Keith Olbermann signs off at MSNBC. [Archive] - Front Office Football Central

SirFozzie

01-21-2011, 09:44 PM

Sounds like it was decided all of a sudden., Olbermann announced tonight that this was his last show at the end of the show (not going to get into politics on this)

Things I noted: Olbermann's contract had 2 years, 30 million left to run. The timing of the Comcast takeover being approved is certainly suspicious if not a smoking gun, but the Guardian noted something that made me think that this was not something planned out:

"Bizarrely, nearly half an hour later during an ad break in the following programme, MSNBC showed a station promo featuring Olbermann. But the promo was interrupted halfway through by a mattress advertisment."

Apparently, the buyout has a non-compete built in, no one knows for how long.

Lathum

01-21-2011, 09:51 PM

Olberman makes that kind of coin?

stevew

01-21-2011, 09:54 PM

At least he will get to spend more time with his family.

SirFozzie

01-21-2011, 09:56 PM

depends, I got that figure from the Guardian article:

This one says when he got the new contract in 2008/09 it was a bump from $4 million to $7.5 million

MSNBC Extends Keith Olbermann's Contract - NYTimes.com (http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/10/msnbc-olbermann-renew-contract/)

Here's the guardian article btw:

Keith Olbermann abruptly fired by NBC | Richard Adams | World news | guardian.co.uk (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/richard-adams-blog/2011/jan/22/keith-olbermann-msnbc-nbc-terminated)

Now that I read the Guardian bit again, they could be saying the CONTRACT is worth $30 million, or the last two years were worth 30 million. Poorly written

stevew

01-21-2011, 10:02 PM

15M is Couric/Brian Williams type money isn't it?

stevew

01-21-2011, 10:04 PM

And his options in the future are CBS or CNN right? Maybe something like BBC america I guess.

SackAttack

01-21-2011, 10:08 PM

And his options in the future are CBS or CNN right? Maybe something like BBC america I guess.

Not if a non-compete is involved.

Other thing is, that extension was supposed to take him through the next election, which at that point in time was 4 years, and was reputed to be worth $7.5m per year.

Sounds an awful lot to me like he had two years left to run ON a $30m contract. Not two years AND $30m.

SirFozzie

01-21-2011, 10:11 PM

well, once the non-compete expires, I think Stevew is trying to say

cuervo72

01-21-2011, 10:21 PM

At least he will get to spend more time with his family.

Heh.

RainMaker

01-21-2011, 10:22 PM

And his options in the future are CBS or CNN right? Maybe something like BBC america I guess.
I doubt it. He doesn't seem like much of a fit for either. CNN doesn't really do the one-sided partisian talk show bit anymore, and the partisian stuff they do is a little more high brow than his act. No clue what CBS would want from him.

Radio is probably his best bet. Whether it be in sports or politics. He was good when he did Dan Patrick's Show for awhile and it'd be interesting to see if maybe they'd team up again. Otherwise I could see him getting some kind of satellite radio gig or maybe just writing editorials for some media outlet.

Also, non-competes rarely hold up. He doesn't need to worry much about that.

JonInMiddleGA

01-21-2011, 10:38 PM

Also, non-competes rarely hold up. He doesn't need to worry much about that.

Well that tends to vary a good bit based on the state they were written/executed in. And this industry is one where they're more successfully enforced than a lot of others. Often comes down to which side had better lawyers when the contract was negotiated.

JonInMiddleGA

01-21-2011, 10:43 PM

At least now we know who tomorrow's "Worst Person on the Unemployment Line" is.

RainMaker

01-21-2011, 11:04 PM

Well that tends to vary a good bit based on the state they were written/executed in. And this industry is one where they're more successfully enforced than a lot of others. Often comes down to which side had better lawyers when the contract was negotiated.
I always thought it was tough in entertainment. One side can argue that if they are out of the limelight for too long, their career would end.

I'm also pretty sure New York has some laws that are very favorable to the employee. Didn't they sign in a piece of legislation a couple years ago specifically addressing this?

tyketime

01-21-2011, 11:53 PM

Good riddance to the pompous ass!

Toddzilla

01-21-2011, 11:56 PM

At least now we know who tomorrow's "Worst Person on the Unemployment Line" is.I hate myself, but boy did I LOL

M GO BLUE!!!

01-22-2011, 12:06 AM

Good riddance to the pompous ass!

