Countdown with Keith Olbermann

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Countdown with Keith Olbermann
Format Newscast
Starring Keith Olbermann
Country of origin United States Flag of the United States
No. of episodes 1,200+ as of April 2008[1]
Production
Running time 60 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel MSNBC
Original run March 31, 2003 – present
External links
Official website
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

Countdown with Keith Olbermann is an hour-long weeknight news program [2] on MSNBC which airs live at 8pm Eastern Time and reruns at 10pm and 2am on weekdays. The show, hosted by Keith Olbermann, debuted on March 31, 2003 and counts down five selected news stories of the day with news reports and interviews with guests, along with commentary by Olbermann.

The show is the highest-rated program on MSNBC. In the first quarter of 2008, the show averaged 907,000 viewers a day, compared with about 550,000 viewers for Hardball with Chris Matthews which airs before it, and Verdict with Dan Abrams, which follows.[3] This is an increase of about 230,000 daily viewers from the third quarter of 2007.[4] Countdown has been referred to as the "flagship" MSNBC franchise, so much so that on February 15, 2007 Olbermann received a four-year contract extension which includes two Countdown primetime specials on NBC, appearances on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams as a commentator, and his addition as an in-studio host on Football Night In America, NBC's NFL Highlight/Pre-Game Show.

The show is notable for Olbermann's fast-paced rhetorical style, historical and pop culture references, ready interjections, and strong opinions, which make Countdown distinctly different from most newscasts. Olbermann combines serious news stories with humorous segments and with commentaries critical of the Bush administration.

The show has generated some controversy due to Olbermann's strongly stated opinions which include criticisms of FOX News Channel and his feud with commentator Bill O'Reilly of FOX News' The O'Reilly Factor, whose more widely viewed show runs directly opposite Countdown (see O'Reilly vs. Olbermann below).

On Monday, October 22, 2007, with the move of NBC News and MSNBC from Secaucus, New Jersey (where they had been located for eleven years) to their newly redesigned studios at 30 Rockefeller Center, Countdown unveiled a new opening, new graphics, and a new logo. The show broadcasts live from the Second Floor of Studio 1A, the home of NBC's Today Show.

Contents

[edit] History

Countdown originally was titled Countdown: Iraq and was a show focused on a single pressing topic, which at its inception on October 7, 2002 was the military and diplomatic actions which would become the Iraq War. Countdown: Iraq aired at 7pm and replaced a show hosted by Jerry Nachman, which was moved up to 5pm before its eventual termination. The original Countdown: Iraq was hosted by Lester Holt. In addition, a daytime version of Countdown entitled Countdown: 2002 Election aired from October 25, 2002 to November 2002.

The show's logo, used from 2003 to October 19, 2007.
The show's logo, used from 2003 to October 19, 2007.

After the new incarnation of Donahue was terminated on February 28, 2003, and because of the build-up to the start of the war, Countdown: Iraq expanded to a two hour program, from 7-9pm Eastern Standard Time. On March 28, 2003, MSNBC announced it was hiring Keith Olbermann to host the 8pm hour of Countdown. The show dropped the Iraq subtitle and was retitled Countdown with Keith Olbermann. The 7pm hour of Countdown was turned over to Hardball with Chris Matthews. Holt was moved to anchor rolling news coverage during the day.

At the start of Countdown, Olbermann told television columnist Lisa de Moraes that "our charge for the immediate future is to stay out of the way of the news.... News is the news. We will not be screwing around with it.... As times improve and the war ends we will begin to introduce more and more elements familiar to my style." On Bill O'Reilly, with whom Olbermann would later cultivate a feud, he stated, "I'm not looking to take down Bill. It will be a totally different program. It will not be a show in which opinion and facts are juxtaposed so as to appear to be the same thing."[5]

[edit] About the show

While other MSNBC shows such as MSNBC Live and Hardball openly consist mainly of opinion and analysis, Countdown takes the form of a nightly newscast, covering a selection of national and international stories which provide fodder for the host's commentary. Clips from NBC network news broadcasts are featured on a regular basis.

According to The Cornell Daily Sun, Olbermann has a staff of roughly ten to twelve people who work on the show. They spend the morning looking for noteworthy or interesting stories. The group meets via conference call at 11am for a half-hour discussion to toss around possible subjects for the evening's show (many times pulling information from online sites like Fark.com and MediaMatters.org). By 12:15, Olbermann receives a final list of story prospects, picks what he likes, and puts them in order. He emails the list back to the staff, and the writing process begins. He arrives at MSNBC's studios, originally in Secaucus, but now at 30 Rock in Manhattan by 2pm and works on writing the show's material in his office until 7:30, when he goes to makeup, before going on air at 8pm.

