Keith Olbermann's Exit -- Secret Deal

[Barefootsies]

More Olberman dramas.

Keith Olbermann saw the handwriting on the wall with the new owner of NBC and cut a deal for his exit that will give him money and options -- sources tell TMZ.

Here's how it went down. Sources familiar with the situation tell us that Olbermann's agent recently went to NBC complaining that Keith -- who has the most popular show on MSNBC -- was underpaid at $7 million per year. NBC execs told Olbermann's agent they would not cough up anymore money.

Network execs were well aware that Comcast wanted Keith gone because he was "a loose cannon that could not be controlled." It became clear to both sides that Olbermann's days were numbered and they began negotiating an exit.

We're told the exit deal wasn't completed until just before airtime Friday night.

Under the deal, sources say Olbermann will get money but cannot appear on television for a certain period time -- we don't know how long.

Our sources say Olbermann will, however, reappear soon with a presence on the Internet.

ARTICLE

[billywatson]

I like Keith.

[beerptrol]

He should have stayed and been a pain in comcast's ass

[Robbie]

He and Rick Sanchez should get together.

They were the only two entertaining "liberal" news media guys out there who had the personality to even play on the same field as Limbaugh and Beck.

That's been the problem for liberals in the high ratings biased opinion type shows. They simply haven't had any great entertainers. Both Olbermann and Sanchez can definitely generate the controversy and have the showmanship skills to bring in the ratings (and money).

Wouldn't be surprised to see them both on Fox News. Why not? They already have the conservative "news entertainment" segment owned with Beck/OReilly/Hannity

Why not gain another giant chunk of ratings with Olbermann hosting a "liberal" show.

It isn't like Rupert Murdoch gives a shit about "conservatives" or "liberals". He's too smart for that...he only cares about how much money his business makes.

[Ron Bennett]

So in a nutshell, Olbermann wanted more money than what NBC wanted to pay. It's all about ratings.

And in the view of some, likely including NBC, he is a "loose cannon" who's time in the limelight is likely already overdone; time for someone new.

As for the "blackout period" - that's pretty standard ... similar to what Conan O'Brien experienced - he couldn't have a show for awhile, but was still able to do other things, and be on the internet right away.

Ron

[Rangermoore]

Keith Olbermann is an asshole.. Never liked him even when he with ESPN.. JMO

[Robbie]

Originally Posted by Ron Bennett

So in a nutshell, Olbermann wanted more money than what NBC wanted to pay. It's all about ratings.

And in the view of some, likely including NBC, he is a "loose cannon" who's time in the limelight is likely already overdone; time for someone new.

As for the "blackout period" - that's pretty standard ... similar to what Conan O'Brien experienced - he couldn't have a show for awhile, but was still able to do other things, and be on the internet right away.

Ron

Thanks Ron for that "moments ago moment" of what we just read in the original post.

[BFT3K]

Chris will probably be the next one to go. IMO Rachel's show is the best of the bunch. She and her staff really do some serious research. It is amazing what her show reveals. Most of the information her show uncovers never even makes it anywhere else. I just wish she would grow her damn hair out!

When Bush was in power Keith was great. Once Obama was elected, his show, and his "special comments" lost a lot of edge. It often felt like he was just reaching for shit to bitch about. Friday night "story time" was his last straw.

BTW, it looks like Lawrence O’Donnell will be getting Keith's show time. Rachel definitely should have been given the 8:00 slot. I wonder how SHE feels about this. Maybe she'll move to CBS, like Letterman did, when NBC did something similar to him.

[MovieMaster]

Sadly he sucked, his ratings were the best they had and his ratings were 50% of his competitors and he wants a raise? LOL

[blackmonsters]

Originally Posted by Robbie

He and Rick Sanchez should get together.

They were the only two entertaining "liberal" news media guys out there who had the personality to even play on the same field as Limbaugh and Beck.

That's been the problem for liberals in the high ratings biased opinion type shows. They simply haven't had any great entertainers. Both Olbermann and Sanchez can definitely generate the controversy and have the showmanship skills to bring in the ratings (and money).

Wouldn't be surprised to see them both on Fox News. Why not? They already have the conservative "news entertainment" segment owned with Beck/OReilly/Hannity

Why not gain another giant chunk of ratings with Olbermann hosting a "liberal" show.

It isn't like Rupert Murdoch gives a shit about "conservatives" or "liberals". He's too smart for that...he only cares about how much money his business makes.

That network has a political agenda and ratings are only the second half.

They fire/cancel for political reasons and target selected people.

I wouldn't bet $.01 that Olbermann and Sanchez will be hired by fox.
If fox wanted liberal talk shows they would have found someone a long
time ago.

There's no shortage of people who are willing to blast their mouths off with
their opinions.

[blackmonsters]

Originally Posted by BFT3K

When Bush was in power Keith was great. Once Obama was elected, his show, and his "special comments" lost a lot of edge.