Geez... Why don't you just throw a baseball at his mom or something.

fantom1979

01-22-2011, 08:39 AM

I am not sure where he can land. As others have stated, I think he is too one sided to be on most other networks. I would love to see him land back in sports somewhere, but I think that ship has probably sailed. Someone mentioned Sirius, that would probably work. I could also see him doing some blogging.

Passacaglia

01-22-2011, 08:44 AM

At least he will get to spend more time with his family.

BUT HOW WILL HE FEED THEM?!?!

Sun Tzu

01-22-2011, 08:52 AM

Put the biscuit in the basket.

sterlingice

01-22-2011, 08:57 AM

Toddzilla

01-22-2011, 09:17 AM

I read speculation that he wants to create some kind of online presence like Ariana Huffington has done, and has even changed agents that are versed in that kind of stuff, but he seems to have way too much of an ego to puprosefully keep himself (and his size 8 3/4 head) off of television for long.

I'll bet even money he winds up at CNN.

Thomkal

01-22-2011, 09:33 AM

I think he should sign with Fox News and co-host a show with Glen Beck and Bill O'Reilly-imagine the fireworks and the ratings there-especially when one of them tries to kill the other on air live.

CNN actually did have Glenn Beck as a guest commentator for a short while before he went to Fox, so I guess there is a chance he could end up there, but I doubt it. More likely an online and radio show.

Raiders Army

01-22-2011, 10:30 AM

If only they'd get rid of Maddow.

Edit-I do find her entertaining though.

SteveMax58

01-22-2011, 02:11 PM

CNN actually did have Glenn Beck as a guest commentator for a short while before he went to Fox, so I guess there is a chance he could end up there, but I doubt it. More likely an online and radio show.

Actually, Beck had his own show on HLN. Then he started getting a bit "intense" and then they canned him (or mutually parted...whatever).

I dont think it would be a stretch to see Olberman on HLN. CNN...not so much. Fox News...that's just absurd but I guess you never know when massive amounts of money are thrown into the mix.

I think it would be more interesting to see the cable news outlets change things up a bit. Instead of Fox News being the conservative outlet...it'd be interesting to see them be the "fireworks" place where the hyper partisans go and just duke it out. CNN would be the "just the facts ma'am" network. And MSNBC would transition to the "kumbayah" network where civil (but still partisan) discussions occur.:lol:

RainMaker

01-22-2011, 02:19 PM

All the cable news networks are unwatchable.

fantom1979

01-23-2011, 01:48 AM

I would think it would be impossible for him to go to Fox, no matter how great the ratings would be, after he just got done slamming them for 5 years.

sterlingice

01-23-2011, 09:03 AM

And I'm pretty sure he'd keep doing it. I think that's a pretty genuine hate and not a "I'm paid to do this" thing.

SI

JediKooter

01-24-2011, 11:11 AM

He's the Joe Buck of tv punditry.

larrymcg421

01-24-2011, 11:55 AM

Hannity and Olbermann. Now you have a show to watch.

fantom1979

02-07-2011, 09:12 PM

Keith Olbermann headed to Current TV: Report - Yahoo! News (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110208/tv_nm/us_olbermann)

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Former MSNBC anchor Keith Olbermann will announce his new job during a media conference call on Tuesday.
The New York Times, citing sources familiar with the former "Countdown" host's plans, said he is headed to former U.S. Vice President Al Gore's Current TV.
The parties declined to comment to the paper, which noted that "they did not deny that the channel ... will become at least one partner in Mr. Olbermann's future media plans."
Olbermann's publicist said in a statement earlier that Olbermann and "his new partners will make an exciting announcement regarding the next chapter of his remarkable career" during an 8 a.m. PST call.
Olbermann announced last month on air that he had resigned as host of Countdown following a frayed relationship with the network; he was briefly suspended in November for making political campaign contributions.
Since leaving the network he has left cryptic messages on his Twitter page such as "Watch this Space."

CrimsonFox

02-09-2011, 01:33 PM

Wonderful news. I expected to see him again, just not this soon. SInce we've heard NOTHING about his abrupt departure, I can only surmise that the phrase "Tell anybody and you owe us a lot of money" was in his contract. Was probably a "conan clause" in their somewhere about doing more TV.
TBS should have made a bid :)

Young Drachma

02-11-2011, 02:12 AM

Keith Olbermann joins Current TV // News, Politics, and Discussion (http://current.com/keith-olbermann/)

He's bringing Countdown with Keith Olbermann with him, apparently.

