Well, I really miss Ed Shultz. I've

[Laurian]

tried watching Chris in the 8 pm time slot, but his wonky discussions leading into Rachel's wonky discussions are too much for me. I really appreciated Ed's red meat rants centered on labor and middle class issues. I fear that Ed's kind of passion and advocacy are now gone from the airwaves. A shame, for I think the concerns he covered deserve nightly attention. Case in point.....Social Security cuts.

[hrmjustin]

1. I miss ed too.

I am meat and potatoes as well.

[hlthe2b]

2. I think there needs to be something in between the two... I still think Martin Bashir

would have been a better choice for that time slot. I do like Chis and his show affords good information--but not necessarily always interesting to watch.

[VanillaRhapsody]

7. No not Martin Bashir

We need Ed back....somebody that appeals to the Blue Collar....that's not Bashir.

[hlthe2b]

9. I like Ed, but I think that ship has sailed.

Bashir is very very direct and excellent at his interviews.

He is also a populist-- so why wouldn't Ed's audience watch him? Because he's British?

[VanillaRhapsody]

10. because he is not Blue Collar...a demographic we need to cultivate!

[hlthe2b]

13. Neither is Chris Hayes nor Rachel Maddow...

I agree with you on the valuable role Ed played, but I don't see anyone within the curent lineup that would fill that role. I think some blue collar workers would watch Bashir... Chris Hayes? I think they will find him too wonky.

[VanillaRhapsody]

37. right that is the point!

[bluestate10]

26. So a person has to be blue collar to understand the issues that blue collar people face?

That is a new one, I must write it in my book. Teddy Roosevelt, FDR, Jack Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Hubert Humphrey, Jimmie Carter, Ted Kennedy, all very rich people. Out the window they go, because they weren't blue collar.

[VanillaRhapsody]

38. No I didn't say that....

I said they are attracted to another Blue Collar guy.....not that ONLY a Blue Collar guy could understand them...you put THAT word in my mouth.

[VanillaRhapsody]

39. Average Joe Sixpack needs someone they can relate to...get it?

[Cleita]

14. You are right. Why could they have not given Chris the 7:00 ET slot

since all it is is a rerun of Tweety? Ed sandwiched in between Chris and Rachel would have been better. Wonk, red meat and wonk again. What you have right now is the same as a sandwich with bread and nothing in between. It just isn't tasty and satisfying.

[Life Long Dem]

28. Yes

I wouldn't mind seeing Martin Bashir somewhere in there. I don't know why they need 2 Hardball time slots. They must lose some viewers who already saw the show given it's so close in time.

[KaryninMiami]

44. I agree- and I'm a big fan of Chris and Eds

But putting Chris back to back with Rachel was not a great decision- their styles are too similiar. Martin Bashir before Rachel would have been smarter as it would enable two very different styles following Tweety. My suggestion would be to have Chris where Martin is now- or perhaps in the 5pm slot-- but of course, that would mean Tweety losing one of his two show slots.

[olddots]

3. I get a paranoid feeling about MSNBC lately

I hope its not just me seeing a more "main stream " bullshit element going on.

[freshwest]

11. They canned Phil and Keith. They won't go too far from the owners' narrative.

They are info-entertainment, and will stay that way. Each progressive, liberal or left person featured is there to hook viewers to watch the main corporate swill. The shows are slanted to make conservatives feel they're the only voices that matter. IMO, they are not genuine, although may give some hope to those who still watch them.

[Laurian]

18. Rachel finally discusses the proposed SS cuts and who does

She have on to talk about it? Steve Schmidt. WTF? I'm inclined to agree with your feelings about MSNBC.

Maybe I just need to turn it off and go to bed.

[Mosaic]

48. You're not the only one, I notice it too you are right

My suggestion to all on the left. Break away completely from television. There are dozens of good sites to get our news, videos, commentary and they are truly liberal. Let corporate media be for the unfortunate suckers, and let us finally do away with it in entirety.

It's like Cenk Ugyar said, the establishment. He went against the establishment on his short stay at msnbc, and never forget, they fired him for his integrity.

[Nite Owl]

54. I'm on the verge

of dropping cable, not roadrunner but the tv and landline. I can listen to Ed's radio show online, get podcasts from iTunes. Thinking of getting a streaming box like Apple tv, with Netflix for some shows and movies. that should do it.

[Nite Owl]

55. I'm seeing that too

little depth and they all seem like puppets.

