I haven't watched MSNBC since they booted Keith Olbermann out of there, and the ratings have dropped after Keith left. Phil Donohue got the same treatment before Keith, and Cenk Uygur got the same treatment not too long after Keith left.
Rachel, Ed and Lawrence are still dancing to the tune.
And there are some people who still don't understand what Occupy Wall Street is all about.
MSNBC Shuffles Its Prime-Time Lineup
By BILL CARTER
5:19 p.m. | Updated MSNBC, which has fallen back to third in the nightly prime-time ratings for news channels, is shuffling its host lineup, removing Lawrence O’Donnell from the 8 p.m. show and sending him back to 10 p.m., while “The Ed Show” moves from 10 to 8.
The change seems to be a concession that CNN has made a strong programming move by inserting its best-known host, Anderson Cooper, at 8 p.m.
MSNBC had beaten CNN for years at 8 p.m. when Keith Olbermann was MSNBC’s leading host. But after the network had a falling out with Mr. Olbermann and he left in January, MSNBC moved Mr. O’Donnell’s show, “The Last Word,” from 10 p.m. to 8.
In September, Mr. Cooper began beating Mr. O’Donnell regularly, and that resulted in lower ratings at 9 p.m. for Rachel Maddow, now MSNBC’s leading host.
Definitely a "duh" moment. Who "could have predicted" MSNBC would have a ratings drop? Oh, wait. I did. But I don't care, except to laugh at them, and I'm thrilled that Keith Olbermann found a new home at Current TV. His shows have been spectacular. In fact, he is the person that offers the most coverage of Occupy Wall Street on TV. And not just the OWS coverage. Keith Olbermann always, always covers issues that matter to regular people just trying to survive. He's always done that. Keith has compassion and a hell of way to communicate his caring ;) Phil Griffin and the powers that be didn't like it.
I have much admiration for Keith.
You can watch Keith Olbermann's show at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Monday through Friday, with several repeats following that, on Current TV.
And if you don't receive Current TV through your cable subscription, you can watch it on the Internet here.
So MSNBC "falls behind" Anderson Cooper... the guy who is not an honest broker. "Alert the media."
But Anderson Cooper, the CNN moderator, has no excuse: his claim that 47% of American pay no taxes was inexcusable. Just terrible. The correct stat is that 47% of US households don’t pay federal income taxes, which is very different. It’s bad when politicians get basic factual stuff wrong; it’s terrible when CNN does. To me at least, the debate had a clear loser, and it was Anderson Cooper and CNN for that question.
For the record: About 47% of Americans pay no federal income tax. This is generally because they're poor, elderly, or have low incomes and qualify for child tax credits. Details here. But even the poorest still pay plenty of taxes: about 13% of their incomes, according to the conservative Tax Foundation. This is because they pay excise taxes, payroll taxes, sales taxes, property taxes, and various other taxes.
Keith Olbermann would have never made that outrageous statement.
Update at 8:56 p.m.
Partial comment by sgary in the comments.
It was very good of Anderson Cooper to correct his statement. I thank Anderson Cooper for correcting himself, and thank you to sgary for posting the information.
but he did just include his mistake about the 47% and the taxes they actually do pay on his "Keeping Them Honest" segment and offered what seemed like a genuine mea culpa.
Update at 9:27 p.m.
I apologize. I was too focused on particular issues. I only quoted part of sgary's comment. I was wrong. Here is the entire comment, the second part I wasn't aware of until I read this comment.
I hate defending Anderson Cooper
but he did just include his mistake about the 47% and the taxes they actually do pay on his "Keeping Them Honest" segment and offered what seemed like a genuine mea culpa. I'm more pissed that he let Dana Leosch's assertion that OWS is anti-semetic and fully endorsed by American Nazi Party blah blah blah without any response at the end of last night's debate wrap-up.
Exciting Update (Well, I'm excited ;)
Portions of Coundown with Keith Olbermann are on iTunes. Wow. (Current TV needs some PR people.)