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A screen-shot from a commercial for Countdown.

Countdown with Keith Olbermann is an hour-long nightly newscast on MSNBC which airs live at 8:00 PM Eastern time and airs on tape at 12:00 PM Eastern time . The show, hosted by Keith Olbermann, debuted on March 31, 2003. The format of the show is a "countdown" of the top news stories of the day with news reports and interviews with guests. According to Nielsen Media Research, the show averaged roughly 157,000 viewers in January and February of 2006, making it among the lowest rated shows on any cable news network.

TV Critics have generally praised Countdown for Olbermann's elaborate writing style, fast-paced delivery, historical and pop culture references, and signature interjections. Olbermann interleaves serious news stories with humorous segments.

Olbermann has sought to increase his ratings by manufacturing a feud with the host of the #1 rated program on the cable news network, Bill O'Reilly. In February 2006, After months of on-air personal attacks by Olbermann, O'Reilly started a petition to MSNBC calling for the show to be cancelled and replaced by Phil Donahue, who had previously occupied MSNBC'S 8:00 PM EST time slot.

History

Countdown evolved from another show, Countdown: Iraq, which first aired on October 7, 2002. The show focused on a single topic, the diplomatic actions leading up to the Iraq War. Countdown: Iraq aired at 7:00 PM Eastern time. Countdown: Iraq was originally hosted by Lester Holt. A daytime version of Countdown entitled Countdown: 2002 Election aired from October 25, 2002 to November 2002.

After Donahue was cancelled on February 28, 2003, and because of the build-up to the start of the war, Countdown: Iraq expanded to a two hour program airing at 7:00 PM Eastern time. On March 28, 2003, MSNBC announced it had hired Keith Olbermann to host what became Countdown with Keith Olbermann, a one hour program airing at 8:00 PM Eastern time. In describing his intentions for the show, Olbermann told television columnist Lisa deMoraes 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."

Pattern of a typical episode

#5 story
commercial break
#4 story
commercial break
Oddball (offbeat news stories and videos, named as a play on Hardball with Chris Matthews, which precedes Countdown)
Countdown's Top 3 newsmakers of the day
commercial break
come-back fake-out (the camera zooms in on Keith as though the break is over but, he just makes a quick comment about the next story then goes back to commercials)
commercial break
#3 story
Top 3 soundbites of the day. (Shown occasionally)
commercial break
#2 story
Keeping Tabs, celebrity and tabloid news
Countdown's Worst Person in the World
commercial break
#1 story

The rank given a story in the "count down" does not reflect that content of the story but rather what Olbermann believes will be the "most talked about" story of the day.

Countdown has been described by Olbermann as a synthesis of the various influences on his career, from SportsCenter to NBC News Overnight, from The Huntley-Brinkley Report (from which Countdown got its theme music) to the PBS show Connections, with homages to Tom Snyder, David Letterman, Mort Sahl and so on. Much of his delivery takes from the style of legendary radio commentator Paul Harvey, for whom Olbermann occcasionally filled in during his stint at ABC Radio. Olbermann rarely spends more than five minutes on any particular story.

Signature style

Each night, Olbermann begins with "Which of these stories will you be talking about tomorrow?". His sign-off has changed repeatedly and had included "That's Countdown, thank you for being part of it.", "That's Countdown, for this, the [blank] day since the declaration of 'Mission Accomplished' in Iraq, "I'm Keith Olbermann, keep your knees loose and your mitt well-oiled", Good night and good luck. Invariably, Olbermann crumples up his notes and throws them at the camera, which "shatters" (made possible by a digital effect)

Several times a week, Countdown's only correspondent Monica Novotny files a story and engaged in "banter with Olbermann.

On Fridays, the show previously featured "What Have We Learned?" in which Olbermann attempted to answer questions based on the stories he had reported over the past week, conducted by Novotny. This was later replaced with his top stories of the week, frequently repeats of Oddball clips but the format on Fridays has gone back to the normal style since Fall 2005.

During the Michael Jackson trial, Countdown presented renactments of the day's courtroom scenes simply entitled Michael Jackson Puppet Theatre. These quirky scenes that represented events that Countdown was able to draw from that days' courtroom summaries. Countdown staff manipulated the puppets while Keith provided the voices. After the trial ended, it was announced that Puppet Theatre would be used for other events.

When an entertainment story is the number one story, Olbermann declares "it's a story my producers are forcing me to cover".

Olbermann Vs Bill O'Reilly

During the January 31, 2006 edition of the "Talking Points Memo" segment on The O'Reilly Factor^[1], O'Reilly lambasted NBC 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." O'Reilly gave no specifics about his gripes with NBC but it was understood by most to refer to Olbermann's personal attacks on O'Reilly.