[alsame]

87. It's not just you. There is a deliberate plan

to make MSNBC less of a news outlet and more of a 'lifestyle' channel.

This article is very illuminating.

Griffin tends to get especially excited, and say words like “friggin’,” when he talks about the future of the network. Back in his office, knees bouncing, he told me how he envisions MSNBC, over the next five or ten years, looking much more like a general-interest brand than a left-wing clubhouse. “It’s a mistake for us to limit ourselves to news,” he says. He wants to build something he calls “the MSNBC lifestyle,” and so he’s spending a lot of time figuring out what works for Bravo and USA, two hugely lucrative cable properties also owned by Comcast. “We may find that they can teach us more about how to find our audience than CNN or NBC News can,” he says.

He sees MSNBC covering fashion, entertainment, sports, and food, and he imagines an audience coming to his anchors not just for their takes on the immigration bill, but also for their restaurant recommendations or their thoughts on a summer blockbuster. “I’m giving Chris Matthews a [digital] channel to talk about movies and good television shows like ‘Mad Men’ and ‘Homeland,’ ” he says.

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/112733/roger-ailes-msnbc-how-phil-griffin-created-lefts-fox-news#

[haikugal]

4. Isn't he going to have a show?

Is that off? You can hear him online at Chicago progressive radio...get your Big Ed fix...just a thought for your mental health

[GP6971]

5. I think it's a weekend show. n/t

[xtraxritical]

47. The MSNBC web site lists Ed as a weekend show, they give no more information

than that. When the change was announced they said Ed would be on Fri and Sat starting in April, I think at 6pm est. I hope he comes back I really liked his style and I miss him. MSNBC

Here's a page where you can "contact" email MSNBC and tell them to get Ed back on the air. Edited to put up contact info.

[TeamPooka]

73. He's going to be on Sat and Sun. 5-7pm

[NCarolinawoman]

82. Opposite sports programming.

Male "reagan" Democrats who had flocked to him for the truth, will not know he even exists.

[TeamPooka]

83. if they flocked to him before they already know he exists.

[Laurian]

6. So they say. No definitive start date has been announced.

Regardless, I would like to see him or someone like him on week nights, not just weekends.

[haikugal]

8. I agree...

I thought he was too bombastic at first and sounded too much like Limbaugh but he grew on me. I miss him too and would like more of a mix...Bashir would be great too.

[lunasun]

36. sounded too much like Limbaugh but he grew on me

Ha! I only listen to Ed on the radio
It is during the day but when I am driving around I will turn the radio way down if I am at a stop or driving through or doing business

I always think someone unfamiliar with Ed will assume by the voice tone I am listening to Limbaugh because here they come on the radio during the same time slot,and yes he can get that bombastic Rushbo tone ( but about things I get upset about too including Limbaugh).

Even if I do not know the persons around me, I wouldn't want them to think I endorse hate radio

Haven't tuned in for a few days = hope Ed is still daily on the radio waves

[haikugal]

46. Thanks for this...

I haven't checked lately, I hope he's still there!

[JI7]

12. his voice is very much missing from the line up

i really do hope he was the one that wanted to leave .

[Mike Nelson]

15. Chris doesn't seem as good in the new time...

...he needs to tweak something. It's not the same.

[whathehell]

72. I agree, though I absolutely loved him on UP with Chris Hayes....n/t

[gordianot]

16. Chris Hayes appears to me entranced with the sound of his voice. unwatchable

[Fla Dem]

78. I have to agree with you on that.

Watched UP for many weeks, but I always felt Chris stole the discussion from the people on his panels. He always seemed to know more than them, and had to have the last word. I still like Chris, he's very intelligent and seems like a nice guy. But I tune in to hear different voices and it seems like all I hear is his.

[gordianot]

79. This is the same model adopted by the other older News Shows such as Meet the Press

I probably agree with him 90% of the time but that is not what I am looking for. Conservatives are shy creatures and will not participate in any forum that they percieve is not friendly or at least sympathetic. This is the logical outcome of elimination of the fairness doctrune. So we are stuck with partisans or discussion that does not encourage real dialogue. In some way Fox News does seem to attract more Progressives willing to take verbal abuse. Authoritarians or Conservatives avoid cognitive challenge. The current culture is just plain angry and ends up becoming a shouting match. Since I am not willing to watch Fox News it is difficult to discern what Conservatives are actually saying when they are not spewing filth for their base.

[flamingdem]

17. Is Ed really on still? haven't seen him or ads for his new show..

bummer

[otohara]

59. His High School Ad

is still up and still running.

