As a seasoned cinephile who has witnessed the ebb and flow of the media landscape for decades, I can confidently say that MSNBC is not just treading water, but swimming against the current. The network’s recent challenges are not unique, but rather part of an evolving narrative in the world of news broadcasting.
How has MSNBC adapted following Trump’s controversial re-entry into the White House, after Comcast hastily planned to spin off the network (along with others), nicknaming it “SpinCo”, post the departure of Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski from their show due to unknown reasons, and after experiencing a significant drop in viewership?
Nothing.
Keep moving forward, as the audience is worn out and requires a rest. They’ll return, stronger than before. In the meantime, endure the dip in ratings. Clearly, it’s time to let go of Mr. and Mrs. Timid. Yet, continue airing their mundane yet mostly harmless political gathering show without them and their constant attempts to pull us into their MSNVichy. Few will recall they ever existed.
Moreover, future funds are primarily driven by increased resistance towards MAGA, rather than decreased opposition. Haven’t the rapid departures from the Scarborough audience (60% in just three days) served as a lesson? Didn’t you observe CNN transitioning from fact-based criticism of Trump’s erratic behavior to endless shouting matches, reaching a level that is almost irrelevant? Wasn’t the cancellation of a quarter of a million Washington Post subscriptions a clue? Or the mass exodus from Twitter/X?
What do you think happened to all these news consumers? That they were raptured?
All of them are still around, ready to invest their resources at the sole liberal candy store that’s operating: yours. Other supposed pillars of journalism have largely stepped aside, leaving you with a nearly exclusive market. And MSNBC is still in operation today due to the fact that when NBC was given a near monopoly in the past, your predecessors in management said something along the lines of, “A hundred million dollars in profits from Olbermann’s liberal show? I suppose we’ll accept it. If we must.” (Paraphrased for clarity and natural language flow)
At the start of this century’s first decade, key thinkers at GE (previously NBC’s parent company) aimed to surpass Fox News by recruiting Tucker Carlson, Michael Savage, and Laura Ingraham. This left them preoccupied, so they didn’t catch me hiring Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O’Donnell, and Chris Hayes. Meanwhile, they were either trying to poach Bill O’Reilly from Fox or turning MSNBC into a channel focused on prison documentaries. Instead, I managed to prevent Rachel from moving to CNN by providing her with $437 of my own funds. Before the corporate leaders realized it, we had launched each of them into their own shows and MSNBC was earning a billion dollars annually.
BTW, I’d like the $437 reimbursed, please.
For decades, NBC executives have approached politics as if it were a soft drink market, believing they could attract more viewers by introducing a new flavor – let’s call it “New MSNBC.” However, this new flavor often ends up being an unpalatable choice, like turnip. Moreover, courting the right-wing audience was a lost cause for NBC in 1996, and continuing to pursue it would only lead to alienating your current viewership, much like what happened with Scarborough’s show.
That doesn’t mean you can’t tweak stuff. Your primetime audience doesn’t want new faces; it wants comfort food — so refresh the menu and decor. Scuttle those daytime shows (which always existed solely to give NBC News execs something to stare at while they pretended to work) and replace them with the morning formula, only with different sets and different titles. Try outsider, big personality hosts like Elie Mystal and Pablo Torre. You could even try for a truce with your prodigal anchor so he’ll be inside the tent peeing out for a change. And now you can finally do something I first suggested in 1998: Change the damn name of the network! Use the acronym “N.E.W.S.” Or “American News Network.” Or how about a nice, self-explanatory “F Trump TV”?
By choosing this path, you’ll not only reap profits akin to those of a monopoly, but also intangible benefits such as moral integrity, ethical standards, journalistic responsibility, patriotism, and freedom. In essence, you might be the final barrier safeguarding the free press, thereby shaping the future of democratic governance in our nation. Remember, kindness won’t deter bullies; it’s standing firm and strong that makes them retreat.
Put that on MSNBC, and all will be well.
From 2003 to 2011, Keith Olbermann hosted MSNBC’s “Countdown,” overseeing both regular broadcasts and breaking news/political coverage. Today, “Countdown” continues as his daily podcast where he shares news and commentary (you can tune in here).
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2024-12-17 18:16