Lawrence ODonnells Future At MSNBC Is Unclear

[Miles Archer]

Lawrence O’Donnell’s Future At MSNBC Is Unclear

As his contract nears its end, a renewal doesn’t appear to be on the horizon for “The Last Word” host.



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/lawrence-odonnell-msnbc-future_us_59162d8ce4b00f308cf5534a?bw6&ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009

Lawrence O’Donnell, host of MSNBC’s “The Last Word,” has just four weeks left in his contract, and the cable network does not appear to be interested in renewing his deal. Four well-placed sources tell HuffPost that MSNBC has not been in contact with O’Donnell’s team of representatives to negotiate a new deal.

The absence of active negotiations weeks before a contract expires is highly unusual and often a sign that a contract won’t be renewed. News networks normally don’t risk letting the contract of a host who has a highly rated program expire or even come close to expiring before renegotiating. A short time-frame puts the network at a strategic disadvantage in talks, that’s why cable networks often start negotiating renewals six to nine months in advance of a contract ending.

A spokesman for NBC News declined to comment on “ongoing negotiations.” Although, multiple sources from inside and outside the network have told HuffPost that no negotiations have taken place.

O’Donnell, who has been appearing on the network since its inception, has hosted his highly rated program since the fall of 2010. “The Last Word” is the cable network’s second-highest rated program, according to Nielsen figures, behind only “The Rachel Maddow Show.”

[50 Shades Of Blue]

1. Bill O'Reilly's new slot

[LakeArenal]

2. Hope you aren't right...

But probably expected...

[TheBlackAdder]

11. JFC, I just barfed.

[joet67]

21. Probably.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

50. I think that is a great idea - and who knows - perhaps Fox will diversify? If they keep

losing market share to CNN and MSNBC

I really like O'Donnell - but he always gives the air of left conspiracy (think Rachel does as well but not to the same degree). Of course, it's truth, and we all love it - but wonder if it turns off the middle of the roader? like some of the ultra right on Fox?

I would love it if they put Lawrence on earlier - like instead of Chris Hayes (annoying to me) ? He needs some new life breathed into him - he always acts tired

my 2 cents

[SticksnStones]

106. True progressive reporting and punditry has so little tv and radio bandwidth

That to lose ODonnell would be a shame.

What exactly is middle of the road in these times? Folks with no opinion on most topics? Folks turned off by a deep dive in reporting or opining?

Middle of the roaders can always turn to network nightly news for their daily dose of both sides do it.

I, for one, am done feeling like the collective broadcasting of progressive voices needs to be smaller so as to not alienate the middle of the road.

[BannonsLiver]

96. I wonder if long term it might be Megan Kelly

NBC has her sitting on ice until later this year.

[Rhiannon12866]

100. I think viewers would boycott

How many of us on the left have no other source that represents us - and I'm not just talking about DU, but how many more of us are there? We know that Rachel has been getting great ratings. That Greta person from FOX News was bad enough, but O'Reilly is viewed as the devil incarnate.

[Cooley Hurd]

101. Couldn't agree more!!

[Rhiannon12866]

102. I certainly would! Watching the news has gotten tough enough as it is

And without voices like Rachel and Lawrence and Joy and Chris Hayes it would be completely unwatchable.

[TheDebbieDee]

3. I remember Lawrence became persona non grata from 2004 - 2006...

After calling a republican strategist a liar during the Swift-Boating" of Sen John Kerry...

[chillfactor]

4. then I will only watch Rachel on MSNBC...

once she is gone so am I!

[TheBlackAdder]

12. +1

[joet67]

24. Yep. nt

[SCVDem]

29. Agreed

[moonscape]

31. Rachel and Hayes for me - will miss Lawrence! Hope

he pops up on CNN

[TNNurse]

38. Remember Joy Reid.

[appleannie1943]

52. My first choice too.

[Stellar]

82. Rachel and Joy for me. nt

[blueseas]

46. +100

Yes!

[davekriss]

47. +1111

However, Chris Hayes deserves watching, too. But if they'd let the host of their #2 show go, we'll be looking at Fauxnews II in 6 months. So, MSNBC, count this loyal viewer out, too.

[uponit7771]

99. +1

[still_one]

5. Andrew Lacks doing. So glad I no longer receive the cable/satellite so-called news networks

[OneBlueDotBama]

6. I hear Billo is available...

I bet they could get him for cheap.

[jodymarie aimee]

7. I will cry my eyes out

I live for his show mon-Friday.

[JI7]

8. odonnell and maddow are the only shows i look forward to on msnbc

[Mike Nelson]

9. Awful news...

...O'Donnell and Joy Reid are my favorites. How can they be so stupid?

[dchill]

66. Republicans ARE stupid. There's your how and your why.

[Tatiana]

68. They aren't stupid. They know exactly what they are doing.

They are removing our few legitimate options for obtaining truth.