The punctuating theme music to the show's countdown is the opening eight beats of the second movement, a scherzo, of Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125, the "Choral". The theme is a historical reference to NBC's pioneering newscast Huntley-Brinkley Report with Chet Huntley and David Brinkley, which featured the scherzo of Beethoven's 9th over the credits.

[edit] Format

  • Open/Headlines - A preview of some of the stories to be featured throughout the hour beginning with the question, "Which of these stories will you be talking about tomorrow?"
  • Number 5 Story - Generally the day's most important or "top" story. Elements usually include one or more interviews, as well as a series of soundbites, or a report from an NBC reporter. This is usually the show's longest segment.
  • Commercial break 1
  • Number 4 Story - Similar in format to number five, and sometimes a continuation of that story. This segment is somewhat shorter than five.
  • Bushed! - A segment that debuted in February 2008 detailing three updates and developments on "the Bush Administration's 50 other scandals".[6]
  • Commercial break 2
  • Oddball - A fast-paced look at quirky stories and odd or humorous video. The segment usually begins with a historical reference, followed by Olbermann saying "Let's Play Oddball!" A short "stinger" plays, which ends with a prerecorded clip of Chris Matthews' distinctive, shouting laugh. Between two and three stories are shown, with the soundtrack usually being Eduard Strauss' "Bahn Frei Polka" by Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops Orchestra in honor of his idol, humorist Jean Shepherd. Prior to the switch in May 2007, the music bed was Aram Khachaturian's "Sabre Dance." "Sabre Dance" is still used in the "Plays of the Month" segments. In addition, a cover version of Boots Randolph's Yakety Sax which was used as the end theme from The Benny Hill Show has occasionally been used. This segment is sometimes skipped if there is a current "Breaking News" story or if such a story dominates most of the MSNBC coverage during the day (such as the Virginia Tech Massacre).
  • Countdown's Best Persons in the World - A collection of the day's top three "goofballs and good guys", this segment features dumb criminals, strange characters and folks winding up in unusual or noteworthy situations. Originally named "Top 3 Newsmakers", only rarely does this segment feature well-known individuals. This is also skipped if a "Breaking News" story dominates the news day. This segment is generally done with an upbeat and humorous tone and at the end of it Olbermann will typically throw his script in the air in mock ridicule or mock disbelief.
  • Commercial break 3
  • Number 3 Story - Another top story of the day. This segment is usually similar to stories four and five.
  • Commercial break 4
  • Keeping Tabs - A look at "tabloid and entertainment news". Two short items are usually featured, and occasionally the segment is skipped entirely or combined with one of the other stories, depending on the tone or volume of breaking news for the day.
  • Number 2 Story: Worst Person In The World - A list of three individuals or organizations deemed by Olbermann to fit the segment's title (see below). This segment is skipped when there is a guest host, except for one occasion when Olbermann once called in his Worst Person list from an "undisclosed location" (in reality, Tampa, Florida, where he was on vacation watching spring training with the New York Yankees) while Alex Witt was guest-hosting. In 2008 "Worst Person" replaced "Keeping Tabs" as the regular number two story.
  • Commercial break 5
  • Number 1 Story - The final segment falls into one of two categories. Most often it is a lighter piece, focused on pop culture or strange happenings, often with the assistance of a guest, who is usually a comic. Occasionally a highlight reel of the previous month or year's "Oddball" segments, styled "Oddball Plays of the Month/Year" is shown. Otherwise, it is dedicated to Olbermann's "Special Comments" (see below). Noting how many days have passed since President Bush gave his “mission accomplished” speech, Olbermann then signs off with the classic Edward R. Murrow quote "Good Night and Good Luck" before sending to the next MSNBC program by tossing his script at the camera.

[edit] Substitute hosts

Former The Most host Alison Stewart is the primary guest host for Countdown. Other occasional substitute guest hosts include Alex Witt, David Shuster (a regular contributor to the show), Amy Robach, and Brian Unger, who does commentary on VH1's I Love the... series and was a correspondent during the Craig Kilborn era of The Daily Show. On April 4, 2008, as part of the show's 5th Anniversary week, Rachel Maddow was the substitute host.

[edit] Signature style

Each night, Olbermann begins with, "Which of these stories will you be talking about tomorrow?" followed by a brief synopsis of the stories of the night. Since November 2, 2007 Olbermann has begun the actual broadcast with, "Good evening, this is (day of week), (date), (X) days until the 2008 Election/next Democratic Primary election/Democratic Convention." He has signed off since February 6, 2006 with, "That's Countdown, for this, the 1848 th [for instance] day since the declaration of 'Mission Accomplished' in Iraq. I'm Keith Olbermann, good night and good luck." Olbermann crumples up a page of his script and throws it at the camera, which "shatters" (a digital video effect) and the next show begins. The paper toss and shatter effect are skipped when the day's news is dominated by a somber story or the show ends with a "Special Comment".

