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calimary

(90,310 posts)
Wed Jul 5, 2017, 04:40 PM Jul 2017

Got fed up. Wrote to NBC's Phil Griffin and Andy Lack about MSNBC grotesqueries [View all]

Let me know what you think. Address included at the top here, in case you want to use it for your own letter.

Phil Griffin
NBCUniversal
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112

Dear Mr. Griffin –

Longtime loyal MSNBC viewer here. Demographically: female, white, 64, college grad, wife/mother, news/politics junkie, retired news anchor/reporter, lifelong liberal Democrat, and I vote! Honored to be a member of your loyal viewership that’s lifted MSNBC to #1 in cable news in prime time, thanks to two true gems - Maddow and O’Donnell!

First: THANK YOU for relieving us of Greta Van Susteren. I wrote you months ago to point out that such a signature Fox News name DOES NOT BELONG on a network like MSNBC. Her ratings failure proved my point. PLEASE understand your audience better. We’re home at MSNBC precisely BECAUSE it does not feature programming or on-air talent like what you’d find at Fox News. If we wanted that presentation, we’d already be watching over there.

2) WHY did you force Megyn Kelly on NBC? The ratings already prove that’s another fail. She reads ice-cold on camera. She does not, and will not, appeal at any network whose audience isn’t predominately male, old, white, conservative, and horny. Move her over to MSNBC at your peril. There are far better and smarter ways to spend $17+ million/year.

3) WHY is the #1 BEST interviewer in cable news being squandered on weekend mornings? Joy Reid deserves and has earned massively better exposure, like a Monday-through-Friday show.

4) WHY do Ali Velshi and Stephanie Ruhle deserve so much Monday-through-Friday exposure? There are THREE shows between those two people alone. You really don’t have any other available talent? Are you planning to change the name of MSNBC into the Velshi/Ruhle network?

5) WHY is MSNBC being turned into a whites-only club? You gave up a Tamron Hall for the Alpha blonde from Fox News??? While the excellent Craig Melvin is reduced to a mere fill-in, and the brilliant Joy Reid languishes on the weekends?

6) WHY would you even consider the smug, arrogant, and obnoxious Hugh Hewitt for ANY exposure on MSNBC??? WHY does ANY conservative merit a show on MSNBC in the first place??? Do you just have a thing for a bad fit? Do you buy your suits that way?

I represent your largest and most loyal constituency. WHY do you make programming choices like you have? Unless you’re a mole for CNN (or worse, Fox)?

PLEASE consider the constituency you have, which is THE reason why MSNBC now reigns in cable news. If you continue to alienate us with your bad hires and programming decisions, you can count on legions of us finding new homes for our loyalty.

I was right about Greta. I’m right about this, too.