On February 22, 2006 O'Reilly initiated an online petition requesting MSNBC remove Keith Olbermann from the 8:00 PM Eastern time timeslot. 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 PM EST".^[2] Olbermann responded two days later on Countdown by joining MSNBC staffers in signing the petition to have himself fired.

Olbermann Vs. Brent Bozell and Media Research Center

The Media Research Center (MRC), a leading media watchdog, and it's blog [http:/ /newsbusters.org NewsBusters.org] has highlighted examples of what it describes as Olbermann's "liberal bias". Keith Olbermann has repeatedly named MRC founder Brent Bozell "the worst person in the world".

Olbermann Vs Robert Cox and Olbermann Watch

Olbermannwatch.com, edited by media critic Robert Cox, has become the #1 Ranked Keith Olbermann blog in the world by combining astute media analysis with biting, satirical commentary. Olbermann has complained repeatedly in interviews about Olbermann Watch which he has decried as a "site created to mock me". Olbermann has made personal attacks against Cox and Olbermann Watch contributors who he has variously labeled "flying monkeys" (a moniker later adopted by Olbermann Watch contributors who call themselves the "Flying Monkey Brigade") and "belligerantly uninformed". Olbermann complained to the Hartford Courant TV critic that Olbermann Watch was "persecuting" him. Olbermann Watch has become a lightening rod for liberal supports of Olbermann who routinely plague the site with rambling Marxist diatribes and foul-mouthed invective. Olbermann Watch has identified numerous false or misleading statements by Olbermann on Countdown including Olbermann's habit of numerous manipulating quotations to suit the premise of his stories, false or misleading assertions and reporting as true a bogus report in the fictional Hoosier Gazette that parents lose 12 to 20 IQ points after having children.

Guests

Guest commentators regularly featured on the show include:

Michael Musto, editor of Village Voice — tabloid/entertainment
Howard Fineman, Newsweek contributor — political
Margaret Carlson, TIME Magazine columnist and author of Anyone Can Grow Up: How George Bush and I Made it to the White House — journalistic, political
Pat Buchanan, Conservative commentator, former U.S. Presidential Candidate and author — political
Craig Crawford, columnist for the Congressional Quarterly — political (on location in Washington D.C.)
John Dean, former White House Counsel to Richard Nixon — political, especially related to Deep Throat
Savannah Guthrie, Court TV correspondent — Michael Jackson trial
John Harwood, Wall Street Journal political editor and CNBC contributing reporter — political
General Barry McCaffrey, Ret. — military
Dana Milbank, national political reporter for The Washington Post — political
Tom O'Neil, editor of Entertainment Weekly — entertainment
Mo Rocca, comedian — pop culture
Robin Wright, diplomatic correspondent for The Washington Post — terrorism and international events (not Robin Wright Penn from The Princess Bride)
Clint Van Zandt, former FBI profiler — abductions/murders

For more guests, see: Olbermann.org's Countdown Guest Index, a comprehensive list of Countdown guests linked to relevant official transcripts.

Other

Countdown is a nightly newscast, covering major national and international stories as well as "odd ball" stories culled from the Internet, blogs, foreign television and other non-tradional news sources. Clips from NBC network news broadcasts are featured on a regular basis. Olbermann has stated that his deal with MSNBC stipulates that he does not have to "do debates" and so interviews typically consist of Olbermann interviewing people with whom he is in general agreement in a friendly, non-confrontational style.

Olbermann described the workings of the show to the Cornell Daily Sun. Countdown has roughly a dozen staffers. The staff spends the morning looking for noteworthy or interesting stories. The staff meets with Olbermann via conference call at 11:00 AM 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). 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 in Secaucus, New Jersey by 2:00 PM Eastern time and works on writing the show's material in his office until 7:30 PM, when he goes to makeup, before going on air at 8:00 PM Eastern time.