Some of the more bizarre news items presented during the broadcast, especially those in Best People in the World (formerly known as the Top Three Newsmakers), are capped with Olbermann grabbing and tossing his script into the air (he had not done this when in the New York studios while MSNBC was based in Secaucus before October 22, 2007).

Until he began the "Mission Accomplished" count, the sign-off was "That's Countdown, thank you for being part of it." His "Good night, and good luck" is borrowed from Edward R. Murrow who also ended his broadcasts with these words.

Stories involving entertainment celebrities such as Tom Cruise's purportedly strange behavior or his relations with Katie Holmes, "Brangelina" (Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie and their child, Shiloh), Britney Spears and her estranged husband Kevin Federline and American Idol results (or Simon Cowell) were originally said to be, in Olbermann's own words, "stories my producers are forcing me to cover."[7] These stories were given their own segment, "Keeping Tabs".

On March 7, 2008, Olbermann ended his show with a somber "Good night", after explaining that his teleprompter Operator, Jennifer McNamara, died in a car accident. She was only 29 years old. The show ended with a graphic paying tribute to her.[8]

[edit] Special comments

Main article: List of Keith Olbermann's special comments

In late August 2006, Olbermann started delivering occasional "Special Comments" in which he has expressed sharp criticisms of members of the current administration, including then Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Vice President Dick Cheney and President George W. Bush. As of May 14, 2008, Olbermann has delivered a total of thirty commentaries designated as "Special Comments". Olbermann's special commentary has received comparisons to Edward R. Murrow's signature essays.[9][10]

At the end of the years 2006 and 2007, four of Olbermann's comments from the year were gathered as a special program during the Christmas and New Years holidays. It was paired with the "Oddball Plays of the Year" (see below)

On March 12, 2008, Olbermann, for the first time, directed his Special Comment exclusively at a Democrat. Olbermann's comment was directed at Hillary Clinton for her lack of response to comments made by Geraldine Ferraro in regards to race in the 2008 Presidential Primary.

[edit] What Have We Learned?

For a while, the show ended Friday broadcasts with a light quiz segment in which Monica Novotny would grill Olbermann with trivia questions based on the week's news, submitted by Countdown viewers. If he got more questions right than wrong, he would receive a "prize", sometimes stolen from his own office (or, on one occasion, a talking Ann Coulter doll which Olbermann destroyed on camera). Olbermann pledged $50 to charity for each question he got wrong. According to an online chat with Olbermann at Firedoglake.com, former MSNBC president Rick Kaplan disliked the segment, and had it removed.[citation needed]

[edit] Puppet Theater

Beginning with the Michael Jackson trial, Countdown presented comedic puppet "reenactments" of news which, due to court protocol or for other reasons, could not be captured on film titled Michael Jackson Puppet Theatre. Simplistic puppets created from printed photographs glued to popsicle sticks were manipulated in front of a bluescreen while Olbermann performed voice overs.

Other puppet theatre skits followed, including those involving Karl Rove and ethics within the White House, three involving Anna Nicole Smith and the U.S. Supreme Court, Burt Reynolds, election of Pope Benedict XVI amongst the College of Cardinals, the nomination of the Chief Justice of SCOTUS, Mel Gibson, two involving Paris Hilton, Bill O'Reilly on the 2008 New Hampshire Primary trail trying to get an interview with Barack Obama, only to be held back by a member of Obama's staff, cleverly dubbed as "Bill O'Reilly Attacks Someone Taller Than Him", the gay love affair of former New Jersey Govenror James McGreevey, his ex-wife Dina and a limo driver, and most recently, one merging Bill and Chelsea Clinton campaigning on behalf of Hillary and the post-Easter holiday called Dyngus Day in South Bend, Indiana.

[edit] 'Oddball' segment

Done in the middle of the show, Oddball (a play on Hardball, the show that airs before Countdown each night) is a segment devoted to offbeat news items and "goofball video." The 'laugh' that comes between the intro graphics and the first item is actually Hardball's host Chris Matthews' laugh. Olbermann traditionally begins the segment with some interesting historical fact about that date (for example, the incident on August 24, 1980, when Olbermann hit his head on the subway[11] which damaged his depth perception). Typical stories for this segment include "weird" Internet video; "crazy" news stories, especially from Florida, India or Japan, including a batsu game from the Japanese comedy variety show Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!!; and, beginning on February 19, 2007, actual footage from the Fox News Channel with laugh tracks added - a reference to Fox News' since-canceled laughtrack-laden The 1/2 Hour News Hour.