[librechik]

10. perhaps a more comfortable slot as expert commentator

without the epic responsibilities of a daily show. I wish him well, wherever he lands. He has done a fantastic job, and I expect as much from his future.

[JI7]

16. nope . he is best at hosting and calling out liars

[librechik]

20. so you must be very disappointed.

good luck with that.

[athena]

13. I love Lawrence O'Donnell.

I believe he's a good person and a patriot. I have enjoyed watching him ever since he was a commentator on the McLaughlin show. If MSNBC gets rid of him, they will lose me forever.

[katmondoo]

92. I love him too, I always look forward to him after Rachel

[bathroommonkey76]

14. I hope he doesn't turn into Ed Schultz

and work for RT.

[JI7]

22. check his history. odonnell is no ed shultz

[moonscape]

32. Zero chance n/t

[dhill926]

15. seems they're intent on shooting themselves in the foot...

[MattP]

17. Maybe Joy will take his timeslot

[DemocratSinceBirth]

44. I love Joy but Lawrence has done nothing to justify losing his time slot.

[liberal from boston]

108. Message deleted by DU the Administrators

[LyndaG]

18. "Highly rated"

WTH? I don't get what is going on over there at all.

[Different Drummer]

19. Horrible news, especially with MSNBC pretty much abandoning all pretense of still being progressive.

Come on down, Bill O'Reilly (although I hope and pray I'm wrong)!

[malaise]

23. Pity

I love his program

[Me.]

25. I Wonder If This Has Anything To Do With Tamron Hall & Her Departure?

[Leith]

26. That Would Be Bad

I really like Lawrence O'Donnell and his show.

But, here's another possibility: he's retiring. He's 65 and he has done a lot of good in his long career.

No, I don't have any special insight. It's just my hope.

[Leghorn21]

41. Yes, hyper-bad, but you make a good point...he's a hard-working man, and maybe would

like a life untethered to his alarm clock for a while!!...sigh...I watch him always, but your "retirement" thought takes some sting out of his departure...not much, but some...(sigh again)

[SticksnStones]

107. He isn't retiring. This isn't by his choice. This is politics.

Link to tweet

I'm slightly surprised that DU isn't somewhat up in arms over this...the tone around here lately is..different, IMO

[babylonsister]

27. Second highest rated program? Makes no sense to me. nt

[elleng]

55. No sense AT ALL,

but some/sometimes can't keep themselves from destroying the 'good.'

Sounding like 'Watergate break-in' scheme, DUMB DUMB DUMB!

[babylonsister]

70. Perhaps he wanted a salary they didn't want to pay?

He's a money-maker though; that's what it's all about, I thought. Maybe he's too mouthy? I love that about him!

[tinrobot]

71. Then there would probably be negotiations

The article says that's not happening.

[elleng]

72. I somehow doubt it's about money, but what do I know???

MOUTHY YES!

[KeepItReal]

28. The boss Andrew Lack is turning MSNBC into Fox.

He doesn't care about ratings. Just a corporate-friendly POV.

I think he wouldn't give a damn if all MSNBC aired was "Lockup - West Bumblef@ck" 24/7.

[GBizzle]

30. So they're back to being MSRNC. They should just adopt the motto "Lean Right"...

And get it over with.

[underpants]

33. For Christ's sake he is clearly the best show on TV

Insightful. Complete. Experienced. Etc.

[H2O Man]

62. "

[crazylikafox]

34. Message deleted by DU the Administrators

[HipChick]

37. Exactly...

[TeamPooka]

80. same here.

[RussBLib]

35. renew Lawrence or find someone better

that would be very hard to do. Lawrence does an exceptional job at breaking things down.

[TuxedoKat]

75. Yes

He always has the best insights into explaining what's going on in congress. Hope they renew him.

[octoberlib]

36. CNN will hire him. This is madness.

[LovingA2andMI]

105. Would love CNN hiring him.

Turned off MSNBC during the election and will not turn back as it becomes MSRNC.....

[defacto7]

39. I've been hoping for a media vaccine

that would stop it's rw disease. Guess not. Guess no one has the courage to make one.

[CousinIT]

40. M$NBC has edict from RW Goon Andy Lack to abandon the left and move right...

...regardless of the record ratings they are now enjoying.

He will likely be replaced with a RWNJ.

With Trump In The White House, MSNBC Is Resisting The Resistance

“Hayes, Maddow, O’Donnell ― the entire primetime lineup is doing record numbers and Lack can’t stand it. It makes him furious,” said one senior MSNBC source, echoing the sentiment of many other insiders who spoke to HuffPost only on the condition of anonymity. (An NBC spokesman said Lack is happy with the high ratings.)