[colsohlibgal]

19. I'm Just Fine With Chris

I do not dislike Ed Schultz but always have been much more of a fan of the brainy and brilliant Thom Hartmann, and Chris is somewhat a younger version of Thom.

I sometimes listen to Ed's radio show but have to admit I get more excited when Mike Papantonio subs for him, love those Pap attacks.

Different strokes for different folks.

[Laurian]

22. I liked Chris's 2 hour weekend shows, but i don't care for

two very similar (style wise) hours of Chris and Rachel every night. I need more variety to hold my attention at the end of the day.

[bluestate10]

27. I felt that Chris Hayes was a good fit for the 2 hour weekend show from 8-10am.

That was a perfect time for his type of show. If Ed was going to move, Bashir or Alex Wagner would have been better fits for the 8pm slot, both have fire, but more refined fire that Ed had.

[brush]

49. I listen to Thom Hartmann and Chris Hayes is no Thom Hartmann

He's got a long, long way to go to get there. Hartmann is so informed and just full of related and sometimes urelated but useful, historical info that he just drops into and ties into discussions on other topics. And his delivery is not put-offish, nor does it sounds like he's impressed with how smart he's showing us he is.

Chris Hayes is another matter. Him and Rachel back-to-back doesn't work for me, no contrast in styles there. MSNBC might have bungled this line-up switch.

[dragonlady]

69. I like Thom Hartmann too, but ...

he's not always right in his facts. I've noticed sometimes when he's talking about something I have personal knowledge about, he makes mistakes. I realize it must be hard to talk on the radio and pull facts out of your memory as you go, so I'm not really criticizing him, just saying don't accept his words automatically.

[brush]

70. May be so but I find him very knowledgeable and correct much more often than not. nt

[Puglover]

20. Agreed. Too much wonk.

[Raine]

21. Chris Hayes is just not doing it for me. After Al I'm done, rest of the shows are just a drag. It's

more than I can tolerate.

[Capt.Rocky300]

23. We still watch Rachel fairly regularly.........

.....Chris Hayes and his younger audience target leaves the 2 of us 63 year old retired union members out in the cold. We miss Big Eddie too.

[mitchtv]

24. I wasn't crazy about Ed,but

this current show stinks, sorry

[Left Coast2020]

25. Same here.

I thought he would be on this past W/E. Does anyone know a firm date of return? Maybe if Chris does poorly in ratings, then we should petition MSNBC to bring Ed back to his original time. Thanks for the update.

[MNBrewer]

29. I like "wonky", but sometimes passion is required, and Ed has that, for sure

[charmay]

31. Agree

I liked Ed for his passion and Rachel for her wonk. They somehow worked together for me. Now I watch Reverand Al and Lawrence. Forget the rest.

[lobodons]

30. Can't watch Chris at night (- 1 ratings point from this household)

His ratings will determine if he stays or not. Rachel's will be take a turn down as well since I know we sometimes come back sometimes do not. Too bad Chris will bring down Rachel's ratings as well.

[99Forever]

32. Can't have someone with working peoples interests at heart...

.. spoiling the spoonfed pablum the 1% wants to feed us, can we?

[bluedigger]

33. I like Chris.

I like Ed, too. They are still promoting him, I think he's just taking a lengthy breather, while they put together his show and Karen's. He deserves it, after the trials and tribulations he and his family have been through. I can be patient.

[ISW]

34. Very well said.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

35. I know a lot of blue collar guys who watched Ed, but nothing else on MSNBC

It's a huge loss.

[marions ghost]

76. Ditto

It is huge.

I think Ed definitely helped to open some eyes.

Yes, huge loss.

[itsrobert]

40. MSNBC nightly ratings are down 20 percent since Ed left.

Chris Hayes is not doing too good in ratings in Ed's old slot and his lead in is also having a negative effect on Rachel's ratings.

[Laurian]

41. Interesting. I guess I'm not the only one unhappy with the change. n/t

[itsrobert]

43. You can look at the daily ratings at this website

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/category/cable-news/

[TuxedoKat]

45. Sorry to hear that

As I really like both Chris and Ed. I loved Chris' show on the weekends and Ed's at night. It doesn't seem like MSNBC was fair to either of them in the way they treated them. Throwing Chris into that important time slot so soon -- and removing Ed who'd built up the ratings in that slot seems unjust and ill-advised too. I hope Chris' show survives and improves, but I wish they'd bring Ed back to a weekly evening show. I would put Chris at 700PM as someone else suggested and then Ed back at 800Pm.