At the end of the month, Olbermann features "Oddball Plays of the Month", a compilation of some of the Oddball segments from that month. At the end of the year, a special show (sometimes two shows) covering the "Oddball Plays of the Year" is shown during Christmas week. It is generally a compilation of all the Plays of the Month.[12]

[edit] 'Worst Person in the World' segment

The "Worst Person" segment is a nightly feature in which Olbermann recounts a recent news story involving people saying or doing something that Olbermann finds objectionable.[13] "Nominees" for Worst Person in the World are ranked at the bronze medal level ("Worse"), silver ("Worser") and gold ("Worst"). While many of his targets are not political, critics have claimed those that are overwhelmingly conservative.[14] The segment is usually done with J. S. Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor playing in the background.

[edit] Honorees

The most frequent recipient of the honor is Bill O'Reilly. Olbermann frequently lampoons O'Reilly, and refers to him using several nicknames, including: "The Big Giant Head" (a reference of William Shatner's character on the television series 3rd Rock from the Sun), "Ted Baxter" or "Ted Baxter's Evil Twin" (after the news anchor character portrayed by Ted Knight on The Mary Tyler Moore Show), "Bill-O", "Bill Orally", "America's Conscience" or "The Frank Burns of journalism" (a reference to the character in M*A*S*H). On November 30, 2005, O'Reilly became the first person to receive all three spots in the World's Worst countdown in a single broadcast. Since November 30, 2005, only one other person, Rudy Giuliani, has received all three spots in the World's Worst countdown at the same time; this occurred on November 2, 2007.

Other frequent honorees include:

Non-political honorees include:

[edit] The Worst Person in the World book

In September 2006, a book version of the "Worst Person in the World" was released, containing transcripts of the segment from July 1, 2005 to May 31, 2006. The book, titled The Worst Person in the World, contains a few Honorary Worsts, including George W. Bush (later actually named a Worst Person winner), pitcher Roger Clemens, the members of the Baseball Hall of Fame special Negro Leagues committee that failed to induct Buck O'Neil, and the Boston Red Sox. The book further named O'Reilly as "Worst in Show" for his comments regarding the Nazi Malmedy massacre, and contains a glossary of O'Reilly-related terms such as falafel and Fox Security.

The introduction of the book[16] states that the segment was influenced by "an ominous character" created by radio comedians Bob and Ray, known as the Worst Person In The World (or W.P.I.T.W. for short), who spoke only in "a series of crunching and slurping sound effects", and routinely ate sandwiches through the wax paper. As Olbermann reveals, the W.P.I.T.W. turned out to be former New York magazine reviewer John Simon, who panned the radio duo's Broadway show. When New York Times columnist Alessandra Stanley gave fellow MSNBC commentator Tucker Carlson's new show a bad review Olbermann felt to be premature, the segment came to mind, and Stanley thus was given the "bronze" in Olbermann's first "Worst Person in the World" segment (the silver and gold going to Saddam Hussein and Robert Novak, respectively). The segment was also fueled in part by George Carlin's observation that by process of elimination, one can rank the worst doctor in the world, and that "somebody has an appointment to see him tomorrow!"[16]

[edit] Deviations

Olbermann usually ends the segment by saying "[Name of Worst], today's worst person in the world", in which the words "worst person in the world" are, for the most part, stretched and shouted in a humorously frightening and devilish manner. However, on occasions he has strayed away from this and uttered the line in a much more somber or angry tone to signify that the Worst recipient had done something that deeply offended him. Examples include:

  • After reporting on a man who drove into a building maniacally with no concern for the safety of his child in the passenger seat.
  • After discussing Bill O'Reilly's comments concerning rape and murder victim Jennifer Moore.
  • Two separate incidents (two nights in a row) involved O'Reilly's comments about the March 7, 2007 apartment fire in the Bronx resulting in the deaths of 10 people, including 9 children. This was also the only time where the background music for the segment had been omitted.
  • On March 26, 2007, involved the New York Sanitation Department and then Mayor Rudy Giuliani, when it was discovered that debris and ash left behind after the 9/11 attacks that contained remains of some victims was used to fix potholes on the streets of New York City.
  • Geraldo Rivera was named the first "Best Person in the World" on this segment when on the April 6, 2007 show he stood up to Bill O'Reilly (to the song of "Happy Days Are Here Again" by Tiny Tim). "Best Person in the World" became its own segment in September of that year.
  • The day after the Virginia Tech Massacre, Olbermann listed three conservative bloggers (Debbie Schlussel, Nathaniel Blake, and John Derbyshire) who each made comments about the massacre. Schlussel initially said that the shooter might have been a "Paki" Terrorist, then later listed him as Chinese (when he was in fact Korean) and said that is why the university should "stop letting in so many foreign students" (despite the fact that the shooter had spent the majority of his life in the United States). Blake openly questioned the manliness of the male students, saying that they could have done more than "duck under desks" and "hold doors shut". Derbyshire, who was deemed "Worst Person", said "Why didn't (the students) count the shots and charge while he was reloading or switching hands" and "If I knew I was gonna die anyway, I'd have at least taken a run at the guy!"[17]
  • After George W. Bush had commuted the prison sentence of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby.
  • On August 14, 2007, after Fox News anchor John Gibson claimed that America needed another 9/11 to create national unity, and Gibson and his producer mocked comedian Jon Stewart's tearful expression of personal anguish over the attack on the World Trade Center, from The Daily Show broadcast of September 20, 2001.[18]
  • On September 1, 2007, Olbermann failed to use the aforementioned shouted inflection while naming Tom Delay as Worst Person, not out of somberness or anger, but distracted with laughter, after he had a member of his staff pull his hair, to attempt to dispel the claim by Mark Levin (the audio clip of which was linked to Delay's site) that Olbermann wore a toupée.
  • On September 11, 2007 (the 6th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks) after Sen. Joseph Lieberman stated that America needed to return to the unity it had after the 9/11 attacks, only to attend the Freedom Concert with conservatives such as Ann Coulter, Oliver North, Newt Gingrich and hosted by Sean Hannity.
  • On September 12, 2007 after Bill O'Reilly stated that he approved of continuing hostilities in Iraq through summer 2008 even though it is projected that over 1,000 additional members of the United States military will be killed in combat during that time.
  • On October 9, 2007, citing Bill O'Reilly's failure to apologize for remarks made insinuating that kidnap victim Shawn Hornbeck enjoyed the circumstances surrounding his captivity, even after details were released about threats against the boy's life made by Michael Devlin in the early days after his abduction.
  • On November 20, 2007 after it was revealed the Pentagon's S.E.B. (Selective Enlistment Bonus) Office demanded a refund of $3,000 from wounded Iraq soldier Jordan Fox, after he was forced to cut his tour of duty short by 3 months due to his injury.
  • On January 23, 2008, after Fox News anchor John Gibson repeatedly poked fun at the life and work of Heath Ledger, who had passed away the previous day. Gibson later issued an apology.
  • On February 21, 2008, after Karl Rove used the September 11th attacks to justify the Iraq War during a lecture at the University of Pennsylvania, stating that "History has a funny way of deciding things. Sometimes history sends you things, and 9/11 came our way".
  • On January 28, 2008,Mary Katharine Ham Caused Olbermann to stray from his usual Worst Person in the World Monologue. After she remarked that Bill Clinton had gotten a free pass from the press, during his impeachment trials. He added the words, "A Pass?!?!" in the ending. 1
  • On March 26, 2008, Olbermann angrily accused Wal-Mart of being the Worst Persons in the World when the retail company sued brain-damaged former employee Debbie Shank for over $470,000 in medical expenses, despite her only winning $417,000 in a lawsuit filed against the trucking company that caused her condition. He added at the end that due to her selective amnesia, every time she asks where her son is, they have to tell her that he died in Iraq six days after her accident.
  • On April 3, 2008, Olbermann called for Congressman Darrell Issa's resignation after Issa voted against allowing federal funds to aid firefighters and first responders rendered ill by inhaling smoke and dust during 9/11 rescue efforts. Issa claimed that if federal funds were provided to 9/11 rescue workers, funds would subsequently have to be given to afflicted rescue workers after every conceivable terrorist attack.

[edit] References to Worst Person outside of Countdown

Olbermann played himself, doing Worst Persons, in a guest segment of The Simpsons broadcast November 24, 2007 in which he nominated Marge Simpson as Worst Person for daring to use Tivo to skip commercials. Not directly named, but shown, the 'Worse' and 'Worser' were Satan and Mr. Burns.

[edit] Worst Person in the NFL

Since becoming the co-host of Football Night in America, Olbermann has spun off W.P.I.T.W. into an NFL-themed "Worst Person in the NFL" segment during halftime of the weekly NBC Sunday Night Football telecast. Honorees in the 2007 season included:

[edit] The "Keith number"

During the 2008 U.S. Presidential Primary season, Olbermann began using the term "Keith number" in reference to the sum of a pre-election opinion poll's margin of error and the percentage of respondents who are undecided. Olbermann believes this value tends to be predictive of the extent to which a poll may vary from actual election results, and also of the volatility of the electorate's leanings.[19]

To summarize:

  • The greater the poll's margin of error, the further the results may be from the current views of the voters.
  • The more undecided voters, the more likely voters are to change their views in the future.

