A nice little sidebar story:
Poll: Among cable-news networks, MSNBC trusted by ⦠12%
POSTED AT 10:55 AM ON SEPTEMBER 27, 2010 BY ED MORRISSEY
In an otherwise serious poll from Politico and George Washington University, the survey also asks respondents which cable-news network they access most for political news. The results arenât terribly surprising, as they more or less mirror the ratings, but are still noteworthy for one networkâs almost-total marginalization. While Fox News Channel sailed to an impressive 42% and CNN got a substantial if unimpressive 30%, MSNBC got â¦
Under the direction of GEâs Jeff Immelt, though, NBCâs cable network went for the full-insane demographic. Fox took CNNâs talking-head format and simply reversed the bias, although Fox rightly argues that it presents more opposing viewpoints than CNN did as part of their establishment talent and not just occasional guests and party spinmeisters. NBC decided to emulate Air America with its cable lineup instead, perhaps seeing some opportunity in the last Bush term to capitalize on his unpopularity and become a center of opposition opinion.
Rather than accomplish that, the decision by NBC and its parent GE has not just destroyed MSNBCâs credibility but also NBCâs as well. With the exception of Joe Scarborough, who is hard to pigeonhole but certainly isnât a hard-Left hysteric, the entire lineup is exactly what one would find on the failed libtalker radio network. Itâs no coincidence that two of its featured hosts come straight out of Air America, Rachel Maddow and Ed Schultz. Maddow has, at least, produced a watchable show, albeit with a hard-Left tilt that clearly is out of touch with the mainstream, but Schultz is barely coherent. Top that off with a daily ânewsâ broadcast from Keith Olbermann that almost literally consists of a Two Minute Hate (Olbermannâs WPIW lists), and itâs a recipe for the kind of disaster that only political hacks could love. The wonder is that GE and NBC apparently seem content to alienate 88% of the viewing audience with its trainwreck theater.
Poll: Among cable-news networks, MSNBC trusted by ⦠12%
POSTED AT 10:55 AM ON SEPTEMBER 27, 2010 BY ED MORRISSEY
In an otherwise serious poll from Politico and George Washington University, the survey also asks respondents which cable-news network they access most for political news. The results arenât terribly surprising, as they more or less mirror the ratings, but are still noteworthy for one networkâs almost-total marginalization. While Fox News Channel sailed to an impressive 42% and CNN got a substantial if unimpressive 30%, MSNBC got â¦
How did it get to this state? After all, NBC had a long history in television news, starting decades before CNN and even longer than Fox. Its partnership with Microsoft should have given the cable news network a distinct advantage in the New Media world. Their roster of news anchors, present and future, should have immediately challenged CNN for primacy and marginalized Fox, who may have had cash but relatively fewer newsgathering resources in the US when it launched.
Under the direction of GEâs Jeff Immelt, though, NBCâs cable network went for the full-insane demographic. Fox took CNNâs talking-head format and simply reversed the bias, although Fox rightly argues that it presents more opposing viewpoints than CNN did as part of their establishment talent and not just occasional guests and party spinmeisters. NBC decided to emulate Air America with its cable lineup instead, perhaps seeing some opportunity in the last Bush term to capitalize on his unpopularity and become a center of opposition opinion.
Rather than accomplish that, the decision by NBC and its parent GE has not just destroyed MSNBCâs credibility but also NBCâs as well. With the exception of Joe Scarborough, who is hard to pigeonhole but certainly isnât a hard-Left hysteric, the entire lineup is exactly what one would find on the failed libtalker radio network. Itâs no coincidence that two of its featured hosts come straight out of Air America, Rachel Maddow and Ed Schultz. Maddow has, at least, produced a watchable show, albeit with a hard-Left tilt that clearly is out of touch with the mainstream, but Schultz is barely coherent. Top that off with a daily ânewsâ broadcast from Keith Olbermann that almost literally consists of a Two Minute Hate (Olbermannâs WPIW lists), and itâs a recipe for the kind of disaster that only political hacks could love. The wonder is that GE and NBC apparently seem content to alienate 88% of the viewing audience with its trainwreck theater.