[Mosaic]

53. Cenk said it best

msnbc is establishment. It is owned by General Electric and Comcast. Those executives are republicans, we are being had. Our only real choice is the progressive internet and blogosphere. Stop being suckers people!

[TeamPooka]

74. Comcast bought out the last of GE's investment earlier this year so it's just them now.

[Divine Discontent]

51. I sure hope she wasn't behind the change because anyone could tell you that taking a big voice

like Ed, and replacing him with someone better suited for an 11pm policy wonk type show, or Sunday morning show, would lower her ratings.

[HiPointDem]

42. i like wonky. rachel = not wonky.

[Divine Discontent]

50. Chris is FABULOUS as a contributor - Ed should be the run leading the time slot into the

policy wonk type discussion that are better suited for others shows.

MSNBC screwed up. Rachel push for Chris?

[Mosaic]

52. If you read this Chris

Stop with the big words. Speak english. I'm not impressed by words I, or nobody else, know the meaning of. And please don't resort to chicken little left wing doomsday talk, or I'm out.

[Bigredhunk]

56. I still wonder

If Ed left of his own volition (spend more time with his wife maybe?) -- or if he was "encouraged" to leave (?)

[ReRe]

57. Yeah, I'm suffering from Ed-loss too...

... in that 8pm time slot. Didn't matter what I was doing, I always worked my way to the TV at 8pm for my daily dose of Ed and his little nightly poll. Will be glad when he starts up his show on the weekends. Chris Hayes talks way to fast for me. Maybe a line-up like this would work better: Rev Al, Tweety, Lawrence @ 8pm, Rachel and THEN Chris Hayes. If I don't like what's going on on MSNBC, and it's early, I switch over to Current and watch Cenk John Fugelsang (sp?) Chris Hayes might be good for young Democrats at that time slot? I would think 10PM would be better for him. I do still listen to Ed on the radio whenever I can.

[silvershadow]

58. Ed was the last of his kind, I believe. Something happened behind the scenes, imo, sometime after

Rachel found her wings. I distinctly remember the moment in time when I noticed it, and the change in his demeanor, especially toward her on air. Nothing was said, yet that was the point, to me. When the icy chill was resolved, he wasn't the same. Now I have no idea if there was anything to it or not, but that was my distinct impression. Not long after Ed had the family issues to deal with, and during that time, the whole thing changed. (And not for the better). I like Chris, I like Rachel. But after Keith, Ed was the last hope for reality not getting bogged down into the wonkiness that the PTB likes to muddy the waters with. Yep, we are screwn in the long run.

[global1]

60. When Does Ed's Weekend Show Start?.....

Also - it's strangely funny how his being taken off was timed to President Obama's putting out his budget and chained CPI. I would have loved to have Ed on the air talking about that and how this is offensive to people that went out and worked for, donated to and voted for Obama - because he promised not to put this on the backs of seniors, the poor, the sick and the shrinking middle class.

[Greybnk48]

61. Me too! I really like Chris as well, but I liked

Ed in that slot. He was a breath of fresh air and I really appreciated his support of Wisconsin during our troubles with Walker. I liked that there was a voice for labor as well. Too bad.

[whathehell]

62. Chris opened his show Monday praising Obama's "courage" for proposing cuts to SS & Medicare

Yup, he opened the show with that and said Obama was "Right" to do that,

whereupon I promptly deleted him from my DVR lineup, sent him an educational email

explaining that TRUE courage was standing up to Wall St., not cutting benefits to disabled vets and the elderly.

I then told him I was no longer watching his show, but did thank him for

finally showing his True Colors.

[forestpath]

64. I can't believe they replaced Ed with this jerk. I hope his show

sinks like a stone.

[whathehell]

77. Well, Tweety has been on for a long time...It's Chris Hayes who replaced Ed, unfortunately.

I like Chris Hayes, but I've watched his new show and I liked him much more

on Up With Chris Hayes on the weekend.

[MFM008]

63. im afraid

i havent watched it since it began. I cant handle another 'Cycle' type rounds of discussions. Chris was a good guest but hes not a leading man........

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

65. MSNBC = monotonous

It could use Ed's voice now, since the other's are taking a pass on the Grand Bargain.

I was a huge fan of UP! but was concerned that a weekly show wouldn't be as awesome as a weekend show. TBD. And, yes, Chris to Rachel is monotonous.

