(A comment I posted to MacLeans concerning MSNBC and Keith Olbermann. This is for my benefit as I can't seem to link to MacLeans comments )
As was already pointed out, MSNBC launched a huge new image campaign pretty much calling themselves liberal, given that counter-programming as liberal has been the only thing that got them from 3rd to 2nd in the cable news ratings.
Arguably, yes there are more self-professed conservatives than there are self-professed liberals (there was an entertaining argument between Glenn Greenwald and Lawrence O'Donnell over this during the end of Morning Joe that went over time about this), but conservatives are so convinced of the pervasiveness of liberal bias in the media, existing networks will likely fail in mimicking Fox in going after them. This had happened with MSNBC after they became more conservative. Their numbers didn't budge. 30 years of being called biased can't be overcome by several years with Tucker Carlson, Don Imus or Joe Scarborough. Fox News, being a new institution in 1996 did not have this baggage, so they could program against the media. Essentially, unless start a new outlet and announce *then* that you're conservative, you won't pick up those looking for a conservative slant on its news. Not as long as Fox News exists.
Now, Liberals believe in somewhat equal intensity that the media is biased rightward, but they have nothing to cater to them. I think MSNBC stumbled onto this by accident as Olbermann on Countdown started giving voice to critics of the Iraq war as it started to lose popularity (it began during the war as something of a newsier Kilborn-esque Daily Show.) and the show became more about commentary. Like Olbermann's show, MSNBC evolved into its liberalism -- promoting Countdown's liberal guest-hosts Maddow and O'Donnell to their own shows, giving Ed Schultz from liberal radio his own show, etc. They pretty much now embrace being a liberal commentary network, and that I believe is what is causing tension (MSNBC.com wanting to disassociate from MSNBC-TV because they still hope to be a straight-news website).
Anyway, what happens now? I don't know. Maybe this does scare Griffin straight, and he stops leaning forward. Maybe this hastens the divorce between MSNBC, MSNBC.com and NBC News. Maybe they will codify the exemption that many NBC Newsers claim to have existed at MSNBC, or the donation policy will changed and scrapped. (Donations are allowed by personalities at Fox.) (And amazingly, many people, both conservative and liberal are siding with Keith.) Maybe they'll put more restrictions and scrutiny and oversight on Olbermann. But I don't think they'll fire him. Not at all. He's pretty much the face of MSNBC, for better and for worse, and firing him will cost the network viewers. In fact, it will probably cost them with credibility with its audience of progressives. (Many are spinning conspiracies suggesting the involvement of Comcast and Anschutz and all of those evil corporations in his suspension.)
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