Signed, and CC'd to Andrew Lack

72 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Heh! gratuitous Jul 2017 #1
Well? Inquiring minds wanna know! calimary Jul 2017 #2
Great line! WinkyDink Jul 2017 #38
"Do you buy your suits that way?" Squinch Jul 2017 #3
For the same reason KPHX Phoenix Progressive Talk just died snowy owl Jul 2017 #4
LA's only progressive radio station shut down all the great progressive DK504 Jul 2017 #20
OH FUCK IS THAT WHAT HAPPENED!?! mr_lebowski Jul 2017 #22
Bring it up online which is how I listen and a line cruising across the top that they're done snowy owl Jul 2017 #41
Joseph Wilson n/t spooky3 Jul 2017 #48
It's true bhusar Jul 2017 #54
You can get WCPT (Chicago Progressive Talk)... 3catwoman3 Jul 2017 #49
My daughter found WCPT quite a while back. maddiemom Jul 2017 #56
I emailed every day to keep Lawrence O'Donnell on katmondoo Jul 2017 #5
Money colsohlibgal Jul 2017 #6
Hot dayum! sheshe2 Jul 2017 #7
Awesome madokie Jul 2017 #8
Wow, I love your letter. Well Said! iluvtennis Jul 2017 #9
I agree with you on most of your points, don't agree on some. But an excellent rundown... George II Jul 2017 #10
Well written! bdjhawk Jul 2017 #11
Your experience and writing abilities really come across. Good NBachers Jul 2017 #12
Outstanding! H2O Man Jul 2017 #13
The Demographic zentrum Jul 2017 #14
I also miss Melissa Harris Perry! n/t Delmette2.0 Jul 2017 #15
Me too TNNurse Jul 2017 #30
My 2-cents worth kytngirl Jul 2017 #16
Velshi, Ruhle, Todd, and Kornacki should be on Fox watoos Jul 2017 #53
I remember all that, too. Dylan Ratigan got to be pretty damn good. calimary Jul 2017 #62
Excellent lLetter PatSeg Jul 2017 #17
Good letter. Had to laugh at myself, though. SpankMe Jul 2017 #18
That's a good one, SpankMe! calimary Jul 2017 #29
Rock on, calimary! babylonsister Jul 2017 #19
Agree apart from Velshi/Ruhle who do a great job. OnDoutside Jul 2017 #21
Well written articulate and SayItLoud Jul 2017 #23
Welcome to DU, SayItLoud! calimary Jul 2017 #27
Love your OP and this post. BlancheSplanchnik Jul 2017 #63
And the whole other point about writing a paper letter: calimary Jul 2017 #67
Yes, that's the truth! BlancheSplanchnik Jul 2017 #69
BRAVO, girl! Duppers Jul 2017 #24
Hewitt makes my skin crawl. Cary Jul 2017 #25
And a liar. A smarmy liar, who can stand that? SharonClark Jul 2017 #71
Fwiw I read that Andy Lack's the "bad guy". Lawrence O'D has said great things about Griffin. emulatorloo Jul 2017 #26
Well, that's it in a nutshell. Ligyron Jul 2017 #28
BOOM! That's freakin' FABULOUS! calimary Jul 2017 #31
Problem is MSNBC is owned by Comcast and GE. PatrickforO Jul 2017 #32
NO problem with Stephanie Ruhle! yallerdawg Jul 2017 #33
Not a fan of Stephanie Ruhle. calimary Jul 2017 #36
Perfect. Nt onlyadream Jul 2017 #34
K&R! n/t Different Drummer Jul 2017 #35
Great letter dogandturtlemom Jul 2017 #37
Speaking of interupting-----I wonder lots of times why Tweetie even asks guests to be Doitnow Jul 2017 #40
Welcome to DU dogandturtlemom! calimary Jul 2017 #42
Yes, yes, YES to your John Fugelsang idea. 3catwoman3 Jul 2017 #50
These are great ideas FakeNoose Jul 2017 #60
I don't have any inside track on the NBC goings-on anymore. But what I'd read was that calimary Jul 2017 #70
Yes it's true that more women watch TV at that hour FakeNoose Jul 2017 #72
KNR! Hekate Jul 2017 #39
$$$$$ gilligan Jul 2017 #43
Welcome to DU, gilligan! calimary Jul 2017 #45
Advertising dollars / corporate America / the Republican party. It's about $$$$ YOHABLO Jul 2017 #44
Hell yes!! K & R. VOX Jul 2017 #46
Nice letter. The Hugh Hewitt thing really fries my ass. dem4decades Jul 2017 #47
No shit. How is he going to find time to host? Raster Jul 2017 #52
Rock the house, Calimary!!! Raster Jul 2017 #51
YES! maddiemom Jul 2017 #55
Brava! DFW Jul 2017 #57
Great letter!!! Nitram Jul 2017 #58
thanks! DarleenMB Jul 2017 #59
Nicely Done, Calimary! ProfessorGAC Jul 2017 #61
Brilliant ! JHan Jul 2017 #64
Most excellent letter CaliMary, saidsimplesimon Jul 2017 #65
"fair and balanced"? SleeplessinSoCal Jul 2017 #66
Top-notch, A number 1 letter! trof Jul 2017 #68
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