[Blue_In_AK]

66. I'm not watching any of them now.

I'm disenchanted.

[liberalla]

67. Yes. Now there's another hole, of a different type in the MSNBC lineup.

We need a voice like Ed's to balance the others. I like Chris, but not INSTEAD of Ed Schultz. From his website...


"Monday, April 08, 2013

The Ed Show will be returning to MSNBC on Saturday's and Sunday's from 5-7 PM ET! Keep Checking back for the Start date and any of the latest information." (about halfway down on the left side)

[font size=6]http://www.bigeddieradio.com/[/font]

You can watch and listen to his radio show there, too.

[NCarolinawoman]

71. Ed will be competing with a lot of sports programs.

I personally know of two men who switched from O'Reilly to Ed after the Fox News fiasco. They appreciated Ed's honesty and where he was coming from.

Ed was getting a lot of Reagan Democrats as new viewers. But a lot of those male viewers keep the sports channels on much of Saturday and Sunday; even if it's just for background noise. They won't give Chris the time of day.

[highplainsdem]

68. Agreed. And the ratings are down:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/06/get-to-the-point-all-in-ratings_n_3029121.html

MSNBC's "All In" is certainly not going anywhere after just a week. The network is likely to be very patient with host Chris Hayes, who has made a rapid rise through the ranks, and whose show is quite different from "The Ed Show," which it replaced. But it fell 26 percent in total viewers across its first four days, as well as 24 percent in the all-important A25-54 demo. All told, "All In" ratings were down 15 percent from the last week of "The Ed Show," which was hosted by fill-in anchors. Still, the show drew critical praise and network president Phil Griffin is not going to lose any sleep over some slight softness in a first week.

[KennedyBrothers]

75. Bring back Phil Donohue!

I really think Phil would do well in the current milieu. Why not give him another shot?

[tokenlib]

80. All I hear is the President's courage on chained CPI...for now the tube is OFF!!

If the opponents are "a few democrats" and "those on the left fringe" and I see Ed Rendell snickering about how wise it is to throw the needy under the bus.. then I have to turn it off.

DAMN RIGHT I MISS BIG ED!!

[madrchsod]

81. that`s why i listen to his radio show

i never did like his tv show and haven't watched the new one. in fact i rarely watch tv on saturday night.

[StrayKat]

84. When is Ed supposed to start in his new time slot?

Kornaki already started.

[Laurian]

85. On his radio show yesterday, he said a date had been determined, but

that he couldn't announce it, yet. I'm hopeful. I was beginning to think we wouldn't see him on MSNBC again.

[StrayKat]

86. Thanks. Caught on Camera does nothing for me.

I would much rather have Ed Shultz in the background when I'm making dinner.

[yortsed snacilbuper]

88. When is Ed supposed to start in his new time slot?

[Laurian]

89. Not sure. I only hear Ed's radio show when I happen

to be in the car when he's on. One day last week, he said they'd have an announcement Thursday (I think). I didn't catch his show on Thursday, but I can't find anything about it online. I'm wondering if all the news from Boston bumped the announcement. Otherwise, I'm really beginning to wonder what's going on.........

[Laurian]

90. I heard Ed yesterday. He said the start date would be

announced next week. I guess that announcement has to come from MSNBC. The Boston news must have bumped it from las week......

[Clear Water WI]

91. MSNBC made a bad decision

I miss Ed more than I can put into words. He was the first person to come to Madison, WI to make sure the world knew what Scott Walker was doing to us. And, to be fair, I really wanted to like Chris Hayes' show. After a few weeks, I'm already tapped out. The panel type format doesn't suit the time slot because its just too slow to develop. I prefer the newscast format because it seems more fresh and upbeat. And, after hearing Chris end most every one of his sentences with the word "right?", I just couldn't watch anymore. I'm sure it's just a habit of his but it gives the viewer the feeling that he is saying, "don't you understand that I'm smarter than you?" Now that I stopped watching his show, I have almost completely stopped watching Rachel Maddow as well even though I absolutely love her show. I guess the Ed Schultz lead-in was more important than I thought. It's too bad, I watched MSNBC exclusively for many years and stayed with them even after Keith left. For the first time in a long time, I'm now looking for something else on TV to fill that void at night.

[hrmjustin]

92. Welcome to DU and I miss him too.

[Scuba]

93. Ed will be in Madison at the Barrymore Theatre May 2nd ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10847509


And welcome to DU!!!!!!!!!!!!