New York Post gossip maven, Cindy Adams, dished on Keith Olbermann and his new gig at Al Gore’s Current TV. When asked about why MSNBC dropped him, Olbermann said “I don’t really know why,” ignoring all the controversy surrounding his suspension for making political donations and his squabbling with MSNBC president Phil Griffin.

Asked about his role at Current TV Olbermann responded:

“I start beginning June. Al Gore‘s Current TV, station 103 in Manhattan. My producers and staff suggest I even veer a little to the middle politically. No cut in salary. In fact, I’m in charge. I’m the news director. So I’ll stay on one hour longer, but I’m in charge of that, too. If we’re long, then I’m on a little more and the next show’s a little short.”

No cut in salary? Maybe he’s factoring in what MSNBC owes him through next year, because unless Al Gore is directly giving Olbermann some of his profits from his scaremongering global warming movie, it’s hard to believe that Current TV can both afford and justify paying Keith $5 million plus per year. Especially for a network with virtually no audience to speak of.

It’s also laughable that Olbermann will veer to the center politically.  That’s not how he made his mark at MSNBC, and that’s not why Gore brought him on board. Olbermann caters to the far left and Current is hoping that once his program launches, he can siphon some viewers from MSNBC- which won’t be easy since the network isn’t widely available on most cable systems.

As for being in charge I have two words for Olbermann, Al Haig.

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About the author

Don Irvine
Don Irvine is Chairman of Accuracy in Media. He is active on Facebook and Twitter. You can follow him @donirvine to read his latest thoughts.

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5 Comments for Olbermann at Current TV: “I’m In Charge”

Ted

Talk about “the facts” and ‘accuracy.

Irvine makes the statement that CURRENT-TV is a … “network with virtually no audience to speak of.”

The truth of the matter is that the very new CURRENT-TV is carried by cable providers into some 65 million homes … and that would equate to a sizeable audience to me. By comparison, MSNBC-TV, around for quite a while longer, is carried into approximately 85 million homes. Not a really big, big difference.

Olbermann will very likely have an audience on CURRENT that’s larger than his audience on MSNBC … simply because CURRENT caters more to the younger demographic to which Olbermann is particularly appealing! I believe his audience influence while he’s on CURRENT will be greater than that when he was on MSNBC.

Joe

Ted,
Just because Current is in 65 million homes, does not mean 65 million people watch it. I have Comcast cable. Comcast carries the Current tv channel. And I am certain Comcast is in 65 million homes. Checking the ratings today, Current TV does not even make the top 20 in daily programming (ref Nielsen Television (TV) Ratings for Cable Top 20 Cable Series: Feb. 7-13, 2011). Looking at year to date, Current is still on the ground. Ratings posted by Nielsen for January, do not show Current in the top 40 for the month (MSNBC, KO’s previous home was 31st in total day, 28th in Primetime). It would be accurate to say it is a “network with virtually no audience to speak of.”

Joycelin

I think Keith Oberman will do well. This is welcome news.

Palexander

Keith olberman unlike so many tells the truth & does not suck up to others. Some on CNN, msnbc are afraid to ask the serious questions when speaking w/politicians. I don”t consider fox a news organization. We are awaiting your return keith. Never a dull moment.