Notes

External links

MSNBC KEITH OLBERMANN LINKS

UNAFFILIATED KEITH OLBERMANN LINKS

UNAFFILIATED KEITH OLBERMANN ONLINE DISCUSSION GROUPS

Articles and interviews

[memo-1] "Network Rivalry" transcript, FoxNews.com, January 31, 2006

[petition-2] BillOReilly.com: Petition, February 22, 2006

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[Image:23olbermannplug.jpg|right|300px|thumb|A screen-shot from a commercial for Countdown.]]
-'''''Countdown with Keith Olbermann''''' is an hour-long nightly newscast on [[MSNBC]] which airs live at 8:00 PM [[Eastern Standard Time|Eastern time]] and reruns at midnight. The show, hosted by [[Keith Olbermann]], debuted on [[March 31]], [[2003]] and counts down the top news stories of the day with news reports and interviews with guests. According to recently revelead statistics, the show averaged roughly 157,000 viewers in [[January]] and [[February]] of [[2006]], 5,000 more than in [[January]] and [[February]] [[2003]], before Olbermann took the anchor chair. The median age of viewers of the show is 58.7 years old. The show's ratings have skyrocketed by 21% in the last year. In the first quarter of 2006, the ratings for ''Countdown'' surpassed [[CNN]]'s [[Paula Zahn Now]] in the 25-54 demographic, marking the first time in five years an [[MSNBC]] show has beaten a [[CNN]] show in prime time for this demographic. [http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/ratings/q1_06_msnbcs_olbermann_beats_cnns_zahn_hlns_grace_in_the_demo_34504.asp]
+'''''Countdown with Keith Olbermann''''' is an hour-long nightly newscast on [[MSNBC]] which airs live at 8:00 PM [[Eastern Standard Time|Eastern time]] and airs on tape at 12:00 PM [[Eastern Standard Time|Eastern time]] . The show, hosted by [[Keith Olbermann]], debuted on [[March 31]], [[2003]]. The format of the show is a "countdown" of the top news stories of the day with news reports and interviews with guests. According to Nielsen Media Research, the show averaged roughly 157,000 viewers in [[January]] and [[February]] of [[2006]], making it among the lowest rated shows on any cable news network.
-The show is notable for Olbermann's elaborate writing style, fast-paced delivery, historical and pop culture references, and signature witty interjections, which make ''Countdown'' more colorful than average newscasts.  Olbermann interleaves serious news stories with humorous segments.
+TV Critics have generally praised Countdown for Olbermann's elaborate writing style, fast-paced delivery, historical and pop culture references, and signature interjections. Olbermann interleaves serious news stories with humorous segments.
-The show has come under some controversy due to Olbermann's back-and-forth feud with rival newsman [[Bill O'Reilly (commentator)|Bill O'Reilly]]. In [[February 2006]], O'Reilly started a petition to MSNBC calling for the show to be cancelled and replaced by [[Phil Donahue]], who had previously occupied MSNBC'S 8:00 PM EST time slot.
+Olbermann has sought to increase his ratings by manufacturing a feud with the host of the #1 rated program on the cable news network,  [[Bill O'Reilly (commentator)|Bill O'Reilly]]. In [[February 2006]], After months of on-air personal attacks by Olbermann, O'Reilly started a petition to MSNBC calling for the show to be cancelled and replaced by [[Phil Donahue]], who had previously occupied MSNBC'S 8:00 PM EST time slot.
 ==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 7 pm and replaced a flailing eponymous show hosted by [[Jerry Nachman]], which was moved up to 5 pm 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.
+''Countdown'' evolved from another show, ''Countdown: Iraq'', which first aired on [[October 7]], [[2002]]. The show focused on a single topic, the diplomatic actions leading up to the [[Iraq War]].  ''Countdown: Iraq'' aired at 7:00 PM [[Eastern Standard Time|Eastern time]]. ''Countdown: Iraq'' was originally hosted by [[Lester Holt]]. A daytime version of ''Countdown'' entitled ''Countdown: 2002 Election'' aired from October 25, 2002 to November 2002.
-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 7-9 PM Eastern. On March 28, 2003, MSNBC announced it was hiring Keith Olbermann to host the 8 PM hour of ''Countdown''. The show dropped the ''Iraq'' subtitle and would be titled ''Countdown with Keith Olbermann''.  The 7 PM hour of ''Countdown'' was turned over for ''[[Hardball with Chris Matthews]]''.  Holt was moved to anchor rolling news coverage during the day.
+After ''[[Donahue]]'' was cancelled on February 28, 2003, and because of the build-up to the start of the war, ''Countdown: Iraq'' expanded to a two hour program airing at 7:00 PM [[Eastern Standard Time|Eastern time]].  On March 28, 2003, MSNBC announced it had hired Keith Olbermann to host what became ''Countdown with Keith Olbermann'', a one hour program airing at 8:00 PM [[Eastern Standard Time|Eastern time]]. In describing his intentions for the show, Olbermann told television columnist [[Lisa deMoraes]] 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."