The gap between the success of the primetime lineup and the investment of leadership in that very success has started to become public. O’Donnell, for instance, has the network’s second-most watched show, but it gets little in the way of promotion, a point he made himself on Twitter last week.

O’Donnell’s contract will soon be up for renewal. Keeping the second-best performing show is typically not in question at most networks ― but at MSNBC, it will test whether Lack gives into, or continues to resist, the energy of the resistance.

Lack has targeted the network’s progressive programming since arriving at the network in spring 2015. He started with the daytime shows: Shows from Alex Wagner, Joy Reid and Ronan Farrow, as well as “The Cycle,” were canceled and replaced by straight news. (At the end of 2015, my own contract with MSNBC, which ran for three years, was not renewed; I had no interaction with Lack.) Lack brought in Chuck Todd to host a 5 p.m. show. He canceled Al Sharpton’s 6 p.m. show, and ran one from Bloomberg’s Mark Halperin and John Heilemann in its place.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/andy-lack-msnbc-donald-trump_us_5907422de4b0bb2d086fb7a8

[CousinIT]

98. Andy Lack - 212-664-4444

Let's call MSNBC and let "executive" Andy Lack know what a colossal mistake it would be to let @Lawrence O'Donnell go: 212-664-4444

SOURCE:

Link to tweet

[nadine_mn]

42. No big surprise

There was an article (of course I can't remember where) about how the nightly MSNBC shows are vexing Andrew Lacks because he wants to turn the network into a more conservative (ie FOX lite) network. Unfortunately for him the remaining "Lean Forward" shows like Hayes, Maddow and O'Donnell are ratings gold, while every new host/show with the right wing bias (Greta for example) has tanked.

I don't understand how the incredible talents that MSNBC got rid of or forced out (Tamron Hall, Martin Bashir, Goldie Taylor, Melissa Harris Perry, Keith Olbermann, Dylan Ratigan etc etc) aren't snapped up and become their own damn network. I mean I know the complexities involved, I am just thing that currently there is a huge void in media - the absence of left views, at a time when people are craving it which even if you don't agree with the message you should at least agree with ad $$$

[csziggy]

43. I would not be surprised if they give that slot to Hugh Hewitt

Since there has been noise about him wanting an evening show on MSNBC.

If so

I will start recording Chris Hayes and Rachel Maddow in the middle of the night and watch them the next day.

[Madam45for2923]

45. No wonder he has no f*cks to give.

[DownriverDem]

48. O'Donnell is excellent

He is one of the best with backing up his reports. I watch both Rachel & O'Donnell. Too bad about his show.

[eppur_se_muova]

49. Will Andrew Lacks become known as 'C.M.O.T.' Lacks ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discworld_characters#Cut-Me-Own-Throat_Dibbler

[Honeycombe8]

51. It's all a ratings game. But he's been there a long time & probably amassed a fortune.

He'll be fine. And if he's not renewed, he'll probably still be a guest pundit on this and other networks.

Nice guy. I hope things end up well for him.

[Lifelong Protester]

53. I would miss him terribly.

"Say it ain't so"...

[C_U_L8R]

54. I'll go wherever Lawrence, Rachel and Joy go.

(even Matthews). Here's a readymade lineup.
Are you paying attention Amazon, Apple and Netfix?
Bring on Keith too and you'll have a loyal passionate audience like no other.

[OnDoutside]

57. +1

[Duppers]

65. +100

I'll follow wherever he goes!

[Doreen]

56. In order Rachel, O'Donnell, then Hayes.

are my favorites. I like it a lot when Rachel and O'Donnell talk while changing news casts. I love it when Rachel ends up staying for more of his show. Those two are the best ones for not backing away on their beliefs about what is going on. If they all disappear from MSNBC I will quit watching it. I could never warm up to Greta...in fact I can not stand her and if they get more like her they are going to ruin that channel completely.

[spiderpig]

61. Here Here...(or is it Hear Hear? I can never remember)

What on earth is going on at MSNBC???

I guess the one upside is that if they continue in this direction, I'll have more free time to walk the dog.

[Doreen]

63. Yeah, being night time my cats are coming to life to play.

They will get more mommy time.

[StevieM]

69. I really do like all three of them. They each complement one another by contributing to

the evening's program in different ways.

[kentuck]

58. Too bad.

Lawrence always seemed to have a unique perspective on the news.

It will be a big loss, in my opinion.

[BeyondGeography]

59. Stupid, stupid, stupid

Fox is falling apart and Andrew Lack wants MSNBC to be more like Fox. O'Donnell has the most grown-up show on the channel. Suits live to fuck up a good thing, I swear.

[pnwmom]

60. They're idiots if they let him go. I hope CNN picks him up -- and then Rachel should leave, too. n/t

[PsychoBabble]

64. MSNBC becomes the new FOX

Hope they enjoy their crowd ... won't include ME if they keep this up.

