Current TV is hoping Olbermann will transform the network from an also-ran into a contender. Olbermann declared his new affiliation Tues, a few weeks after the TV personality’s shock exit from cable channel MSNBC. At Current TV, Olbermann will host a prime-time news and commentary show he labeled a “new and improved version” of his MSNBC program.
Current TV no longer unseen
Al Gore founded TV Channel which might end up doing much better with Keith Olbermann now part of Current TV. Programming on Current TV was depending on short segments labeled “pods” targeted to an audience aged 18-34. The pods never took off, and now Current TV programming features re-runs of documentaries such as “This American Life.”. There are 60 million cable subscribers that currently have access to Current TV. There are only 23,000 prime time audiences though. Every weeknight, the "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" got about 1 million viewers. MSNBC appreciated this. Olbermann will hopefully be help Gore make the network do better.
Viewing what Keith Olbermann has to say
In order to let Olbermann express his point of view, he is being given free rein on Current TV. Before he left MSNBC, he got suspended. This was because a Democratic political candidate was getting money donated by him. Gore said Current TV will impose no such restrictions, as long as Keith Olbermann, who will become “chief news officer” of the network, fully discloses his allegiances. He has a nightly show that will keep Keith Olbermann busy. As part of this change, he will get an equity stake in Current TV as well. The Nielsen rankings don't even use Current TV. Gore explained that Current TV will work against major cable news networks as a commentary lineup on prime time after Olbermann's hire.
Show will feature more of the very same Olbermann
During the announcement of his move to Current TV, Keith Olbermann said that he accepted Gore’s offer for the possibility to produce news independent of corporate interference. He called Current TV a “model truth-seeking entity.”. He said the way stories are covered should not be decided by corporate people. He said his brand new show, as yet untitled, would be “an improved and amplified version of the show I just did.”
Citations
Entertainment Weekly
insideTV.ew.com/2011/02/08/olbermann-current-TV/
USA Today
usatoday.com/life/television/news/2011-02-08-keith-olbermann-current-TV_N.htm
New York Times
mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/08/keith-olbermann-to-host-show-and-have-executive-role-at-current-TV/?hp
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