Bush provided two unpopular wars as fodder.

I mean, trying to make comments about Obama's birth certificate match
up to two losing wars was not going to be easy.

[GatorB]

Originally Posted by Ron Bennett

So in a nutshell, Olbermann wanted more money than what NBC wanted to pay. It's all about ratings.

And in the view of some, likely including NBC, he is a "loose cannon" who's time in the limelight is likely already overdone; time for someone new.

As for the "blackout period" - that's pretty standard ... similar to what Conan O'Brien experienced - he couldn't have a show for awhile, but was still able to do other things, and be on the internet right away.

Ron

I think the point here that this is the same company that got rid of Conan too. NBC=morons. Now that Comcast owns them, bigger morons.

[MikeSmoke]

Originally Posted by Robbie

Thanks Ron for that "moments ago moment" of what we just read in the original post.

And that wasn't even what it said.
It said he read the tea leaves about the future at MSNBC under Comcast, so he made a demand that he knew wouldn't be met - in order to force his own exit. Not that he wanted more money. That he used the demand for more money to get out.

[dodger21]

fuck him and his idiotic points of view. good riddens

[SuckOnThis]

Originally Posted by dodger21

fuck him and his idiotic points of view. good riddens

Good riddens? Obviously home schooled by a Palin disciple.

[2MuchMark]

That's too bad - I was just getting into Keith Olbermann. That guy is REALLY smart.

The only problem was that he sometimes got a little mad on camera when it wasn't necessary and I didn't want to see him go all Glenn-Beck. Keith Olbermann new his facts and doesn't need any theatrics, unlike his counter-part Beck who has only theatrics, and nothing else.

[Robbie]

Originally Posted by blackmonsters

That network has a political agenda and ratings are only the second half.

There's no shortage of people who are willing to blast their mouths off with
their opinions.

1. Rupert Murdoch is in BUSINESS...he could care less about "political agendas" he's looking for ratings. Witness "Red Eye" (fucking hilarious) and Geraldo. If Olberman could give him ratings he would hire him in a New York minute.

2. There may be no shortage of people willing to run their mouths....but there are VERY FEW talented showmen like Limbaugh and Beck. Olberman is one who could draw in the liberal people because he IS a good entertainer. So is Sanchez.

You may be right about neither of them showing up on Fox News though. But it won't be because Murdoch won't hire them. It would be because they themselves might refuse to do it in order to keep their "street cred' with the liberal media.

Remember Alan Colmes was shunned by the entire liberal establishment for being the liberal voice of the Hannity and Colmes show. He wasn't even invited to the White House functions during the Clinton administration while all other liberal reporters were.

So maybe they might personally decide not to based on that. But boy...they would both make a fortune if they did. And can you imagine the ratings if Olberman and Sanchez were to appear on OReilly or Beck? Or have OReilly or Beck on their own possible Fox News shows? EVERYBODY would be watching that and talking about it around the watercooler.

[SuckOnThis]

Originally Posted by Robbie

1. Rupert Murdoch is in BUSINESS...he could care less about "political agendas" he's looking for ratings.

Bullshit.

http://www.businessinsider.com/leake...-point-2010-12

This is going to add some fairly serious grist to the mill for the people that think Fox News is essentially the political arm of the GOP.

During the height of the health care debate a Fox News vice president Bill Sammon sent a memo to staff asking them to refer to the 'public option' as the 'government option.' Media Matters, in a welcome departure from the usual nitpicking, obtained the email which directed the new division to:

Please use the term ?government-run health insurance,? or, when brevity is a concern, ?government option,? whenever possible.?

This memo came shortly after Republican pollster Frank Luntz advised Sean Hannity thusly:

?If you call it a public option, the American people are split,? he explained. ?If you call it the government option, the public is overwhelmingly against it.?

This edict was backed up by Michael Clemente, Fox?s senior vice president for news, who responded to Sammon's email: ?#3 on your list is the preferred way to say it, write it, use it.? He was referring to the longer version: ?The public option, which is the government-run plan.?

Howie Kurtz spoke with Sammon who defended the directive:

Sammon said in an interview that the term "public option" ?is a vague, bland, undescriptive phrase,? and that after all, ?who would be against a public park?? The phrase "government-run plan," he said, is ?a more neutral term,? and was used just last week by a New York Times columnist.

?I have no idea what the Republicans were pushing or not. It?s simply an accurate, fair, objective term.?

[TheDoc]

I never could get into his show...

I thought he was a democrat or at least spoke more to that base, rather than the liberals. It wouldn't be much of a political show if he was spinning liberal views, which is why I ask.

[Robbie]

Originally Posted by SuckOnThis

Bullshit.

Brother, I'm an entertainer. Been in showbiz all my life. I won't try to convince you of how things work in show business. You are the perfect mark and customer. I don't mean that in anyway disrespectfully.