On the January 11, 2008 episode of Countdown, Olbermann described the number as follows:

"What, you ask is the ‘Keith number‘? This is the margin of error plus the percentage of undecided—in this case, four-and-a-half margin of error plus five percent undecided. I thought of it so, I named it after myself. You think of a better caveat for polls from now on and we‘ll name it after you."[20]

Olbermann's "Keith number" is unrelated (mathematically or otherwise) to the more traditional use of the term.

[edit] Guests

Guest commentators regularly featured on the show include:[21]

[edit] O'Reilly vs. Olbermann

 This article or section may require restructuring to meet Wikipedia's quality standards.
Please discuss this issue on the talk page. This article has been tagged since April 2007.

Olbermann's show on MSNBC occupies the same time slot as Bill O'Reilly's The O'Reilly Factor on Fox News Channel. Olbermann has repeatedly named O'Reilly his “Worst Person in the World", naming him the winner (gold medalist) at least 70 times[citation needed] through October 22, 2007 including a clean sweep of all three positions ("worse", "worser" and "worst") on November 30, 2005.[22] A segment where O'Reilly's opinions are fact-checked entitled "Factor Fiction" was also created, with Stewie Griffin introducing it. O'Reilly has petitioned for the ousting of Olbermann from MSNBC and the return of Phil Donahue to Olbermann's time slot, stating that Donahue's ratings far exceeded Olbermann's. After doing a piece on Senator Joseph McCarthy's well-known 1950s anti-communist crusade, Olbermann said that "it was like shooting fish in a barrel, much like how Bill O'Reilly does his show."[citation needed]

During the January 30, 2006 edition of the "Talking Points Memo" segment on The O'Reilly Factor,[23] O'Reilly criticized NBC Universal, the parent company of MSNBC for "taking cheap shots at Fox News on a regular basis...for some time" and noting that NBC is "dead last in prime time, [and] its cable operations are ratings failures" adding "that is no excuse for unprofessional behavior." O'Reilly also claimed that FNC has "good relationships with ABC News, CBS News, and generally CNN."

Olbermann responded to O'Reilly's criticism by pointing out that Fox News has had less than cordial relations with CNN, referring to when Fox News had set up a billboard across the street from CNN Center in Atlanta, taunting them about their lesser TV ratings; Fox News, through an anonymous statement, once compared CNN to the Titanic; Fox News, through a press release, claimed CNN founder Ted Turner had "lost his mind" after he criticized Fox News; and finally when Fox News chairman Roger Ailes compared CNN host Paula Zahn to an outhouse and a dead animal after she left Fox News.

[edit] Save the tapes

When O'Reilly was sued for sexual harassment in October 2004 by his former producer, Andrea Mackris, Olbermann urged Mackris to take a payout of $99,000 (US) in exchange for a tape of a phone call O'Reilly made to Mackris, in which he allegedly incorrectly referred to a loofah as a falafel. Though there is no evidence, other than the testimony of Mackris, that these tapes even exist, Olbermann references the word "falafel" often when referring to O'Reilly, and segments where he is discussing O'Reilly's criticisms of others are often labeled "The Falafel Guy Fatwa."

[edit] "Fire Keith" petition

On February 22, 2006, O'Reilly initiated an online petition to have MSNBC remove Keith Olbermann from the 8pm EST timeslot, supposedly for the purpose of having old time-slot host Phil Donahue's show reinstated. The petition is in the form of a letter addressed to Wright saying: "We, the undersigned, are becoming increasingly concerned about the well-being of MSNBC and, in particular, note the continuing ratings failure of the program currently airing weeknights on that network at 8:00 p.m. EST".[24] Olbermann responded two days later on Countdown by playing a collection of O'Reilly's "greatest hits"[25] and mocked the whole affair by joining several MSNBC staffers, including Tucker Carlson and Dan Abrams, in signing the petition to have himself fired.

[edit] "Fox News Security" incident

Two weeks later, on March 3, Olbermann reported on an incident in which O'Reilly dropped a caller, identified as "Mike" from Orlando, Florida from his live radio show, seemingly for mentioning Olbermann's name. O'Reilly accused the caller of being part of a larger group of individuals that had been calling O'Reilly with the sole purpose of mentioning Olbermann. The caller said, “I like to listen to you during the day. I think Keith Olbermann's show…” when O'Reilly cut in, responding to “Mike” as follows:

“ Mike is — he's a gone guy. You know, we have his — we have your phone numbers, by the way. So, if you're listening, Mike, we have your phone number, and we're going to turn it over to Fox security, and you'll be getting a little visit. […] When you call us, ladies and gentlemen, just so you know, we do have your phone number, and if you say anything untoward, obscene or anything like that, Fox security then will contact your local authorities, and you will be held accountable. Fair?[26] ”

While Westwood One broadcasts O'Reilly's radio show, the program does originate from Fox News Channel's New York City studios.[27] Olbermann noted that it would be unlawful for O'Reilly to send anyone to a listener's home for purposes of intimidation.