Lawrence and Rachel provided a 1-2 punch of intellect that was hard to match.

[Jack-o-Lantern]

67. Seems odd, they want to slay the golden-goose.

[Dawson Leery]

73. The world would be better if Lack passed away, soon.

No loss.

[StevieM]

74. I wonder if Keith Olbermann would come back and have Chris Hayes move to 10 PM? (eom)

[IADEMO2004]

76. Only silver lining if true would be Rachel gets a second hour.

If her physical and mental health allows. I imagine she works too many hour now.

[SunSeeker]

77. Idiotic to drop their 2nd highest rated show.

It would be sorely missed. Lawrence gives a unique, insider prospective from his years working in Congress. He knows how things work there so he is really good at calling bullshit.

[TeamPooka]

78. Then I will be down to Maddow, Hayes, Reid and Ari Melber's show on Sunday afternoon.

They literally only want me for two hours a day when they used to have me for 10.

[flamingdem]

79. Those rats. Lawrence has been excellent

grrrrr

[chimpymustgo]

81. We must RESIST. Call, write, tweet - let 'em have it. Gawd, we need a liberal network.

n/t

[Scruffy1]

83. I don't care.

The MSM has been dead for years.If anyone gets even a teeny bit out of the narrow band of thought allowed they are gone. I'm sure he is very rich and doesn't have to worry.

[Greybnk48]

84. Shit! I watch him every night! n/t

[R B Garr]

85. This would seriously bum me out....

[DDySiegs]

86. Lawrence O'Donnell is the Best There Is On MSNBC - Save His Show: Call 212 664 4444

I personally believe he is better than Rachel (much as I appreciate her).

Tonight, I called MSNBC at the following number [phone]. I asked to speak to some one in MSNBC management, and was switched to the MSNBC news extension. I left a message that they will most probably lose me as a viewer if they drop Lawrence.

Of course, I didn't get a live auditor, it being Sunday evening. but I did establish that the above number can get you into MSNBC, unlimited to any particular program.

I urge everyone who agrees with me to call the above number tomorrow and let the network know how you feel, so that Lawrence's support can be registered with them.

[Best_man23]

87. So Andrew Lack(ey) Wants to Turn MSNBC into Fox Lite?

They will lose ratings, and eventually advertisers, if MSNBC allows O'Donnell to walk. And I think if Lawrence is released at the end of his contract, there may not be a "non-compete period" so he could start working for someone else very quickly.

If VICE channel was interested in starting a prime time weeknight news lineup, O'Donnell would be a great first building block. Hire Lawrence and Keith, then Joy Reid once her contract ends, then eventually Rachel once MSNBC lets her go. I watch VICE regularly and I think they have some of the best journalism going. VICE could have a weeknight lineup of:

7-8: Joy Reid
8-9: Keith Olbermann
9-10: Rachel Maddow
10-11: Lawrence O'Donnell

VICE's ratings would soar and everyone in the Resistance will tune in this lineup. Someone should tell Lack that a "Fox Lite" MSNBC would at best play third fiddle to Faux News and the forthcoming Der Sturmer network (AKA Sinclair Broadcasting).

[tavernier]

88. Rumor says he and Tamaron Hall are a couple

and have been for a while. Latest news is that there was pretty bad blood with NBC after they pulled that dirty little trick on her. Don't know if that factors into anything or not.

[Tom67]

89. Rachel and Joy will be all the is left..

Chris Hayes is a bit to naive or my taste.

[jambo101]

103. I'd love to see a return of Ed Shultz

[Glimmer of Hope]

90. I find him not only thoughtful and smart, his on air presence makes his show so enjoyable to watch.

Andrea Mitchell and Greta, et al are awful. I just don't get some of their casting decisions.

[moonscape]

97. Agree. His calm and demeanor made his show the only one I could watch

for at least a month after the election.

[MelissaB]

91. K&R! Time to find some contact info.

[Mr. Ected]

93. I just can't imagine Rachel segueing into a RWNJ in the next time slot

Makes you wonder how long Rachel is under contract over there. And how welcome she feels in her fast-changing work environment.

I really like Lawrence. He oozes sincerity, and he seems to love being a Democrat. A real team player.

[ecstatic]

94. L'OD was my favorite, but lately I can't watch because it seems

like he is a little too entertained and amused by trump. I'm horrified by trump.

[LibraLiz1973]

95. We aren't watching the same show. He's horrified.

The amusement is more about the Republicans being pussies.

[Raster]

104. OH NO!!!!

[Dalai_1]

109. Hannity has Trump on his show...

.... right now Lawrence's ratings higher than Hannity... I think Trump has weighed in on this because of Hannity....

Tweet from Lawrence this morning

"I wish I could tell you it isn't possible. If the President wants someone in corporate media fired that person's job is in danger."