See that green thing over there? It's MSNBC's fig leaf. The network has decided to take it all off and admit what everyone knew was obvious: that it's trying to become the far-left's cable channel of choice.
That's really about all you can say after learning the news that the MSNBC show "Race for the White House" will now be simulcast live at 6pm ET on Air America, the low-rated radio network for liberals.
"Race" is a nightly show about the 2008 campaign hosted by liberal NBC reporter David Gregory and prominently features Air America host Rachel Maddow as a panelist. The simulcast move is just one of the latest in a long series of leftward moves made by MSNBC since it determined that pandering to the nutroots left could rescue it from the ratings cellar.
The irony is palpable. The lowest-rated cable channel is teaming up with the lowest-rated radio network in the hopes of finding success by bashing Republicans and conservatives.
Will MSM media-beat reporters like the Washington Post's Howard Kurtz notice this and call it for what it is? Guess we'll see. Considering they haven't worried about the serious conflict of interest presented by MSNBC's decision to heavily promote avowed Bush-hater Keith Olbermann as an objective anchor, it seems unlikely.
There is clearly a mutal benefit at work here. Air America has been floundering for years and has had massive trouble getting listeners to keep tuning in despite massive amounts of hype from the rest of the media. MSNBC, meanwhile has been having a tough time geting liberals to kick their CNN habit. This is ultimately why their sudden lurch to the left is doomed to fail as well. People tend to watch television in a very habitual manner. Still, in the short term, there will be some benefits on both sides, at least from a business standpoint. NBC journalists who care about their political independence have got to be feeling queasy right about now though.
Hat tip: Thomas S.
—Matthew Sheffield is Editor of NewsBusters.
















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Birds of a feather.....
April 23, 2008 - 13:01 ET by rwesleyBirds of a feather.....
Laughable
April 23, 2008 - 13:04 ET by LionKingUsually when someone teams up, it is to make both stronger.
The problem is when both are so anemic, they are beyond help. This is hilarious. MSNBC is now proclaiming that they are a branch of the liberal Democratic party.
[ Shocking!!! ]
MSNBC...
April 23, 2008 - 13:17 ET by Missouri ConservativeMSNBC is determined to make themselves irrelevant, someway, somehow.
The mere fact that a leftist buffoon like Keith Olbermann is even on the network, let alone is anchoring election coverage, calls into serious question the journalistic integrity of MSNBC and NBC news, and also the reputations of *actual* journalists like Tim Russert and Tom Brokaw.
"women and minorities hardest hit"
I thought that MSNBC and Air America
April 23, 2008 - 16:07 ET by Dustin JolleyI thought that MSNBC and Air America were already working together anyway. Remember that as regular contributors they've had both Rachel Maddow on Countdown with Keith Olbermann, The Verdict with Dan Abrams, and on Tucker, and Mike Pappantonio on Tucker. Maddow and Pappantonio both host shows on Air America.
You have got to be
April 23, 2008 - 13:21 ET by bigtimerYou have got to be kidding....ROFLMAO!
Guess msnbc is seeing just how low they can go....
When digging a hole....
They don't understand the last part of that above I guess....they're still digging....
Perfect example of a blatant agenda....what fools.
"Never murder your opponent when he is committing suicide." ~ W. Churchill
Where's Balboa.... I
April 23, 2008 - 13:45 ET by futbolisgreat1Where's Balboa....
I am sure he is going to defend MSNBC and claim that they aren't biased at all, despite the obvious FACTS on the ground.
Seriously people, when you have Keith Olbermann as one of your main acts, what can you expect.
Last night I was switching between CNN, Foxnews and MSNBC. I don't like CNN, but what was going on on MSNBC was just pathetic. Chris Matthews was so incredibly upset that Obama had lost. The poor idiot could hide his disdain for Hillary supporters, it was pathetic. And yes, Keith Olbermann was as pathetic as always.
But anway, where is Balboa, the MSM's personal knight? How will this poor fellow spin this into MSNBC just being fair and not biased.
I don't really care what
April 23, 2008 - 14:01 ET by balboaI don't really care what MSNBC does, futty. I've never claimed they were objective.
