O’Donnell: More write ups…
The New York Times’ Brian Stelter writes about MSNBC going with Lawrence O’Donnell at 10pm…
In an interview Tuesday, Mr. Griffin said “the time was right for us and the time was right for Lawrence.”
The 10 p.m. show, which may not have its premiere until the fall, will be “the perfect blending of politics and pop culture,” Mr. Griffin said.
Mr. O’Donnell’s contract will last at least through the presidential election in 2012, according to an MSNBC executive who requested anonymity because the network does not comment on terms of contracts.
I’m going to do a poll on this news…
Update: The LA Times’ Matea Gold also has Phil Griffin talking about this news…
Griffin said he concluded O’Donnell was the right pick for the time slot after seeing that he was able to hold much of Olbermann’s viewership when he filled in for him during the last year. “He’s proven to connect with our audience,” Griffin said.
O’Donnell served as a top advisor to the late Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-N.Y.) and chief of staff of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and the Senate Finance Committee. He then moved into television, working as a writer and executive producer on “West Wing,” for which he won an Emmy. He’s also had stints as an actor, most recently portraying an attorney on the HBO show “Big Love.”
“Between politics and pop culture, there’s probably no better person,” Griffin said.
June 15, 2010 at 4:50 pm
Nice frank Luntz poll ya got there, Spud. I would’ve picked “Bad idea. He’s boring.” His politics have nothing to do with my opinion, but his liberalism is the only choice you provide for “bad idea”.
June 15, 2010 at 4:51 pm
I’m gonna go with “not sure.”
O’Donnell fits in with the liberal network, and isn’t entirely different than anyone they’ve already got. But I’m sure some folks will watch, and it will pull in numbers that are at least as good (or near) KO’s re-run. Plus, pushing the re-run back a bit means perhaps bigger ratings later on.
All in all, the response is, “meh…”