Major makeover possible at MSNBC

[ariesgem]

The latest talk floating around about No. 3 all-news channel MSNBC is that it's considering dropping all that news.

This one comes from the knowledgeable J. Max Robins, writing in industry weekly Broadcasting & Cable. He says that the addition of two hours of long-form documentaries starting at 9 p.m. could be a model for the rest of the channel.

He suggests MSNBC could turn into an all-day version of NBC's "Dateline" news magazine.

snip>>>>


Robins cautions that this is "just one option under consideration" by management at NBC's cable news channel.

And if it happens, the channel's personalities - Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann and Joe Scarborough - could end up on sister channel CNBC.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=503125

[ariellyn]

1. An all-day version of Date Line? They'd do the online sex offender

story ad infinitum I guess, huh. :puke:

[CatholicEdHead]

2. Well, there is nothing on CNBC in the evening anyways

I wish CNBC would drop Kudlow for lack of ratings.

[spindrifter]

3. What a freakin' bad idea!

Of course it's expensive to do news! But I cannot fathom why they think they should jump into a "news" magazine format--especially since Dateline manufactures its news--as in those predator stings.

[CatholicEdHead]

6. "News" has to make a profit nowadays

It cannot be a loss leader for the good of society. :(

[blonndee]

4. Blech. I HATE all those "Lockdown"-type hour-long stories.

They have way too many of them already.

[aaronbees]

5. Wrong direction, I think

MSNBC could reshape itself into a much better alternative to CNN and Fox if they had some guts and vision there. Oh well ... I hope they don't do this.

[peacetalksforall]

7. MSNBC - scandals scoundresl sex sensationalism and prisons

A reincarnation of trash magazines from the last century.

Brought to you by GE/NBC

Seriously, can you image five Nacy Grace type crime chasers?

And no more court jesters with unused journalism degrees.

[peacetalksforall]

10. make that prisons plus pedophiles

[derby378]

8. I think someone is very, very afraid of Keith Olbermann

495,000 viewers a night and climbing. Gee, you think someone in the right-wing cabal finally noticed?

[Greeby]

9. Don't tell me they're gonna become a news network!

:sarcasm: