The waiting is over.  Liberals who have been wondering what former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann was going to do next can now follow his liberal rants on AL Gore’s Current TV:

Keith Olbermann, the acclaimed broadcaster and writer whose verbal pyrotechnics and moral passion have outraged, informed, and dazzled viewers of “Countdown With Keith Olbermann” for the past eight years, is bringing his slashing wit, analytical eye, and distinctive commentary to Current Media, the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning TV and digital media company that was founded in 2005 by Al Gore and Joel Hyatt and is now distributed in more than 75 million households around the world. The news was announced today in New York.

In addition to executive producing and hosting a new nightly primetime news and commentary show,  Olbermann will also serve as the company’s Chief News Officer and will have an equity stake in Current Media. The new show will air weeknights in primetime beginning later in 2011. According to the release:

Keith Olbermann’s show will lead a programming slate on Current that includes original and acquired TV series aimed at a broad adult audience. Current features compelling stories about everyday heroes and ordinary people in extraordinary situations, and takes you to sometimes dangerous and always intriguing places. Current shines a light on controversial subjects, tackling hot issues of the day in a thoughtful and sometimes humorous way. Current engages its viewers by sparking debate and discussion, and via interactive formats that allow viewers to inform its stories.

Olbermann, who was suspended by MSNBC for two days last year after it was revealed he made political contributions in violation of network policy, abruptly ended his show in January with one year remaining on his contract. Since leaving MSNBC, Olbermann has remained largely out of public view except for tweeting about politics, sports and the weather to his 225,000 plus followers; far fewer than the one million viewers he averaged on television.

Choosing Gore’s cable network is an odd choice.  While the two share the same liberal left political belief structure, Olbermann will be hard pressed to duplicate his success at MSNBC. CurrentTV is carried in roughly60 million households on a digital tier only, which requires both a separate receiver and a higher fee for most cable subscribers, compared to the 85 million households that MSNBC is available on basic cable. With the limited content that Current has been producing, they haven’t been attracting much of an audience. Olbermann will be starting from ground zero for the most part.

However, these challenges didn’t dim the excitement of CurrentTV executives about the Olbermann hiring. Al Gore is quoted on the network’s website that “ In a world where there are fewer and fewer opportunities to hear truly distinct, unfettered voices on television, we are delighted to provide Olbermann with the independent platform and freedom that Current can and does uniquely offer.” Does that mean he can make political contributions to guests?

Joel Hyatt, executive vice chairman and co-founder, was equally effusive saying “Keith Olbermann is one of our society’s most courageous talents. He speaks truth to power. He calls them as he sees them. He speaks his mind. Our society needs his kind of thoughtful analysis and commentary.”

Courageous?  He just quit his show on MSNBC leaving his viewers hanging in the wind wondering what happened. Olbermann craves the camera and now gets another chance to spew his left-wing venom with far fewer restrictions than he had placed upon him at MSNBC. The difference this time is that no one will be watching, and that’s good for America.

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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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9 Comments for Olbermann Trades MSNBC for Al Gore

ctr

At least he’s out of sports. They always say that someone always loves you, usually your mother. Al Gore is being increasingly marginalized as his environmental lies, exaggerations and distortions are increasingly debunked. Whether he’s still headed toward billionaire status, who cares.

The Major

to CTR No,,,I say,,,let KO go back to sports. His vocabulary will prove what I’ve been telling folks for years,,,that sportscasters have been ‘dumbing Down’ the English language for many years. KO can handle the multi-syllable words that most sportcasters CANNOT.
Remember a while back when Clinton did Al G. a favor by rescuing those 2 girls held by Red China or N,Korea??? Who do you think they worked for??
That’s right.. Al Gore & ‘Current TV’ Betcha’ Al sold Bill CCX stock real cheap. If they both go broke,,,too bad. Let them both find real jobs.

Ted

According to current stats, MSNBC is connected to 85 million households … and CURRENT is connected to some 60 million. There’s NO DOUBT that Olbermann will bring greater viewership to CURRENT … and he may be able to turn it into another “primetime political commentary channel” similar to MSNBC and FOXNEWS … focusing on the younger (and more Progressive) democraphic (which is already CURRENT’s bread and butter).

Olbermann is a multi-talented and very intelligent guy … and, whether regarding his expertise in hard news, political commentary, or baseball or pro football commentary … he’ll be successfully on the media scene for many years to come.

Diane

Re: #3 ….Hello Major ! Yes, I remember that story. Lisa Ling’s sister and her sister’s friend were captured by the North Koreans (as I recall); and accused of crossing the Korean border and spying. I remember that they were doing an investigative story, but didn’t realize that they were working for Al Gore at the time. I did wonder who on earth would send those girls on a mission like that, however; and why those girls would be so crazy to accept that assignment. Anyway, it makes total sense to me now why Bill Clinton went to rescue those girls. Very interesting that K.O. will now be working with Al Gore who contiues to hallucinate about Global Warming. And in summary,all I can say is that K.O. certainly had a lot of good experience telling lies for MSLSD, so he and Al should certainly make a darned good team/pair ! (lol)

Wildbird

Al Gore should be able to keep them all warm with his blast of HOT AIR he produces with his big fat piehole open

The Major

To Diane, It’s good to see you back here again,,hope you’re well. I guess that al Gore ,who is the main owner of Current TV, figured that it would be better to send 2 Asian women than go himself,,he does kinda stand out in a crowd,,know what I mean?? No insult meant against the 2 ladies.
NOW,,,what kind of favor does he OWE Clinton,,I wonder???

Diane

Hello Major ! Thank you, and so nice to see you again, as well. Yes, I am doing well. And I hope the same for you ! Yes, I believe you are right about Al Gore standing out in a crowd. I do know what you mean. And I also wonder what kind of favor that he owes B.C. Hmmmmmm. So many mysteries and puzzles with so many political figures. Take care, Major. Hope to see you again soon ! I still manage to peek in and put my two cents in every once in awhile ! …lol.

Diane

To Wildbird : LOL….. Hey, I agree !: )