Six days later, Olbermann played the phone call from the FNC security director which was left on the caller's answering machine and also interviewed the man in question, who was a member of the blog callingallwingnuts.com. The man, who was interviewed live but shown in silhouette, claimed that a woman also affiliated with the website called O'Reilly's show and mentioned Olbermann by name, and that a person identifiying himself as Fox News security called her as she was picking up her daughter from school "fifteen minutes later." The woman was allegedly reduced to tears because of the call.

During a guest appearance on Comedy Central's The Colbert Report on March 14, 2006, host Stephen Colbert asked Olbermann about O'Reilly. He responded, "Well, Stephen, he's an idiot."

[edit] Accusations of bias

A conservative Internet think tank, the Media Research Center (MRC), coordinating with the blog Newsbusters.org (whose mission is to pinpoint media bias), has been very critical of Keith Olbermann ever since he became the Countdown host. The think tank has accused him of having a liberal bias in the form of criticizing President George W. Bush, attacking FOX and O'Reilly, starting off his newscast with what they claim to be unimportant stories with a left wing motive, avoiding the Bush administration's side of the story, allegedly supporting the president's impeachment, and so forth.[28] Bloggers from Newsbusters.org, such as Brad Wilmouth, have accused Olbermann of exclusively choosing guests who reinforce his point of view, Wilmouth in particular, making that claim in two of his posts during September 2006.[29] MRC issued a press release describing Olbermann's November 1, 2006 Special Comment as "preaching hate speech", and describing Olbermann as "a brown-shirted left-winger spew[ing] hate from an NBC-owned podium." ("Brown-shirt" is a term that was used to describe the Sturmabteilung paramilitary organization of the German Nazi party).

In response, Olbermann has on a number of occasions named MRC founder Brent Bozell, whom he has described variously as "Bozo the Clown",[30] "Redbeard the pirate",[31] and "humorist",[32] the "worst person in the world" for various comments he has made about Countdown and other topics, such as Bozell's criticism of the New York Times for sponsoring the 2006 Gay Games.[33] The anchor has also said that the MRC desires "an institutionalized, pro-Republican slant" in the media.[34]

To support its allegation of bias, the MRC researched Countdown's Worst Person in the World segment and found that of the approximately 600 nominees between June 30, 2005 and June 23, 2006, 174 had conservative political views and 23 had liberal political views, with the remaining 403 having no apparent political affiliation.[14] Olbermann interpreted the results differently and pointed out that 71% were not conservative.[35]

Olbermann has addressed allegations of liberal bias by stating that he would be equally critical of a Democratic president who had invited criticism by his actions: "I mean, no one in 1998, no one accused me of being a liberal in 1998 because I was covering the Lewinsky scandal. And whatever I had to do about it, I tried to be fair and honest and as accurate and as informed as possible, and allow my viewer to be the same way. And nowadays it's the same thing. And now all of a sudden I’m a screaming liberal." However, Howard Kurtz has written that Olbermann departed MSNBC the first time as a result of the relentless Clinton-Lewinsky coverage which personally sickened him.[36] The MRC responded by noting that they gave him their "Corporal Cueball Carville Cadet Award" for comparing Ken Starr to Heinrich Himmler in 1998.[37]

On November 25, 2006, Fox News Watch's panelist Cal Thomas named Olbermann as his choice for 2006's "Media Turkey Award" for what Thomas alleged were Olbermann's "innaccuracies" and "hot air".[38] Olbermann in turn gave the show the Bronze for "Worst Person in the World", not for naming him "Turkey of the Year", but for spelling his name "Olberman" on the onscreen graphic.[39]

Conservative radio talk show host Michael Medved has criticized Keith Olbermann's picks for Worst Person In The World saying that it's "no terrorists, all conservatives". He went on to say, "If you have a segment called 'The Worst Person In The World', isn't it striking when you've chosen Ann Coulter twenty times, and never chosen an Islamic terrorist?" Olbermann gave him "Worst Persons" honors on October 1, 2007 in response to a Townhall.com column titled "Six inconvenient truths about the U.S. and slavery,"[40] and chided him to "go back to reviewing movies".

[edit] International broadcasts

MSNBC and NBC News programming is shown for several hours a day on the 24 hour news network Orbit News in Europe and the Middle East. This includes Countdown with Keith Olbermann.

