I mentioned yesterday as it was a rumor, today it’s a fact. Al Gore says so on his blog.
Keith Olbermann to Host Major New Nightly Primetime News and Commentary Show on Current TV
From Current TV:
“Keith Olbermann, the acclaimed broadcaster and writer whose verbal pyrotechnics and moral passion have outraged, informed, and dazzled viewers of “Countdown With Keith Olbermann” for the past eight years, is bringing his slashing wit, analytical eye, and distinctive commentary to Current Media, the Emmy® and Peabody Award-winning TV and digital media company that was founded in 2005 by Al Gore and Joel Hyatt and is now distributed in more than 75 million households around the world. The news was announced today in New York.”
“In addition to executive producing and hosting a new nightly primetime news and commentary show, Keith Olbermann will also serve as the company’s Chief News Officer and will have an equity stake in Current Media.”
“The new show will air weeknights in primetime beginning later in 2011.”
“Keith Olbermann’s show will lead a programming slate on Current that includes original and acquired TV series aimed at a broad adult audience. Current features compelling stories about everyday heroes and ordinary people in extraordinary situations, and takes you to sometimes dangerous and always intriguing places. Current shines a light on controversial subjects, tackling hot issues of the day in a thoughtful and sometimes humorous way. Current engages its viewers by sparking debate and discussion, and via interactive formats that allow viewers to inform its stories.”
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Read it all in the self aggrandizing press release here. Like I said yesterday, look for Olberman to take his “world’s worst” feature and start using it to bash “deniers”. Mark my word.
Fortunately, Current TV has very little cable penetration, from NYT’s MediaDecoder:
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 provided 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.
It will be interesting to see advertiser reaction to this move. That will make or break it.
I tuned in just now on channel 358 on DirecTV and they had a bunch of crazed greenies learning how to slaughter chickens on some dreckumentary called Kill it, cook it, eat it: “nuggets”. What a great lead in for Keith!
In related news, I also hear Gore is exploring a new game show concept with these guys:
MIT’s “wheel of climate” – image courtesy Donna Coveney/MIT
/sarc
Didn’t he used to host something called: “The Big Show”? *1 *2
Whatever happened to that?
/sarc
.
Is the Gore affect about to be extended from sending temperatures into reverse, to sending ratings into reverse?
It will last less then a year…unless he can really piss off enough republicans to watch it.
Every other liberal show goes downhill eventually. Its not that no one wants to listen to it, its just that its more of the same from the main-stream media. I don’t see how he can top the other stories we see on CBS and what not since those stories already have so-called experts come on and make up transgender weather systems such as el nina. Its hard to top those shows nowadays, so without a true original line of thinking for the show, its doomed to failure like the rest.
But like I said, he might be able to upset enough conservatives to have them watch the show…kind of the infamous “backwards” scenario. More then likely, he will just bore liberals to death with stuff they here from other news outlets, and they will just stop watching.
I don’t think advertisers matter at first, it will all be based on the ratings like it always is. This will work itself out eventually…just give it time for apathy to set in as far as this individual goes…
Mr. Watts, are you prepared for the enormous number of browsers that are going to be directed to Watts Up With That? by the first of these Olbermann’s “world’s worst” features?
REPLY: Bring it. I have distributed cloud computing hosting this blog – Anthony
A little background on Current TV might be in order…
Gore and buddy Ron Burkle formed a fund management company and somehow managed to wrest control of the California Public Employees Retirement System (CALPERS) funds. They funneled, er, I mean invested somewhere between $240,000 to $400,000 into the Current TV spec project, without either the knowledge or consent of the CALPERS members.
They’ve probably paid it back by now. Maybe. They hope.
Rush says keith will be paid in carbon credits. That’s about all his is worth.
That is one more channel to block to protect the kids.
Quick i’ll have to upgrade my basic cable??????anything to support big A.
LOL is all one can say………even my Dad, life time Democrat laughs at Al now and thinks he is pathetic.
Serves Olbermann right. I can’t think of a more fitting fate than to end up joined at the hip to the alarmist’s nightmare. Even in AGW alarmism circles Gore is a sorry embarrassment. Now he’s got the perfect frontman [snicker!]
I love the idea of paying him in Carbon Credits. Kudos to MB above for that suggestion!
I’m predicting snow on the television.
Er, I guess I mean Rush. Goshdarn, even the “far right crazies” are starting to look pretty sane these days. 🙂
I don’t think any of us could’ve hoped or wished for such a fantastic fate for Olbermann. It truly is a WTF-moment here at WUWT.
[win the future?]
Note to Anthony,
Carl Parker on the “Weather Channel” just called out a person who sent the Weather Channel an e-mail about the cold and global warming. Parker called him and we others out as wrong and used the 3,031 PHD signed on to global warming.
He used a crude graph of the earth, said that the U.S. only makes up 1.4% of the earth so the U.S. does not matter.
Global warming is hard to prove but the science is settled.
He needs a call out .
thanks
Sorry it happen at 9:20 Texas Time on Feb. 8th, 2011 .
Can you name one (FRC that is)? Just for reference; then, cite what belief, what core written work it is that makes them ‘far right’ … include a link to website/reference and be specific as to ‘the belief’ (IOW no hand waving or broad generalizations) … please? I might be able to learn from this …
.
+1
BTW, heavy snow bands moving through Amarillo ATTM, Interstate highways beginning to become covered as observed through remotely accessible TXDOT highway cameras although semi-tractor trailer rigs are seen moving moving briskly, snow bands can now be seen on the Twin Lakes (TLX) WSR-88D north of OKC in Oklahoma where it’s shows 17 deg. F w/20 MPH winds from the NNE …
Said snow/sleet is prog’d to be in/moving thru Dallas about 8 AM CST.
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What happened to the 2-year non-compete clause in Olbermann’s severance? I’d think that hosting and endowing a direct competitor to MSNBC would be frowned on????
A truly sad end for a great broadcaster. Anyone know where I can send flowers? Ha! Just kidding! Olberman is unhinged so he’ll fit right in with the Gore-Hole. Has anyone started a pool yet to pick the date of Current TV’s demise? I’ll put $20 on June 10th, 2011.
I like Rotten Tomatoes on Current. Some of the shows on Current try to be James Dean cool to the nth degree. But they end up just look like they’re on quaaludes.
Kieth Olbermann was fun when he was doing sports on ESPN then on Fox Sports years ago. Now, he’s just a caricature of left wing politics.
Ben Afflek does a funny parody of him, which I’ve posted om WUWT before.
http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/countdown-with-keith-olbermann/805561/
So an “also watched” moves into the “never watched”. Adios. Use your degree from Cornell College of Ag and go and milk a few more cows.
So he *still* hasn’t found a job yet …
_Jim + mod says:
February 8, 2011 at 7:44 pm
” [win the future?]
+1″
I suppose it would’ve been better if I’d said it was a W(UWT)TF or WUWT-TF moment. It really is surreal if you take a step back and think about the odds of it.
Last stop before Total Obscurity! Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.