Anyone for a boycott of
April 23, 2008 - 13:53 ET by ForeverOnTheRightAnyone for a boycott of NBC's sponsors of ALL their programming not just the news? Put the squeeze on the prancing Peacock.
what for?
April 23, 2008 - 16:59 ET by m1xramTheir sponsors will jump ship on their own when they realize nobody's watching their ads.
Where's that tag line of.. no need to mess with your enemy when they're committing suicide?
Rush now to simulcast "Special Report"
April 23, 2008 - 13:54 ET by Gary HallRush Limbaugh now to simulcast "Special Report" with Brit Hume.
Imagine the outrage by the MSM if such occurred.
Note: For the record, the coverage last evening of the returns from PA from Brit and team was simply spectacular - wonderful, balanced and very interesting and fun coverage. Well done! (;~> gary
"...since it determined that
April 23, 2008 - 14:13 ET by Chris Norman"...since it determined that pandering to the nutroots left could rescue it from the ratings cellar."
...but not from the cells at the BDS insane asylum...
Losers
April 23, 2008 - 14:35 ET by Logic over emotionNot sure but Bill O'Reilly is going to have a field day.
After Jack Welch reprimanded Jeff Immelt for business failures he now hitches his wagon to a bankrupt entity.
Imagine my shock and surprise...
April 23, 2008 - 14:25 ET by PrairieSkyat hearing this??!!
"The irony is palpable. The lowest-rated cable channel is teaming up with the lowest-rated radio network in the hopes of finding success by bashing Republicans and conservatives."
I guess weak minds think alike, huh?? Just a few nights ago Howard Fineman was on MSNBC talking to (I think) Olbermann, and declaring rather indignantly, how wrong it is that MSNBC and those who work for it, are constantly considered "in the tank" for Obama! He went on to say something along the lines of "we're not supporting Obama...that's not our job...we're journalists". All the while, Olbermann sat there, nodding vigorous approval and agreement. It was so absurd! Maybe the thinking is that by combining the 6 people who watch MSNBC with the 6 people who listen to Air America, they can double their ratings!! Yay!! LOL! This ought to be very interesting indeed!!
Don't care
April 23, 2008 - 14:33 ET by JimmybobDon't know what is going on with NBC nor do I care. I no longer watch any NBC channel. Blocked them back in December. I may not be buying a jet engine. Although I did tell GE that any products with their name on it will not be in my house.
It looks like, more and
April 23, 2008 - 14:39 ET by Chris NormanIt looks like, more and more, that the political battle lines are being drawn in the media. No correction towards neutrality will ever occur and there will be less pretense about it now and going forward. People on the left will have five choices of television news outlets to choose from in reinforcing their liberal world view. Conservatives will have to grab onto whatever solace they can get from Fox (while it stays somewhat neutral to mildly conservative) and rely on the internet. It's going to get a lot worse before or if it ever gets any better. There's going to have to be a collapse of MSNBC or CNN before anything gets done - if even then.
New Cable News Network Annoucned...
April 23, 2008 - 14:56 ET by unkeeafThis just came off the wire:
A new cable news network will be launched this fall that will focus on
plight of minorties in America. The network will be called HOW which
stands for Hatin' On Whitey. Anchors will be exclusively minority and
wear authetic street clothing while on-air to reflect their
personalities. FUBU and Sean John have been announced corporate
sponsors. You'll see baggy, low-riding jeans, bandanas and dangling
gold chains accessorizing the talent. Additionally, anchors will talk
in authentic street slang while reading the news. Words like Jit, Brah,
Biiatch will be common place as will phrases like "cracker punk ass
bitch."
Amazing.
I wouldn't watch MSNBC if they showed Anna Kournikova...
April 23, 2008 - 15:16 ET by R D Helm...playing tennis in the buff.
Theme for Election '08: Who cares?
Umm....
April 23, 2008 - 16:00 ET by stratmanI would.
RRAM Tough!
What's less than a 0 in
April 23, 2008 - 15:26 ET by taterWhat's less than a 0 in ratings??? MSNBC will probably find out.
Maybe soon they'll have to pay people to watch the channel. Still I wouldn't do it.
By justice a king gives stability to a land; but he who imposes heavy taxes ruins it. -Proverbs 29:4
Blind Leading The Blind
April 23, 2008 - 16:03 ET by stratmanMSNBC + Air America?
