harsh.

His major beef with Current was their slipshod production values. I completely quit watching after Olbermann left. Bless Jennifer Granholm and Cenk, but their shows just look and sound dreadful. Sometimes it's not possible to actually hear the message when the soundclips are not synched up, the sets are falling down and around the hosts' heads and there's no film at eleven. These shows look like they're produced in the back of somebody's garage and that won't cut it. Olbermann knows that and shame on Gore for not facing that fact.

And MSNBC primetime wouldn't be the outlet it is today without Olbermann's influence. Period.

[leftynyc]

24. I agree that Keith helped MSNBC

become what it is but then he shit all over them and walked away - same as he did with Current. That's what I mean about his ego. He doesn't realize there are many who can do the job just as well as he does - I don't miss him in the slightest.

[Michigan Alum]

37. I think he has some issues he needs to work out. A lot of highly creative/intelligent people have.

Bipolar II, substance abuse, Narcissistic Personality Disorder. A lot of people in the creative fields have these. I'm not putting him down - I have a disorder myself but take medication for it otherwise I would be Keith Olbermann on steroids. Pissed a lot of people off in my day.

[Savannahmann]

31. That is a little short sighted

It took time for MSNBC to get the backing, and most importantly the money to make the production values we all enjoy today. Even though they had the leg up of backing from NBC and Microsoft. It takes time for the people to get used to the equipment, each brand is a little different. It takes time for the directors to get things set up the way they want. It takes time for the Producers to learn the personalities. So a start up, which was properly called an upstart, doesn't have the leg up of the financial backing with deep pockets. If it can't compete with flash, it has to win with content, which was the original premise behind Current. Content over flash, and Keith knew that. The other thing about a start up, you have to put in long hours, and do more for yourself, and the company that you presumably want to succeed. Keith balked, unwilling to go that extra yard, and demanded production quality he was accustomed to at MSNBC.

In another five years, it might be possible, but not now. Even then it's probably not going to happen, because Current isn't ever going to enjoy the financial backing of big corporations. Content had to be the wind that moved the debate. Keith had a great opportunity, both to show how big a draw he really is, and also to demonstrate his real depth in content.

That's why he'll never start his own Internet site, and do it as a flashy Video Blog. No way can home computers do the flash the way that major machines can. It will look cheap and cheesy compared to CNN or MSNBC. Also Keith will never get sponsors the way that Al Gore and Current did. So money will never come in the way that Keith wants it to. So production values will never increase.

[Samantha]

34. You are absolutely correct

Rachel Maddow owes her career to Keith Olbermann. I remember when she had a guest appearance once on Olbermann's show. She talked about her old car, how difficult things were, and she was dresssed extremely casually. But when she opened her mouth to discuss politics, she was incredibly impressive. I liked her right away. Keith asked her back, and others sitting around her did not interact. I think they felt threatened by her intelligence. But Keith kept on bringing her back, and had no problem interacting with her on the same intelligence plane. He is the reason she sits where she does today, and I am sure she would be one of the first people to say this.

As far as his experience with Current, that network actually pitched to him to come join them. This went on for months. And knowing that Comcast was going to eventually merge with NBC, he felt like his freedom to simply be who he is as a commentator would be compromised. Looking at what is happening today at MSNBC, I don't think anyone can question that Keith was correct. That network is being compromised as I type this post.

Current knew exactly the perfectionist he was and is, and for that network to allow unbelievably crass things like the electricity to be cut off in the middle of a broadcast (for non-payment of the bill) would be unacceptable to anyone with at least a modest amount of pride in their work. But the way Current severed Olbermann from the network, not even giving any notice to his vast amount of fans or those who had become "friends" of the show (and I miss seeing them as well!) is typically the way labor lawyers sever employees. (Olbermann was not an employee.) You are fired and you are leaving now. How belittling. How demeaning. And that was done purposefully by Joel Hyatt.

Speaking only for myself, I will never forgive them. It was a cold and calculating a move that hurt many, many people, including Olbermann's staff, unnecessarily. Current could have chosen to negotiate a mutual agreement for separation with dignity so that all parties reputation could have been protected. But no -- they wanted to slap him publicly and with a vengeance. And in that process, during this critical election season, no Keith Olbermann. Unforgivable.

Sam

[leftynyc]

41. Keith should have kept

his criticism about Current between the two of them. He made it publicly known he was unhappy and bitched about it constantly. I can't blame them for throwing him overboard. He thought they would never do that to him - he was too important - his diva routine cost him. Now most people have forgotten him and it's his own fault.

[Samantha]

50. He was not the first person to start leaking

If you had followed the whole debacle, you would know that.

I doubt seriously most people have forgotten him. He's built up too much of a legacy in his commentary to ever be forgotten.