-At the start of ''Countdown'', Olbermann told television columnist [[Lisa deMoraes]] 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 O'Reilly, which Olbermann would later have a grudge with, "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."
 ==Pattern of a typical episode==
@@ Line 30: / Line 28: @@
 * #2 story
 * ''Keeping Tabs'', celebrity and [[tabloid]] news
-* ''Countdown's Worst Person in the World'' (First shown May 2005, a book form of this segement will be published in September of 2006 by Putnam.)
+* ''Countdown's Worst Person in the World''
 * commercial break
 * #1 story
-It should be noted that the countdown does not reflect the gravity of the stories presented; typically, the day's top stories will be presented first in the #5 and #4 slots, with #1 often a lighter-hearted feature. The #1 feature is only described as the most buzz-worthy story.
+The rank given a story in the "count down" does not reflect that content of the story but rather what Olbermann believes will be the "most talked about" story of the day.
 ''Countdown'' has been described by Olbermann as a synthesis of the various influences on his career, from ''[[SportsCenter]]'' to ''[[NBC News Overnight]]'', from ''[[The Huntley-Brinkley Report]]'' (from which ''Countdown'' got its theme music) to the [[PBS]] show ''[[Connections]]'', with homages to [[Tom Snyder]], [[David Letterman]], [[Mort Sahl]] and so on.  Much of his delivery takes from the style of legendary radio commentator [[Paul Harvey]], for whom Olbermann occcasionally filled in during his stint at [[ABC Radio]]. Olbermann rarely spends more than five minutes on any particular story.
@@ Line 40: / Line 38: @@
 ==Signature style==
-Each night, Olbermann begins with "Which of these stories will you be talking about tomorrow?" and signs off since [[February 6]], [[2006]] with "That's ''Countdown'', for this, the 1042nd  [''for instance''] day since the declaration of '[[Mission Accomplished]]' in Iraq. I'm Keith Olbermann, keep your knees loose. [[Edward R. Murrow|Good night and good luck]]. Our MSNBC coverage continues now with [[Rita Cosby]] [[Rita Cosby Live & Direct|Live & Direct]]." Olbermann crumples up his notes and throws them at the camera, which "shatters" (made possible by a digital effect) and, Cosby's show begins. Until he began the "Mission Accomplished" count, the sign-off was "That's ''Countdown'', thank you for being part of it."
+Each night, Olbermann begins with "Which of these stories will you be talking about tomorrow?". His sign-off has changed repeatedly and had included "That's ''Countdown'', thank you for being part of it.", "That's ''Countdown'', for this, the [blank] day since the declaration of '[[Mission Accomplished]]' in Iraq, "I'm Keith Olbermann, keep your knees loose and your mitt well-oiled", [[Edward R. Murrow|Good night and good luck]]. Invariably, Olbermann crumples up his notes and throws them at the camera, which "shatters" (made possible by a digital effect)
-Several times a week, Countdown's only correspondent [[Monica Novotny]] files a story and has a friendly banter with Olbermann.
+Several times a week, Countdown's only correspondent [[Monica Novotny]] files a story and engaged in "banter with Olbermann.
 On Fridays, the show previously featured "What Have We Learned?" in which Olbermann attempted to answer questions based on the stories he had reported over the past week, conducted by Novotny. This was later replaced with his top stories of the week, frequently repeats of Oddball clips but the format on Fridays has gone back to the normal style since Fall 2005.
-During the [[Michael Jackson]] trial, Countdown presented renactments of the day's courtroom scenes simply entitled [[Michael Jackson Puppet Theatre]]. These quirky scenes that represented events that Countdown was able to draw from that days' [[courtroom]] summaries. Countdown employees handled the puppets while Keith himself recorded the [[Human voice|voices]]. After the [[trial (law)|trial]] ended, it was announced that Puppet Theatre would be used for other events.
+During the [[Michael Jackson]] trial, Countdown presented renactments of the day's courtroom scenes simply entitled [[Michael Jackson Puppet Theatre]]. These quirky scenes that represented events that Countdown was able to draw from that days' [[courtroom]] summaries. Countdown staff manipulated the puppets while Keith provided the [[Human voice|voices]]. After the [[trial (law)|trial]] ended, it was announced that Puppet Theatre would be used for other events.
