No new 10pm show on MSNBC?
The AP drops a bombshell regarding MSNBC and 10 pm…
MSNBC is putting its search for a new prime-time show on hold. It will continue to air Keith Olbermann’s talk show twice each weeknight.
With the liberal Olbermann and Rachel Maddow airing in prime time, it caused some jockeying when MSNBC chief executive Phil Griffin said earlier this year he was interested in replacing the Olbermann repeat at 10 p.m. with a live show.
Griffin says now that the repeat is doing so well in the ratings it would take something special to dislodge it.
Baloney. I don’t buy this one bit. Now’s the time to strike and put a 10pm show on the air. Take a look at the 10pm landscape at TV by the Numbers. The 10pm Countdown replay consistently comes in 3rd, by quite a distance, compared to FNC and CNN and way off of its Rachel Maddow lead in. This is not a winning strategy to maintain the status quo of MSNBC 2nd and CNN 3rd. So the real reason for this move must be something else. Possible reasons:
– MSNBC can’t find a host it likes that it thinks can pull in the numbers.
– MSNBC can find a host it likes but can’t come to terms with said host.
– NBC wants to roll the dice and gamble that it can keep costs down by not paying for a new show and new host at 10pm and still beat CNN. This is a very risky strategy because it’s betting the farm that CNN can’t regroup. That is not something I would want to risk the future on. But given that Campbell Brown is off the air for the next few months, I could see why NBC might hedge at this point. Still, I think it’s a big risk.
March 30, 2009 at 3:52 pm
I think the can’t-find-a-host scenario is a real problem. Who can go up against Cooper and Greta? Ed Schultz would get Tucker-level ratings there. They need to do something unexpected. Why not Willie Geist?
March 30, 2009 at 4:38 pm
I believe it boils down to money. With the report Spud posted last week where NBC management was asking staff to forego raises, introducing a new talent @ 10pm may have been extremely unpopular within NBC/MSNBC.
It’s tough for employees to swallow a wage freeze & then have management say we’re going to pay this new guy/lady “x” amount of dollars to host a show on our network. That’s one tough sell.
March 30, 2009 at 4:52 pm
Chip nails it. They don’t have to pay a dime for the repeats & with the economy down, they don’t want to spend any new money.
March 30, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Chipped nails it, but the Cornell U mascot missed the budget.
Union tech labor costs for a 1 hr tape replay run about a G spot.
March 31, 2009 at 6:16 am
[…] and 10pm… Following up on yesterday’s AP news, the AP’s David Bauder expands on the story of MSNBC dropping 10pm expansion plans for […]
October 11, 2012 at 12:31 pm
[…] So MSNBC master puppet Phil Griffin is content with Keith Olbermann third place reruns at 10pm? ICN reasons there are other reasons MSNBC isn’t filling that 10p slot with new talent: […]