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ 'Countdown with Keith Olbermann' for April 3. Transcript. MSNBC (April 3, 2008). Retrieved on 2008-04-05.
  2. ^ In a Jan. 7, 2007 interview with Aaron Barnhart of the Kansas City Star, Olbermann stated that, despite its past billing, the current incarnation of Countdown is "probably not" a "straight newscast", but is built around factual news events.
  3. ^ http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/original/1Q'08%20(LIVESD)%20FINAL%20P2%20Cable%20News%20Program%20Ranker.pdf
  4. ^ http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/original/Total%20Viewers%20Top%20Programs.pdf
  5. ^ http://www.slate.com/id/2082193/
  6. ^ MSNBC TV: Countdown with Keith Olbermann, Highlights from the Show. MSNBC.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-24.
  7. ^ 'Countdown with Keith Olbermann' for May 16, 2006 (transcript) (May 16, 2006). Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
  8. ^ 'Countdown with Keith Olbermann' for March 7, 2008 (transcript) (March 7, 2008). Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
  9. ^ Kitman, Marvin. Olbermann Rules!. The Nation.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-24.
  10. ^ Nevius, C.W.. Olbermann taps a well of discontent as the anti-O'Reilly. San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved on 2008-02-13.
  11. ^ 'Countdown with Keith Olbermann' for August 24. NBC (2006-08-24). Retrieved on 2007-07-13.
  12. ^ Countdown: Oddball plays of the year (December 21, 2006). Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
  13. ^ foreword to book The Worst Person In The World
  14. ^ a b The “Worst” of MSNBC's Keith Olbermann. ]Media Research Center (2006-06-26). Retrieved on 2006-09-02.
  15. ^ http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2007130148,00.html TV's Mr Tumble in sex fumble (20 March 2007), accessed 21 March 2007
  16. ^ a b Olbermann, Keith (September 15, 2006). The Worst Person in the World. MSNBC. Retrieved on 2008-03-11.
  17. ^ 'Countdown with Keith Olbermann' for April 17. Transcript. MSNBC (April 17, 2007). Retrieved on 2008-04-05.
  18. ^ 'Countdown with Keith Olbermann' for August 14. Transcript. MSNBC (August 14, 2007). Retrieved on 2008-04-05.
  19. ^ Blumenthal, Mark (February 14, 2008). The Keith number. Mystery Pollster. National Journal. Retrieved on 2008-04-05.
  20. ^ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22648992/
  21. ^ http://olbermann.org/ko/index.cfm?go=guests
  22. ^ Media Matters - O'Reilly sweep: Olbermann gives O'Reilly bronze, silver, and gold medals for "Worst Person in the World"
  23. ^ "Network Rivalry" transcript, FoxNews.com, January 31, 2006
  24. ^ BillOReilly.com: Petition, February 22, 2006
  25. ^ "Late Night: Olbermann signs O'Reilly's Petition" Crooks and Liars. February 24, 2006
  26. ^ "Audio Clip of Mike Stark's Call to O'Reilly", MediaMatters.org, 2006-03-02. 
  27. ^ Westwood One's Web site for Radio Factor with Bill O'Reilly
  28. ^ "Keith Itching for Impeachment". MRC.org February 13, 2006 and "NewsBusters.org - Keith Olbermann"
  29. ^ 'Brad Wilmouth's blog' on NewsBusters.org. NewsBusters. Retrieved on 2007-12-08.
  30. ^ 'Countdown with Keith Olbermann' for September 8, 2006. Transcript. MSNBC (September 8, 2006). Retrieved on 2008-03-11.
  31. ^ 'Countdown with Keith Olbermann' for October 25th, 2005. Transcript. MSNBC (October 25, 2005). Retrieved on 2008-03-11.
  32. ^ 'Countdown with Keith Olbermann' for July 13, 2006. Transcript. MSNBC (July 13, 2006). Retrieved on 2008-03-11.
  33. ^ Olbermann crowned Bozell "Worst Person" runner-up for claiming NY Times is "rooting for the homosexual revolution". Media Matters for America (July 14, 2006). Retrieved on 2008-03-11.
  34. ^ Olbermann: MRC Wants "Institutionalized, Pro-Republican Slant". MRC.org. March 16, 2005
  35. ^ 'Countdown with Keith Olbermann' for June 28. MSNBC (2006-06-29). Retrieved on 2006-09-05.
  36. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2006/04/03/BL2006040300434.html
  37. ^ Tim Graham (2006-03-13). Waxing Hypothetical, Olbermann Hails Demise of Fox News as 'Best Hope of Mankind'. Newsbusters.org. Retrieved on 2006-09-17.
  38. ^ Brad Wilmouth (2006-11-27). FNC's Cal Thomas Names Keith Olbermann Turkey of the Year. Newsbusters.org. Retrieved on 2006-12-04.
  39. ^ 'Countdown with Keith Olbermann' for November 28 (transcript) (November 28, 2006). Retrieved on 2008-04-05.
  40. ^ Medved, Michael (September 26, 2007). Six inconvenient truths about the U.S. and slavery. Townhall.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-11.

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