-When an entertainment story is the number one story, he always says that "it's a story my producers are forcing me to cover," usually with the [[Tom Cruise]] / [[Katie Holmes]] "TomKat" stories or the story that [[John Travolta]] would be playing Edna Turnblad in the moive adaptation of the [[Broadway musical]] based on the [[John Walters]] 1988 movie ''[[Hairspray (movie)|Hairspray]]''.
+When an entertainment story is the number one story, Olbermann declares "it's a story my producers are forcing me to cover".
-==O'Reilly vs. Olbermann==
+==Olbermann Vs Bill O'Reilly==
-During the [[January 31]], [[2006]] edition of the "Talking Points Memo" segment on ''[[The O'Reilly Factor]]''<ref name=memo>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,183292,00.html "Network Rivalry" transcript, FoxNews.com, January 31, 2006]</ref>, O'Reilly lambasted [[NBC]] for "taking cheap shots at [[Fox News Channel|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 [[Cable News Network|CNN]]."  O'Reilly gave no specifics about his gripes with NBC but it was understood by most to refer to Olbermann's criticisms of O'Reilly, who has been named the ''"Worst Person(s) In The World"'' nineteen times through [[April 6]], 2006, including a clean sweep on [[November 30]], 2005. [http://mediamatters.org/items/200512010004]
+During the [[January 31]], [[2006]] edition of the "Talking Points Memo" segment on ''[[The O'Reilly Factor]]''<ref name=memo>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,183292,00.html "Network Rivalry" transcript, FoxNews.com, January 31, 2006]</ref>, O'Reilly lambasted [[NBC]] for "taking cheap shots at [[Fox News Channel|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 [[Cable News Network|CNN]]."  O'Reilly gave no specifics about his gripes with NBC but it was understood by most to refer to Olbermann's personal attacks on O'Reilly.
+On February 22, 2006 O'Reilly initiated an online petition requesting MSNBC remove Keith Olbermann from the 8:00 PM  [[Eastern Standard Time|Eastern time]] timeslot. 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 PM EST".<ref name=petition>[http://billoreilly.com/petitions/viewpetition?petitionID=45714 BillOReilly.com: Petition, February 22, 2006]</ref> Olbermann responded two days later on Countdown by joining MSNBC staffers in signing the petition to have himself fired.
-Olbermann responded the following night on Countdown by translating the "Memo" into "what he's actually saying." <ref name=response>[http://onegoodmove.org/1gm/1gmarchive/002814.html Keith Olbermann answers Bill O'Reilly's charges, January 31, 2006]</ref>
+==Olbermann Vs. Brent Bozell and Media Research Center==
-* Olbermann responded to O'Reilly's charge of cheap shots by noting that O'Reilly said the [[Catholic Church]] was against Christmas and his endorsement of a [[terrorist attack]] on San Francisco on his radio show. Olbermann said that when he quotes O'Reilly, "they must seem like cheap shots!"
+The [[Media Research Center]] (MRC), a leading media watchdog, and it's blog  [http:/ /newsbusters.org NewsBusters.org] has highlighted examples of what it describes as Olbermann's "liberal bias". Keith Olbermann has repeatedly named MRC founder [[Brent Bozell]] "the worst person in the world".
-* On O'Reilly's claim that NBC's cable networks are "ratings failures," Olbermann noted that [[USA Network]] (owned by NBC) garnered higher ratings in 2005 than FNC, further pointing out that Countdown's ratings growth was higher than O'Reilly's, then Keith added "Bill is obviously among our new viewers."  However, ''Countdown'' still has about three fourth of O'Reilly's viewership as of [[March]] 2006.
+==Olbermann Vs Robert Cox and Olbermann Watch==
-* On O'Reilly's charge of "unprofessional behavior," Olbermann pointed out the [[sexual harassment]] [[lawsuit]] against him by former producer [[Andrea Mackris]] in [[2004]], also leading him to the name for O'Reilly's statements as "The [[Falafel]] Guy [[Fatwa]]" and running jokes of [[loofah]]s.
+[http://www.olbermannwatch.com Olbermannwatch.com], edited by media critic Robert Cox, has become the #1 Ranked Keith Olbermann blog in the world by combining astute media analysis with biting, satirical commentary. Olbermann has complained repeatedly in interviews about Olbermann Watch which he has decried as a "[http://newsbusters.org/node/4763 site created to mock me]". Olbermann has made [http://newsbusters.org/node/4763 personal attacks against Cox] and Olbermann Watch contributors who he has variously labeled "flying monkeys" (a moniker later adopted by Olbermann Watch contributors who call themselves the "[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=NYOB&p_theme=nyob&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_text_search-0=Countdown%20AND%20is%20AND%20Recountdown&s_dispstring=Countdown%20is%20Recountdown&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no Flying Monkey Brigade]") and "[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=NYOB&p_theme=nyob&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_text_search-0=Countdown%20AND%20is%20AND%20Recountdown&s_dispstring=Countdown%20is%20Recountdown&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no belligerantly uninformed]". Olbermann complained to the Hartford Courant TV critic that Olbermann Watch was "[http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&aid=79790 persecuting]" him. Olbermann Watch has become a lightening rod for liberal supports of Olbermann who routinely [http://www.olbermannwatch.com/archives/2006/04/howard_kurtz_sl.html#comments plague the site] with rambling Marxist diatribes and foul-mouthed invective. Olbermann Watch has identified [http://www.olbermannwatch.com/archives/2006/04/conflicted_keit.html numerous false or misleading statements] by Olbermann on Countdown including Olbermann's habit of [http://www.olbermannwatch.com/archives/2006/04/conflicted_keit.html numerous manipulating quotations to suit the premise of his stories], [http://www.dailyhowler.com/dh041106.shtml false or misleading assertions] and reporting as true a bogus report in the fictional Hoosier Gazette that [http://www.olbermannwatch.com/archives/2004/11/msnbc_defines_d.html parents lose 12 to 20 IQ points after having children].
-* Olbermann also pointed out that the relationship between FNC and CNN has been less than [[cordial]]. Among other things, Olbermann pointed out FNC setting up a [[billboard]] across the street from CNN's headquarters in [[Atlanta]] taunting them about ratings, that an network spokesman compared CNN to the [[Titanic]], issued an [[anonymous]] statement saying that CNN founder [[Ted Turner]] had "lost his mind," and later pointed out that management compared former FNC on-air personality [[Paula Zahn]] who has gone on to work for CNN to an [[outhouse]] and a dead [[muskrat]].
-* In addition, he compared FNC's success had spread "like [the] [[bird flu]]" and that CBS and ABC and other news organizations were credited for their work ethic and competive zeal, to which Olbermann added "Especially since [[David Letterman|[David] Letterman]] (of whon O'Reilly's appearance on his show became a verbal barbfest which included Letterman telling O'Reilly that Letterman thought "sixty percent of [his] comments were full of crap") kicked the crap out of me on CBS earlier [in January]."
-* On O'Reilly's comments that there were problems within NBC, and he would later get into the specifics of them, Olbermann asked "Is this that 'code among most in TV news of respect and professional courtesy' you mentioned, Bill, or do we get to that part later?"
-* Commenting on NBC chairman [[Robert Wright|Bob Wright]], of which O'Reilly said that he was president, Olbermann asked to "keep our bosses out of this, or I'm going to have to call yours, and you know how much [[Satan]] hates to be disturbed when ''[[American Idol]]'' is on.  Oh, and I ain't calling [[Rupert Murdoch]] (the chairman of FNC parent company [[News Corporation|NewsCorp]]) the devil either, by the way."  Later, when a comment was made that "The Big Talking Head" (another Olbermann nickname for O'Reilly) that "perhaps we were wrong about Wright…", Olbermann stated that "Bill made a funny" and did an imitation of [[Looney Tunes]] character Pete Puma's laugh.
-On February 22, 2006 O'Reilly initiated an online petition to have MSNBC remove Keith Olbermann from the 8 PM EST timeslot. 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 PM EST".<ref name=petition>[http://billoreilly.com/petitions/viewpetition?petitionID=45714 BillOReilly.com: Petition, February 22, 2006]</ref> Olbermann responded two days later on Countdown by playing a collection of O'Reilly's "greatest hits"<ref name=greatest>[http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/02/24.html#a7291 "Late Night: Olbermann signs O'Reilly's Petition" Crooks and Liars, February 24, 2006]</ref> and mocked the whole affair by joining MSNBC staffers in signing the petition to have himself fired.
-One week later, on [[March 3]], Olbermann reported a story about O'Reilly banning a caller from the latter's radio show just for using Olbermann's name one day earlier, which O'Reilly equaled to a [[obscene]] word.  Olbermann promptly told everyone watching that "Bill thinks he has his own police," then pointing out that Fox's security department had the caller's name and phone number and would be contacting local law enforcement agencies. Keith made a mockery of the whole afair, stating that Fox News security was [[Sean Hannity]] and [[Alan Colmes]] coming to his house with billy clubs, had a picture of the poster of the movie ''[[Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment]]'' renamed as "FOX Security" and using a [[The_Mary_Tyler_Moore_Show#Cast_and_characters|Ted Baxter]] impression, did a paranoid version of O'Reilly.  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 identified only as "Mick of [[Orlando, Florida]]," a member of the [[weblog]] [http://www.callingallwingnuts.com callingallwingnuts.com].
-More ammo was fired during a guest appearance on [[Comedy Central]]'s ''[[The Colbert Report]]'' on [[March 14]], 2006, when  host [[Stephen Colbert]] asked about O'Reilly, whom Colbert called "my hero," and Olbermann commented that "Well, Stephen, we both agree on one thing: he's an idiot."  The next day ([[March 15]], 2006) on [[Al Franken]]'s [[Air America Radio]] show, the barbs continued.<!--rv-->
-==MRC and Bozell Vs. Olbermann==
-The [[Media Research Center]] (MRC), a conservative Internet [[think tank]] coordinating with the blog Newsbusters.org aimed at pinpointing what they view as "liberal media bias", has been very critical of Keith Olbermann ever since he became the "Countdown" host. The show has accused of him of "liberal bias" in the form of criticizing [[President George W. Bush]], attacking FOX and O'Reilly, starting off his newscast with unimportant stories with a [[left wing]] motive, avoiding the [[Bush administration]]'s side of the story, supposedly supporting the president's impeachment, and so forth.<ref name=impeachment>[http://www.mrc.org/notablequotables/2006/nq20060213.asp "Keith Itching for Impeachment" MRC.org, February 13, 2006] and [http://newsbusters.org/taxonomy/term/185/0/feed "NewsBusters.org - Keith Olbermann"]</ref>
-In response, Olbermann has sometimes named MRC founder [[Brent Bozell]] "the worst person in the world" for what Olbermann claims is hypocrisy. The anchor has also said that the MRC desires "an institutionalized, pro-Republican slant" in the media.<ref name=slant>[http://www.mrc.org/cyberalerts/2005/cyb20050316.asp#1 Olbermann: MRC Wants "Institutionalized, Pro-Republican Slant" MRC.org, March 16, 2005]</ref>
-=="Olbermann Watch"==
-All of the conservative criticism leveled at Olbermann has led to the creation of a website named [http://www.olbermannwatch.com Olbermannwatch.com] which tracks down any hint of what they deem "liberal media bias" from the anchor by carefully examining what he does on his show every night. References they have noticed include Olbermann being skeptical of the [[GOP]] and Bush and repeatedly criticizing the administration's handling of [[Hurricane Katrina]], [[CIA leak grand jury investigation]], the indictment of [[Scooter Libby]], the [[Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal]], the [[NSA]] wiretapping controversy, and  [[Fox News Channel controversies and allegations of bias]].
 ==Guests==
@@ Line 110: / Line 87: @@
 ==Other==
-While other MSNBC shows such as ''[[Scarborough Country]]'', ''[[The Abrams Report]]'' and ''[[Hardball with Chris Matthews]]'' consist mainly of opinion and analysis, ''Countdown'' is a nightly newscast, covering major national and international stories, albiet with commentary from the host.  Clips from NBC network news broadcasts are featured on a regular basis.  Olbermann typically treats guests on the show courteously, eschewing the aggressive style of interrogation employed by some of his competitors and colleagues.  On the other hand, Olbermann is known to interject his opinion when merited.  The program is advertised as ''News Not Snooze'', because of the quick pace of the show.
+''Countdown'' is a nightly newscast, covering major national and international stories as well as "odd ball" stories culled from the Internet, blogs, foreign television and other non-tradional news sources.  Clips from NBC network news broadcasts are featured on a regular basis.  Olbermann has stated that his deal with MSNBC stipulates that he does not have to "do debates" and so interviews typically consist of Olbermann interviewing people with whom he is in general agreement in a friendly, non-confrontational style.
-According to ''The Cornell Daily Sun'', Olbermann has a staff of roughly 10 to 12 people who work on the show.  They spend the morning looking for noteworthy or interesting stories.  The group meets via conference call at 11:00 AM 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 in [[Secaucus, New Jersey]] by 2 PM and works on writing the show's material in his office until 7:30, when he goes to makeup, before going on air at 8 PM.
+Olbermann described the workings of the show to the Cornell Daily Sun. Countdown has roughly a dozen staffers.  The staff spends the morning looking for noteworthy or interesting stories.  The staff meets with Olbermann via conference call at 11:00 AM 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]]).  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 in [[Secaucus, New Jersey]] by 2:00 PM [[Eastern Standard Time|Eastern time]] and works on writing the show's material in his office until 7:30 PM, when he goes to makeup, before going on air at 8:00 PM [[Eastern Standard Time|Eastern time]].
 ==Notes==
@@ Line 120: / Line 97: @@
 ==External links==
-*[http://countdown.msnbc.com/ MSNBC - Countdown with Keith Olbermann Front Page]
+{{Wikiquote}}
-*[http://bloggermann.msnbc.com/ Bloggermann, the Countdown blog]
+MSNBC KEITH OLBERMANN LINKS
-*[http://www.olbermann.org/ Olbermann.org, an Unofficial Keith Olbermann Fan Site] - articles by and about KO, photo gallery, audio/video links, transcript links by date or guest
+*[http://countdown.msnbc.com/ MSNBC—''Countdown'' with Keith Olbermann Home Page]
-*[http://www.cornellreview.org/viewart.cgi?num=448 A Cornell Review article on his coverage of the 2004 U.S. presidential election results]
+*[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7201668/ 'Countdown'' with Keith Olbermann Newsletter]
-*[http://www.cornellsun.com/media/paper866/news/2004/11/29/News/Counting.Down.With.Keith.Olbermann.79-1336820.shtml?norewrite&sourcedomain=www.cornellsun.com "Counting Down With Keith Olbermann '79"] - ''The Cornell Daily Sun'', November 29, 2004
-*[http://fanlist.hinote13.com/countdown/ Fanlisting for Countdown with Keith Olbermann]
+*[http://bloggermann.msnbc.com/ Bloggermann - 'Countdown'' with Keith Olbermann Blog]
-*[http://www.livejournal.com/community/countdown_msnbc/ LiveJournal - Countdown with Keith Olbermann Community]
+*[http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3719710/ MSNBC Transcripts of ''Countdown'']
+*[http://groups.msn.com/MSNBCTV/messages.msnw MSN MSNBC Group]
+UNAFFILIATED KEITH OLBERMANN LINKS
+*[http://www.Olbermannwatch.com OlbermannWatch—The #1 Ranked Keith Olbermann Blog]
+*[http://www.Olbermann.org/ Olbermann.org—A Keith Olbermann Fan Site]
+*[http://www.Olbermann.org/ Olberfans—A Keith Olbermann Fan Site]
+*[http://relevantortrue.blogspot.com/ Either Relevant or True—A Keith Olbermann Fan Site]
+*[http://drinkingwithkeitholbermann.blogspot.com/ Drinking with Keith Olbermann—A Keith Olbermann Fan Site]
+*[http://garr.ulo.us/countdown/ Keith Olbermann Fanlisting Site I]
+*[http://fan.star-wisher.com/keith_olbermann/ Keith Olbermann Fanlisting Site II]
+UNAFFILIATED KEITH OLBERMANN ONLINE DISCUSSION GROUPS
+*[http://groups.myspace.com/olberfans Olberfans's MySpace Group]
+*[http://community.livejournal.com/countdown_msnbc/ Keith Olbermann Live Journal Group]
+*[http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/index.php?showtopic=3116806&pid=2467686&st=225& Television Without Pity Keith Olbermann Forum]
+*[http://www.quicktopic.com/29/H/CCZ5hH7RnZhQ QuickTopic Keith Olbermann Forum]
+===Articles and interviews===
+*[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2006/04/03/BL2006040300434.html "The Anti-Bush Anchor" ''The Washington Post'', April 3, 2006]
+*[http://www.nydailynews.com/news/gossip/story/399805p-338748c.html "Olbermann: He's home on the deranged" ''The New York Daily News'', March 15, 2006]
+*[http://www.q-and-a.org/Transcript/?ProgramID=1067 "Q&A Interview of Keith Olbermann" ''C-SPAN'', March 12, 2006]
+*[http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2006-01-08-oreilly_x.htm?POE=LIFISVA "Many ready to spar with Bill O'Reilly," ''USA Today'', January 8, 2006]
+*[http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/_/id/8957321?rnd=1134713399735&has-player=false "Keith Olbermann: Truth Teller," Tim Dickinson, ''Rolling Stone'', December 15, 2005]
+*[http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2005-06-13-olbermann-espn_x.htm "Despite scorched bridges, Olbermann rejoins ESPN," Michael Hiestand, ''USA Today'', June 13, 2005]
+*[http://www.cornellreview.org/viewart.cgi?num=448 "Keith Olbermann, Tale of a Partisan Hack," Andrew Bernie, ''The Cornell Review'', December 17, 2004]
+*[http://209.200.80.136/ojr/stories/041130glaser/ "On Air and Online, Olbermann Draws Attention to Voting Problems," Mark Glaser, ''Online Journalism Review'', November 30, 2004]
+*[http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2004-09-13-sexiest-newscaster_x.htm "'Playgirl' picks Olbermann as its newscaster pinup boy," ''USA Today'', September 13, 2004]
+*[http://www.olbermannwatch.com/archives/2004/11/joe_hagan_chase.html "Olbermann's Re-Countdown," Joe Hagan, ''New York Observer'', November 29, 2004]
+*[http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A54273-2003Jul27&notFound=true "Three, Two, One, Olbermann," ''Washington Post Media Notes'', July 28, 2003]
+*[http://sassone.tripod.com/pbjissue18.html "Keith Olbermann: The PBJ Interview," Bob Sassone, ''Professor Barnhardt's Journal'', April 22, 2003]
+*[http://www.mediabistro.com/articles/cache/a177.asp "So what do you do, Keith Olbermann?" Jesse Oxfeld, mediabistro.com, April 15, 2003]
+*[http://www.salon.com/news/sports/col/olbermann/2002/11/17/meaculpa "ESPN: Mea Culpa," Salon.com, November 17, 2002]
+*[http://www.news.cornell.edu/campus/Olbermann_speech.html Olbermann's Convocation Speech at Cornell University. May 23, 1998]
 [[Category:News television series]]