You are free to think whatever you like. I'm gonna go with what I know. And in everything I've ever seen in my experience...it's all about the money. Politics are an illusion to keep the masses arguing amongst themselves.

EDIT: And the internal memo you referenced at Fox just shows exactly what I'm saying. They know their audience and play to it. If you think that Fox News is changing peoples minds about anything you are way off base. They are preaching to their own choir and forming and shaping their entertainment shows accordingly to keep ratings. Think about it.

[blackmonsters]

Originally Posted by Robbie

1. Rupert Murdoch is in BUSINESS...he could care less about "political agendas" he's looking for ratings. Witness "Red Eye" (fucking hilarious) and Geraldo. If Olberman could give him ratings he would hire him in a New York minute.

2. There may be no shortage of people willing to run their mouths....but there are VERY FEW talented showmen like Limbaugh and Beck. Olberman is one who could draw in the liberal people because he IS a good entertainer. So is Sanchez.

You may be right about neither of them showing up on Fox News though. But it won't be because Murdoch won't hire them. It would be because they themselves might refuse to do it in order to keep their "street cred' with the liberal media.

Remember Alan Colmes was shunned by the entire liberal establishment for being the liberal voice of the Hannity and Colmes show. He wasn't even invited to the White House functions during the Clinton administration while all other liberal reporters were.

So maybe they might personally decide not to based on that. But boy...they would both make a fortune if they did. And can you imagine the ratings if Olberman and Sanchez were to appear on OReilly or Beck? Or have OReilly or Beck on their own possible Fox News shows? EVERYBODY would be watching that and talking about it around the watercooler.

Let me know when you get back to reality so we can chat.

[AsianDivaGirlsWebDude]

Keith Olbermann signing off from Countdown for the last time on Friday:



I regularly watched and enjoyed Countdown, along with the Rachael Maddow show, on MSNBC. Keith will be missed, although it will be interesting to see what he goes on to do next.

MSNBC has done a great job in building up a liberal line-up over the past several years, and I hope that it continues.

ADG

[MediaGuy]

Ahahah... pay him off to shut him up... didn't think he'd be such a puss...

:D

[NetHorse]

He's just as bat shit crazy as Glenn Beck. Good, they all need to be off the air. We don't need these assclowns spewing their extremely biased political propaganda on news networks.

Give them airtime on fucking public access.

[Robbie]

Originally Posted by blackmonsters

Let me know when you get back to reality so we can chat.

Really? You honestly believe that Murdoch (an Australian by the way) gives two shits about "conservative" or "liberal"?

Maybe that's why only a few people ever get to where he is at. Most folks can't see how things are done. And certainly the majority of the people here on GFY don't have the faintest idea how the entertainment business works.

Murdoch is about making MONEY. EVERYTHING is about money. Once you figure that out...you'll be a lot better off.

[DaddyHalbucks]

He's one of the biggest douche bags in the media.

No tears here.

[DateDoc]

They paid out his contract and I think he had 2 years left on it so they gave him $14m to walk away.

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by Robbie

Maybe that's why only a few people ever get to where he is at. Most folks can't see how things are done. And certainly the majority of the people here on GFY don't have the faintest idea how the entertainment business works.

Murdoch is about making MONEY. EVERYTHING is about money. Once you figure that out...you'll be a lot better off.

[Bryan G]

Originally Posted by DaddyHalbucks

He's one of the biggest douche bags in the media.

No tears here.

Because he has a different opinion than you do right. Lemme guess beck is your hero.

[SuckOnThis]

Originally Posted by Robbie

Really? You honestly believe that Murdoch (an Australian by the way) gives two shits about "conservative" or "liberal"?

Yea, thats why he contributed $1 million last year to the republican party and another million to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which is largely working to elect Republicans.

Thats why he's under scrutiny in The UK for having private meetings with conservatives...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2...rivate-meeting

I bet you're one of those people that can't explain the ocean tides therefore it proves the existence of God....

[Robbie]

Originally Posted by SuckOnThis

I bet you're one of those people that can't explain the ocean tides therefore it proves the existence of God....

Why do you want to act like a cocksucker during a conversation? I simply told you a fact that he is in business to make money. You want to chase your tail believing in conservatives and liberals..then that is YOUR business. I could care less.

I too have my own political views...but I'm not dumb. If something that was 100% against my own political views could make me a few million dollars I would do it.

You know what...just forget it. Believe what you want. Live the way you choose. Think the way you want. I'll do the same.

EDIT:
You may want to check your "facts". He not only contributed to some Republicans. But also to a lot of democrats. Including Hillary Clinton. Just like ALL big corporations do. It's called BUSINESS and you hedge your bets. You want whomever wins to owe you something. Come on man...act like you know how to run a business for God's sakes: http://www.newsmeat.com/billionaire_...rt_Murdoch.php

[Barry-xlovecam]

What amazes me is that people actually listen to these assclowns ...