What’s Hot/What’s Not: 08/05/12
What’s Hot:
The Olympics – Yes, it means that MSNBC is hijacked for two weeks but we know the drill by now so this gets baked in.
Wisconsin shooting spree – It was the big non-Olympics news story in a week of admittedly low non-Olympic news value. CNN and FNC were all over it. MSNBC was not. I’m going to give the network a pass. Morbid as it sounds, the threshold to break in on the Olympics for an extended period is unbelievably high.
What’s Not:
MSNBC not doing any special broadcasts from the Olympics – Considering who from the network is over there (Tamron Hall, Chris Jansing, Willie Geist, Martin Bashir) and that Team America has been doing very well, it’s surprising that this will be the first Olympics in a long long time where MSNBC is not doing any special Olympic shows. After 6pm ET it’s back to the network’s progressive talking head block. The idea that MSNBC’s new brand can’t be disturbed for a couple of weeks in August, when people are on vacation and those who are watching are watching the Olympics in droves, seems pretty weak to me.
August 5, 2012 at 5:45 pm
Running the Olympics on a cable news network is ridiculous. At least they’re not preempting the evening talk shows for “special Olympics programming” consisting of Tamron Hall giggling.
August 5, 2012 at 8:05 pm
MSNBC is no longer a cable news network. Not a put-down… NBC isn’t a news network, either, but still does provide some real news programming.
August 5, 2012 at 8:43 pm
That was shorthand to make my point. MSNBC is liberal talk radio on TV, with some news. Put the sports on NBCSC where it belongs.
August 5, 2012 at 10:22 pm
It’s very troubling to see many news sites to continue allowing comments posted on such tragic stories such as the Sikh temple shooting. Most of the comments go off in a tangent. These comment sections do not enhance one’s understanding of the story, they’re just forums for the worst people to advance whatever crazy idea that pops into their heads.
August 5, 2012 at 10:26 pm
Welcome to the Internet. That’s how it rolls.
August 5, 2012 at 10:30 pm
There’s a story at Mediaite whose comment section consists almost entirely of one guy asking another guy why he’s stalking him. Much weirdness.
August 5, 2012 at 10:32 pm
They’re so happy when you read them and you’re not a maniac.
August 5, 2012 at 10:40 pm
Curiosity lands on Mars, a room full of NASA geeks go insane. That is a pure outpouring of joy I’m gonna remember for a long time.
August 5, 2012 at 10:46 pm
This should work.
http://yfrog.com/ob3t9glhj
August 5, 2012 at 10:51 pm
Ben Dolman @bdolman
Gold medal for NASA in the 563 billion meters
August 6, 2012 at 4:58 am
“There’s a story at Mediaite whose comment section consists almost entirely of one guy asking another guy why he’s stalking him. Much weirdness.”
^^Which one are you?
Sorry Joe, I couldn’t resist.
August 6, 2012 at 6:04 am
Wisconsin shooting. Not wall to wall coverage. Why?
August 6, 2012 at 10:55 am
Most of the Olympic programming is on NBCSN. I agree though, MSNBC’s strategy makes no sense. Earlier in the games, they actually dumped out of one of the games that was still in progress at exactly 6pm to air Al Sharpton’s show.
August 6, 2012 at 11:25 am
^You don’t mess with Al. Words to live by.
August 6, 2012 at 12:59 pm
LOL. I was ticked off something fierce.