MSNBC serves political news with a side of opinion

[DeepModem Mom]

LAT: MSNBC serves political news with a side of opinion
By Matea Gold, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
February 26, 2008

NEW YORK -- For MSNBC, long the laggard of the cable news world, the early start to the 2008 presidential race meant the chance for another reinvention: fashioning itself as "the place for politics." Intense campaign coverage in the last year expanded the audience of the third-place cable news network, which has struggled for much of its 11 years to find a cohesive programming strategy. So far this year, 830,000 viewers on average have tuned in during weekday prime time -- 46% more than last year. But the bigger spotlight on the network has also put a renewed focus on the outspoken nature of MSNBC's hosts, who regularly slide between the roles of straight newscaster and voluble commentator....

As the 2008 race hurtles toward the general election, MSNBC's role as a political lightning rod appears likely to persist. Even as they acknowledge the risks of a format that mixes news and opinion, network executives said they have no plans to rein in their hosts. "Our people are not in straitjackets," said Phil Griffin, NBC News' senior vice president in charge of MSNBC. "They speak openly; they're passionate. There's a liveliness and richness to the conversation that you don't see on CNN or Fox. Do we leave ourselves open a little more? Yeah. But I think it's part of our success."

Point of view is nothing new in cable news. But even in a landscape crowded with commentators, the MSNBC hosts stand out: Keith Olbermann excoriates the Bush administration during his show's "Special Comment" segment and occasionally blogs on Daily Kos, a favorite website of the left. At an event celebrating his program's 10th anniversary last fall, Chris Matthews declared that the current administration had "been caught in their criminality." The latter comment drew winces internally. But for the most part, MSNBC executives are at ease with the dual roles played by the network's personalities. Both Olbermann and Matthews moderated campaign forums last year and anchor major news events.

"I do think that viewers accept that there are points of view out there, and sometimes that seeps out," Griffin said. "As long as you're up front and straight about what you're doing, I'm OK."...

***

Olbermann, a former ESPN sportscaster, said it is "nonsensical" that "either you are a color guy or a play-by-play guy." But he admitted that the format presents some "real head-scratchers. . . . Some of it is subtle, like can I do a special comment on Monday and anchor primary coverage on Tuesday?" Griffin tries to navigate those issues daily, reminding the staff: "I want analysis; I don't want feelings. "We can't drop off. We're creating an identity here, and it's important we stay true to it."

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-et-msnbc26feb26,1,4761432.story?ctrack=8&cset=true

[Librado]

1. Networks should refrain from issuing opinion

which can many times be biased.

[Skittles]

2. they are doing more than issuing opinions

they are picking our front-runners :puke: