General Discussion

stopbush

(24,852 posts)

69. Who are the people over 50 who are being given new shows on MSNBC of late?

Fri Mar 15, 2013, 09:41 PM

Mar 2013

Lawrence O'Donnell is 63. "The Last Word" debuted in Sept, 2010, when he was 60.

Al Sharpton is 58. "Politics Nation" first aired in August 2011.

Those were the last two older guys to get shows on MSNBC.

Martin Bashir is 50, and had a long and impressive career as a TV journalist with ABC and the BBC before coming over to MSNBC in 2010. He was given a show when Dylan Ratigan jumped ship.

Since then, every new show on MSNBC has gone to relatively unknown youngsters who have almost zero experience in TV journalism. Rachel Maddow, Chris Hayes, Melissa Harris-Perry, the quartet on The Cycle, Alex Wagner. All of them barely pushing 40. All of them get a try out period as a guest and then a guest host on MSNBC before they get their own show.

What you don't see is MSNBC casting about for liberal journalists with any depth to their bona fides, looking about to snare them for the next new show, as they did with Martin Bashir. You know, someone over 50. The trend is to give the non-journalist young person the new show.

I find that to be a disturbing trend.

At least they're giving women a few of these shows.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

94 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Why I Find Big Ed's Demotion To Weekends Troubling [View all] stopbush Mar 2013 OP

Thanks. I agree. It is troubling. JDPriestly Mar 2013 #1

Please tell me if I'm wrong, woo me with science Mar 2013 #6

Ed got the "Cenk Uygur" special from Phil Griffin. n/t NOVA_Dem Mar 2013 #28

Thank you. woo me with science Mar 2013 #91

I hope what Ed said about it is true but . . . brush Mar 2013 #81

Right. That is another reason that I so strongly oppose the chained CPI. JDPriestly Mar 2013 #92

Same is true of us 40-somethings Fawke Em Mar 2013 #94

I really hope Ed was telling the truth on Wednesday when he said it was his idea. catbyte Mar 2013 #2

I think Ed was just being a classy guy, covering for MSNBC and, yes, stopbush Mar 2013 #7

That's what I'm afraid of. Chris Hayes is good but I love Ed. catbyte Mar 2013 #24

MANY people would give up that prime time slot . . . markpkessinger Mar 2013 #33

My wife went through chemo and radiation for breast cancer back in 2004. stopbush Mar 2013 #67

His wife has been seriouslly ill with cancer Floyd_Gondolli Mar 2013 #17

I did consider it. Ed has said his wife is doing remarkably well with her treatments. stopbush Mar 2013 #58

Your theory doesn't add up Floyd_Gondolli Mar 2013 #93

On the other hand, he announced on the air his wife had been cured Samantha Mar 2013 #78

I feel exactly the same way. forestpath Mar 2013 #3

It's not a "demotion." Didn't you hear him? MADem Mar 2013 #4

+1 Dawson Leery Mar 2013 #8

Sorry, but that all sounds like the typical cover story one puts out when they get shafted. stopbush Mar 2013 #9

Gee, it doesn't seem that way to me at all. He makes the same money, he works one hour less. MADem Mar 2013 #34

that you call him a liar is *really* *really* low. CreekDog Mar 2013 #46

I frequently wondered if he was overloaded ... DuckBurp Mar 2013 #10

I wondered the same but how does one hour less air time + traveling snappyturtle Mar 2013 #39

I thought MSNBC suspended him. Rex Mar 2013 #5

They did a while back. This is something else. stopbush Mar 2013 #12

He suspended himself--he called Laura Ingraham a bad word and he apologized and asked to MADem Mar 2013 #43

Chris's show doesn't depend on whether you believe in his liberalism Enrique Mar 2013 #11

Amy Goodman isn't on MSNBC, so I don't see that she's relevant to this topic. stopbush Mar 2013 #64

I think he was being honest, but that is just me nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #13

His Schedule Was A Backbreaker... KharmaTrain Mar 2013 #14

I think you're likely to be right. House of Roberts Mar 2013 #40

So why didn't they move Lawrence O'Donnell up to the 8:00 prime time slot? Samantha Mar 2013 #63

Sorry...No Grand Conspriacy Here... KharmaTrain Mar 2013 #74

Olbermann's lawyer negotiated with MSNBC for months - he wanted out Samantha Mar 2013 #76

They Also Make Sure Olbermann Was On The Shelf... KharmaTrain Mar 2013 #77

Cheers back at you, but here's this: Olbermann decided he wanted to leave before the Samantha Mar 2013 #88

I am so looking forward to... Mike Nelson Mar 2013 #15

I think he's a blowhad and won't miss him. He's the O'Rielly of MSNBC. TransitJohn Mar 2013 #16

I wouldn't be as harsh on Ed, but basically I agree with you. MH1 Mar 2013 #86

Sort of an absurd premise Floyd_Gondolli Mar 2013 #18

Those guys don't have to change planes to get to work, either. Ed did. NT MADem Mar 2013 #36

His wife has been near death...its not all about making the money HipChick Mar 2013 #19

I believe that he wanted to spend more KatyMan Mar 2013 #20

Ed has an opinion olddots Mar 2013 #21

Completely wrong way to look at this. MSNBC is getting weekend programming. DevonRex Mar 2013 #22

Why I find OPs like this a "rush to outrage" so troubling. grantcart Mar 2013 #23

That was July 2012 how did he sound in Nov 2012? NOVA_Dem Mar 2013 #26

If it doesn't (continue on)...life is good. My contract is just fine. MADem Mar 2013 #45

You forgot "We just had the best 4 months and I think it's going to continue on." NOVA_Dem Mar 2013 #50

Remember how excited DU was when KO left MSNBC? Now, he was going to be able to say stopbush Mar 2013 #61

Well, specifically, when Keith Olbermann left MSNBC, meaning literally that Friday night Samantha Mar 2013 #75

I have also thought that maybe Ed wanted to renegotiate his contract stopbush Mar 2013 #79

I think where we differ is that I tend to cut MSNBC less slack than you Samantha Mar 2013 #87

Yes--but he was saying that five months ago--before there was any discussion of going to MADem Mar 2013 #66

my computer didn't play the recording grantcart Mar 2013 #47

Well come back when you can hear the recording. NOVA_Dem Mar 2013 #48

your missing the point grantcart Mar 2013 #53

So nothing anyone posts would change your mind even Big Ed himself n/t. NOVA_Dem Mar 2013 #57

Still missing my point grantcart Mar 2013 #60

It wasn't "evidence" of anything save a snapshot in time last November. MADem Mar 2013 #68

Maybe I'm wrong grantcart but I seem to remember Ed with complete relief in his snappyturtle Mar 2013 #41

Ed didn't want to go anywhere. NOVA_Dem Mar 2013 #25

Agreed... onpatrol98 Mar 2013 #32

No--the prison shows are CHEAP and they got HUGE ratings. I remember reading about this MADem Mar 2013 #37

I love Chris Hayes. Give him 8PM and Ed 7PM... NOVA_Dem Mar 2013 #42

Message auto-removed JoCephus49 Mar 2013 #27

What I like about Ed... bathroommonkey76 Mar 2013 #29

Chris Matthews will be 68 this year though and doesn't seem to be any Raine Mar 2013 #30

Who are the people over 50 who are being given new shows on MSNBC of late? stopbush Mar 2013 #69

I believe he was being honest. meadowlark5 Mar 2013 #31

If you are over 55... 99Forever Mar 2013 #35

The funny thing is that Ed Schultz will always draw more people lunatica Mar 2013 #38

Yep...what you said+. nt snappyturtle Mar 2013 #44

hmm... onpatrol98 Mar 2013 #49

It'll be interesting to watch Chris, Rachel and Lawrence all in a row lunatica Mar 2013 #52

A lot of Keith's viewers did follow him to Current - they bragged about his numbers Samantha Mar 2013 #80

Whatever the real story is, we will never truly know SoCalDem Mar 2013 #51

Larry King was on CNN in prime time until he was 77, or roughly 20 years older than Ed is today. stopbush Mar 2013 #59

DURec! Well Written, well supported opinion. bvar22 Mar 2013 #54

Thanks. My first D vote was in 1972 for George McGovern, so I've been a D for 40 years as well. stopbush Mar 2013 #62

Big Ed is a populist in the best way... WCGreen Mar 2013 #55

I believe Ed spoke from his heart. Zen Democrat Mar 2013 #56

I was coming to this site this evening to post about discrimination in broadcasting due to age Samantha Mar 2013 #65

Thanks for your post. stopbush Mar 2013 #72

Do you know what I just thought about? Samantha Mar 2013 #73

I always find it suspicious when someone is getting great ratings and they get pushed out stopbush Mar 2013 #82

Here are the lowest common denominators in these situations Samantha Mar 2013 #85

I love Big Ed but at 37 I just relate better to Chris Hayes. Jennicut Mar 2013 #70

As much as i sympathize with the POV you put forth, alp227 Mar 2013 #71

Diane Sawyer (though she looks great) is no spring chicken--she used to work for NIXON! MADem Mar 2013 #84

Ed's reaction to being left out of a promo series ArizonaLib Mar 2013 #83

Ed said he doesn't want to work 7 days a week any more. Good for him! Coyotl Mar 2013 #89

Yeah, it had absolutely nothing to do with working two full-time jobs jeff47 Mar 2013 #90