Two wrongs do not make a right.
RRAM Tough!
you mean left
April 23, 2008 - 17:03 ET by m1xramToo wrong makes left though. [grammer is as I intended]
WTF?
April 23, 2008 - 16:13 ET by the_red_stateAs a GE stockholder who has suffered since Jack retired and Immelt replaced him, this is more stupid than I'm used to from this bunch.
When do we eventually say...
April 23, 2008 - 16:20 ET by AgentAmericanMark Levin jumps up on top of a Taxi Cab and calls out Bathtub Boy with a bull horn in front of DNC errrrrrrrrr NBC Headquarters:
"Hey Overbite! Yeah you, you f***in' pervert! Come on out and fight like the sissy you are, you beady-eyed weenie!"
When does the war to end all wars break out? I'm ready to make the MSM history! Sounds like they're circling the Priuses and donning their Nerf Launchers when the conservative horde swallows them up.
You know it's coming!
The Mouth of Marx
April 23, 2008 - 16:30 ET by Captain KirockI may regret saying this but in the little bits of "Race for the White House" I have seen, David Gregory appears to be a somewhat fair moderator. Given his antics in the White House press room, I thought he would be acting like a madman, trying to ape Matthews and The K.O. Kid.
On a side note, anyone else notice how Maddow literally speaks out of the side of her mouth? I don't know if it's just a nervous tick or if she has some sort of physical disability, but she twists & distorts her mouth when she speaks.
Maybe it's because she doesn't really believe the wacky left wing bs she spits out, or someone else is actually controlling her, like a Tolkien character.
Rachel Maddow: The Mouth of Marx.
Captain K.... So far form
April 23, 2008 - 16:40 ET by bigtimerCaptain K....
So far form what I have seen, and I have seen the majority of his new show since starting, I agree with you about Gregory, I thought he would be a lot worse...he does seem fair so far to me too....
Can't help but wonder if he will be told to ramp up the leftist views....
As for Madddow, been watching her for years now from CNN to Tucker's show...pathetic.
"Never murder your opponent when he is committing suicide." ~ W. Churchill
Ratings
April 23, 2008 - 19:04 ET by Captain KirockAgreed. Once Gregory has a a few months of dismal ratings, I'm sure the MSNBC commissars will order him to turn up the vitriol.
"Race for the White
April 23, 2008 - 18:32 ET by kevcad"Race for the White House"
Hmm, interesting title. Does this describe a campaign or a minority?
Start each day with a smile, then get it over with. - W.C. Fields
Newt is behaving like a political minority
April 23, 2008 - 21:06 ET by sara123In the past Republicans had to work with the Democrats when they were the majority to minumize the damage of left wing "progress." We called it the slow road to socialism versus the Obama/Hillary radical high speed interstate. That is what Newt intended to do with Nancy in that commercial.
Republican leadership has decided that we can no longer afford to be held hostage by foreign oil and that the demand for oil is only going in increase with the development of India and China. Dependence on foreign oil is dangerous economically and in our foreign policy. Enemies united to withhold oil from the US could be used to kill a lot of people and make us very poor.
They want alternative fuel development; nuke plants, ethenol, coal and unyet discovered alternatives. They want to drill untapped US oil to use during the transition (we have A LOT!).
Because we are the stupid party with a tounge tied President, we don't have anyone with any National weight to actually vocalize the Republican alternative policy to the Democrat Party chicken little hysteria and radical "solutions." In my opinion, Newt's commercial was not the smartest move; it did not educate anyone as to a Republican alternative and gave the appearance of Republican agreement with Nancy and her band of global warming socialist nuts.
sara... Hear!
April 23, 2008 - 21:24 ET by bigtimersara...
Hear! Hear!
"Never murder your opponent when he is committing suicide." ~ W. Churchill
Simulcast benefits Air America more
April 23, 2008 - 23:19 ET by nkviking75Here's an educated guess about how this happened. Air America is hemorrhaging money. It's a whole lot cheaper to simulcast a program from MSNBC and repeat it on AA than to find "talent" (a term that I use very loosely), producers, call screeners, etc., to put original programming in that hour. I think AA benefits far more than MSNBC.
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.