He is not a diva; he is a perfectionist.

Sam

[leftynyc]

54. He's a diva

Rachel is a perfectionist. You would never hear her trash her employer. And I don't hear anyone clammoring for Keith's pearls of wisdom. Current isn't the first network he worked for and had problems with and I would be shocked that any network would want to take on someone who has already caused so much trouble for whomever he worked with.

[Samantha]

55. Well, we are just going to have to disagree over this

So be it.

Sam

[LTR]

48. I think Gore and Hyatt screwed up by blowing up NWI

News World International was Cutrent's predecessor, and it was a pretty good network. Most of the content came from the CBC, I believe. They should have used NWI to build a serious news operation, instead it became a cable version of YouTube that nobody watched.

[Care Acutely]

28. Never liked him. That whole "outrage set to 11" thing

continually, every day, all the time about everything - anger! anger! anger! incessantly . . . that's what's wrong with the worst republicans I know. That's Neil Boorz or whatever that guy's name is. Don't care for it. Don't care for it when it's "ours" either. (ours in quotations because I never have claimed KO, and most certainly would not now)

[Kurovski]

30. I remember a lot of comedy, and some heavy-duty editorials on topics no one covered.

but I actually watched the show for years.

But then, they do say comedy flies on the wings of anger, god damnit.

[leftynyc]

33. My problems with him go

back to the 2008 election and his special comment on Hillary Clinton. It was vicious and it was a bunch of lies. He never apologized. And for that, he can sit home and stew in his own ego for all I care.

[Michigan Alum]

38. As a woman, he did piss me off with his treatment of Hillary but a lot of others did the same.

I have long forgiven him and had actually forgotten about it because he's done so many other good things.

[leftynyc]

40. Others were hard (I'm thinking specifically Rachel)

but she said she was wrong when it was apparent she was. Keith thinks he's above it all and, again, it's his ego that is his downfall with me. I hope every network tells him to go fuck himself. There are so many others that deserve a shot before putting his big head back on tv (for instance, Ezra Klein). Keith lost me and will never get me back.

[StevieM]

46. I hated him for the way he treated her. (eom)

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. Good luck keigth

but I do not guarantee I will watch.

[Casandia]

12. I absolutely will watch.

[Ed Suspicious]

15. Why? Are you a Current shareholder?

[Casandia]

26. I was going to respond to your question, but

grybank48 says it much better than I could

[nadinbrzezinski]

43. Do I need to be a shareholder to make the decision NOT to watch?

really?

I will simply not go out of my way to find him. That is as simple as that.

[smokey nj]

42. I'm sure he'll be crushed if you don't.

[BlueStreak]

11. Does Honey Boo Boo need a cranky old grand-uncle character?

[cynatnite]

13. Think he'd consider radio?

I think it could be a good fit for him.

[krawhitham]

17. good luck with that, you have already burned all your bridges

[Greybnk48]

19. Wherever he goes, I'll watch.

He was a fighter and defender of liberal values and the Democratic Party during the darkest time in the past 10 years. He was the FIRST to broach the subject of election fraud during the 2004 bullshit in Ohio and FL. I will be forever grateful for his courage, and appreciative.

[truebrit71]

36. Yup. Me too.

..

[Michigan Alum]

39. Me three.

[Hubert Flottz]

49. Me four.

KO was a patriot when the rest on TV were cowards.

[mzmolly]

21. Keith is very talented. I'm sorry that he burned bridges,

as I miss his voice. I hope that he will learn from his past experiences, wherever the wind takes him.

[dembotoz]

22. he was better than anyone currently on tv

msnbc included

[TeamPooka]

23. Good luck KO!

[greytdemocrat]

25. He should look into Cartoon Network...n/t

[HappyMe]

29. Oh please, no!

I wouldn't want adult swim messed up with that egotist.

[Savannahmann]

32. Yeah, what kind of segway would that be?

From Robot Chicken to KO and then a Family Guy rerun? Argh.

[HappyMe]

35. There's one night when they

show anime that I never watch. He could go on then.

[niyad]

44. wherever he goes, I will watch if I can. I miss his voice, his perspective. and I find it

fascinating the number of people complaining about his ego, as though they speak from personal experience.

[LTR]

45. I like him, but he obviously doesn't play well with others

I'm thinking if you piss off Current, you've pretty much pushed yourself out of the business.

Is QVC hiring?

[Raine]

47. I don't think anyone is going to want to hire him, he's just too

volatile. Sad because I really miss him but I know I wouldn't want to work with him.

[Vattel]

52. if he wasn't such an ass, he might be able to find work.

[deaniac21]

53. When he used to be on Imus in the morning

they were always talking about how big his butt was. So you my be onto something.