After receiving broadcasting honors that include three Edward R. Murrow Awards (including one for his coverage of 9/11), the Cable Ace for national sportscaster of the year, and co-host of Entertainment Weekly's selection as the 67th greatest television program of all time, Keith Olbermann now joins Current TV as its Chief News Officer as well as Executive Producer and host of its centerpiece nightly news and commentary program "Countdown with Keith Olbermann."

RainMaker

02-11-2011, 03:31 AM

What kind of Reach does Current have? I'm pretty sure it's on my cable package but I haven't seen a single show on it.

JonInMiddleGA

02-11-2011, 06:04 AM

What kind of Reach does Current have? I'm pretty sure it's on my cable package but I haven't seen a single show on it.

from their website Current is now available via cable and satellite TV in 75 million households worldwide – 60 million households in the US – through distribution partners Comcast (Channel 107); Time Warner ; DirecTV (Channel 358 nationwide); Dish Network (Channel 196 nationwide); Verizon and AT&T. In the UK and Ireland, Current is available on BSkyB (Channel 183) and Virgin Media (Channel 155), and in Italy, Current is available on Sky Italia (Channel 130).

JonInMiddleGA

03-30-2012, 09:43 PM

JPhillips

03-30-2012, 09:53 PM

He must be a world class asshole.

azjoe_02

03-30-2012, 09:54 PM

Can't say that I'm surprised...He's on my short list of "people that should fall off of the face of the earth, never to be heard from again"... my 2 pennies, anyways....

larrymcg421

03-30-2012, 10:32 PM

He must be a world class asshole.

Can't disagree with this. I'm much happier having Rachel Maddow as the premier talk show spokesperson for the left.

fantom1979

03-30-2012, 10:48 PM

Based on his history, I have no doubt that Olbermann is a world class a-hole. But I am sure that his $10M/year contract for a show that draws 177,000 viewers made the decision pretty easy for Current TV.

Grover

03-30-2012, 10:53 PM

Can't disagree with this. I'm much happier having Rachel Maddow as the premier talk show spokesperson for the left.

+1 I'm a big fan of Rachel and Lawrence.

CrimsonFox

03-30-2012, 11:20 PM

Big pity. Always liked Olbermann. One of the few willing to call people on their crap. Like his wit. Actually I've checked out the CurrentTV channel and really surprised how all over the place it is. Having reality shows and weird shows and just all over the map.

They didn't really set up a news show to have a ton of success with that.

Matthean

03-31-2012, 07:51 AM

But I am sure that his $10M/year contract for a show that draws 177,000 viewers made the decision pretty easy for Current TV.

This was my guess as well.

sterlingice

03-31-2012, 09:34 AM

So, who had "about a year" as how long Olbie would last at Current?

Current TV Dismisses Keith Olbermann - NYTimes.com (http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/30/current-tv-dismisses-keith-olbermann/)

I'm a bit surprised but I guess the ratings speak for themselves. Then again, the statement wasn't about ratings or pay- it was some generic thing that sounded like it was disciplinary. So who knows.

Jon- what's the number of homes that Current is in compared to MSNBC?

SI

JonInMiddleGA

03-31-2012, 10:02 AM

Jon- what's the number of homes that Current is in compared to MSNBC?

Hmm ... Cable Ad Bureau (http://thecab.tv) network profiles say 60m for Current, 95.1m for MSNBC

JPhillips

03-31-2012, 10:04 AM

JonInMiddleGA

03-31-2012, 10:08 AM

But that's the way it is anywhere. If assholishness>worth you're in trouble.

Kinda like the crazy/hot scale

BillJasper

03-31-2012, 10:34 AM

Never even heard of Current TV. But if it's not on the HD tier, I'm not watching it anyway.

fantom1979

03-31-2012, 12:16 PM

Kinda like the crazy/hot scale

Olbermann is definitely more crazy than hot.

larrymcg421

03-31-2012, 04:15 PM

The ratings were low compared to what he was making, but it was still their highest rated show. Still, I think the disciplinary reasoning was just given as a legal cover.

molson

03-31-2012, 04:16 PM

Olbermann is definitely more crazy than hot.

At least since he shaved the mustache.

JonInMiddleGA

03-31-2012, 04:59 PM

Still, I think the disciplinary reasoning was just given as a legal cover.

I dunno, the way the NYT piece reads to me, it was more like a matter of him trying to see how far he could push them (and quite likely him trying to get himself fired so that he wasn't stuck there devaluing his brand for another four years)