What's up with MSNBC?

[W_HAMILTON]

It's actual coverage of news has been AWFUL lately. Just in the past week or so...

- While CNN and FOX were carrying the Lieberman/Lamont post-election news conferences, MSNBC was showing a druggie documentary from 1-2 years ago. They showed a BREAKING NEWS banner during the show to announce the election results.

- While CNN (CNN International, I believe) and FOX cut in early in the morning to report on the "breaking" terror story this past week, MSNBC was showing a Chris Matthews repeat at 3am.

- And today, while CNN and FOX were showing the live UN feed regarding the new resolution, MSNBC was showing a Chris Matthews repeat. They showed a BREAKING NEWS banner to announce that an agreement had been reached.

What the hell is up with them? Why are they straying away from actual news, in favor of pre-recorded crap? How the hell can one of the major news stations just be completely oblivious to actual news going on around the world?

I was somewhat intrigued by what Abrams was going to do with the channel, but it's gone in the shitter lately. When they show pre-recorded documentaries from 2004 in favor of actual news coverage, you have to wonder...what the hell are they thinking? Anyone else noticed this lately?

[1620rock]

1. Umm, you get 'actual' news on MSNBC ? ?...just asking.

[Imagevision]

2. Remember MSNBC-CNN refused to cover election fraud as did

the rest of the msm. Right now they're only reporting on what they've been given the green light on.

Other then the New York Times - LA. Times and the internet there isn't much truthful news being reported.

[patricia92243]

3. I think they have not been doing good financially and are tightening their

belt. Has made their programming go bye-bye and will soon go off the air - is my bet.

[ShortnFiery]

13. If that means no more Tucker Carlson, that's a GOOD THING!

:applause:

[LTR]

21. Tucker's a conflicted character

He's said things in the past that make me thing there's a liberal peeking out. He's shown a completely different side outside of his shows at times.

One day, he's gonna snap.

[LiberalHeart]

4. Yes, I have noticed, too.

I don't know what's up with all those crime documentary type shows. I see them as a wasted opportunity for MSNBC to be a news channel. It's as if they've just given up trying to compete.

[SoCalDem]

5. It's Friday, so it must be "Prison-of-the Week"

:puke:

[nam78_two]

11. I actually would like their prison stories if they were done well

and if they actually also covered ya know -real news :shrug:.

The thing about prisons is that from all I have read, that is an area where real abuse is so common and many people have the "They are in the slammer cause they did something to deserve it-so screw them" attitude-Thats really a forgotten class of people.

And with the racial element to sentencing and how drug rehab facilities are being shut down in many prisons (many types of rehab), its really like these people are thrown in prison and then just ignored.

Its quite tragic.And the numbers are just growing.

But yeah, considering how much actual news they ignore its egregious. But, I do have less problem with the coverage of prisons (if its being done right-I saw one once that was ok) than say Tomgelina baby or Mel Gibsons etc. etc. Now the celeb/reality show stuff really makes me :puke:!

[W_HAMILTON]

9. Yeah, true

I don't even have a problem with those types of programs, during like, Saturday night. Or late Friday night. I would prefer that they come up with some better programming which focuses what is going on around us now, but whatever -- I can at least maybe understand showing those types of programs at night, if not much else is happening.

But during the primary results?
Or the UN resolution announcement?
Or even when the terror story in England was breaking?

I mean, come on. They're supposed to be a news channel, they should cover the news. What you said is right, it is almost like they've just given up. I hope this is only temporary, while they decide what to do with the channel. But if they plan on keeping things going the way they are, they're gonna be out of business in no time. No one will watch them. If someone wants to watch pre-taped crime documentaries, they could watch A&E, or CourtTV, or any of a number of other channels. I hope they aren't planning to focus their entire channel around stuff like that, when actual news is out there happening.

[Justice Is Comin]

6. Whoever appointed Abrams GM

somebody must have pictures of him and a goat.

Most critical election in our history coming up, and they don't have a clue to cover it. Abrams is a moron.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

7. Not their ratings.

[partylessinOhio]

8. Abrams has no talent and only has gotten jobs because of his father, Floyd

He is bent on ruining MSNBC and has done it in a few weeks. It was bad enough that they showed those boring programs on the weekend but now they throw them on all week at 10 pm. Maybe it's time for their channel to go dark.

[Gloria]

10. Actually, the new head of MSNBC (not Abrams) has decided to

do exactly what you asked:

"Why are they straying away from actual news, in favor of pre-recorded crap?"

They're supposed to be doing set pieces more during the day, getting away from "doing the news" like CNN or FOX (as if they even "do the news"....)

[milkyway]

12. Yes, they've decided Americans want dumbed-down personal "stories"

and psuedo-documentaries. People are thought to be too stupid to understand abstract ideas. They want stories they can relate to. Don't give an in-depth report on health care policy--viewers will just flip to American Idol. But give them a sappy story about somebody that needs a kidney transplant and they'll love it. And have some smaltzy hack like John Siegenthaler narrate it. It's low-brow television pretending to be high-brow. Frontline it ain't.

This annoying idea is not just limited to MSNBC or television. Feature stories in The New York TImes usually lead with a description of something that happened to a particular individual. Supposedly this draws the reader in. But then the article will eventually move to a discussion of the broader concept. The crap on MSNBC never makes this leap, and thus many viewers never connect the story to the broader government policy and the people responsible (bush). These viewers get pissed off by the story, then go and vote for the continuation of these policies.

I think MSNBC should just stop the pretense and fill their airtime with infomercials.

[OwnedByFerrets]

14. The only reason I would hate to lose MSNBC

is because we would probably lose KO. What other network (maybe comedy channel) would give Keith a slot?
as an edit:
Wouldnt that be fantastic to have KO as the lead in to TDS and CR!!!!!!

[nam78_two]

15. Ooo now thats a good idea :D

I still think he has more visibility on MSNBC or no :shrug:?
How do the ratings of CC stack up against those of MSNBC....?

[milkyway]

17. I was unclear. I meant fill their pseudodocumentary time with infomercials

not their entire schedule (certainly not Keith!).

[orleans]

16. dan abrams was crying over lacy peterson's underwear drawer!!!

i knew he had lost his fucking mind

how comforting to know he is doing programing or whatever the hell a "general manager" does at this so-called news channel!

go back to the underwear, dan!

[senseandsensibility]

19. Yes, anyone who actually watched Abram's show

should have known what a total lightweight and non-entity he is. He's not dumb, either. He's an attorney, and years ago he was a legal reporter on Court TV. He actually came across intelligently then, and he was just a baby. The guy has gone downhill steadily since.

[UTUSN]

18. What's up with MSNBC? Dan ABRAMS. n/t

[LTR]

20. I just don't understand them

Keith O gave them the fastest ratings growth in their history, and while they pretty much dumped everything in prime time around him, the worn-out prison documentaries are pretty stupid.

Here's an idea: Why not use the golden boy (Olberman) to build an impressive schedule around? Give ex-CNNer Aaron Brown the talk show he desperately wants. And get rid of all the missing white girl stuff. It's old.