Current Cancelled Vanguard

While the new shows are awesome, getting rid of Vanguard would mean getting rid of what made Current so good. It had original documentaries and great insight in the world's affairs. I'm glad to hear six new episodes will air this year and early next year, but I hope that won't be the last breath of one of the most provocative shows on television.

Vanguard would be more profitable and add viewership if they presented the shows online as a whole unit rather than disjointed bits and pieces. In an age where journalist outlets are being consolidated by corporations, newspapers budgets are dissappearing, and detailed deep coverage is replaced by opinion shows, it is a disgrace to see another outstanding investigative news source bite the dust.

We need more vanguard, not less.

Vanguard is an amazing docu-series. As others have said, it is the reason I watch Current TV. While budgeting is a important part of keeping the channel alive- Vanguard is also. I hope that this does not change things too much.

I'm sorry, but while I do enjoy Mr. Olbermann now and again, it is largely for the fact that he does my rantings for me. It isn't that he's a stellar scholar out to fix all of our problems, he's just preaching to a choir. So while I liked that Keith came to Current in some respects, given that what my original idea of what Current should be was tossed in the can long ago, it's no excuse to abolish the original documentary team that got me hooked on Current in the first place. they were more than just a "production company," and simply good journalists. Vanguard was the last remaining pillar of old Current. While I'm not very surprised, I am still very disappointed.

Good luck to the Vanguard team.

Wow. I am floored by the lack of commitment to diverse, informative and out of the ordinary quality programming that was the reason why I started watching current in the first place.

With a proliferation of stations that claim to be educational and are actually hardly a step above "E" Entertainment, it is heartbreaking to watch another one succumb. I am in mourning for what could have been.

I posted this in another thread but wish to post it here as well because it is how I truly feel. The recent moves regarding the station disappoint me. Perhaps consideration for some programming diversity is in order if the network survives "election" season. I would like to see an environmental show that delves not only into the effects of environmental destruction and the sources of it (including corporate and government collusion, et. al. BP, Monsanto, etc) but the stories behind it (some of which are truly brave) and its connection to health, economy, national security, spiritual wellbeing and overall global balance. The "MSM" in this country surely doesn't cover this. I always saw Current as a place where this kind of interest in human rights and social justice would have a place. I surely hope I wasn't entirely wrong about that.
~~~
Dear Al,

I am sure you know I love and respect you dearly and have supported you for many years. You were one of the only candidates I can say I actually voted "for." I would not come here as frequently as I do willing to participate and spread information that I believe people need to know were it not for the fact that I do believe it matters and I am truly grateful for this venue to do it in. I have a deep passion for the environment and believe me, being associated in any way with your endeavors on that gives me hope. However, I have to be honest as someone who has been here since the first day and state that I am a bit disappointed with where this station is going. There are those of us out here who do not weigh everything based on partisan politics. But yet that is exactly the goal of this station it appears... to make everything a political issue. And while it may be from a democratic view, I personally think your lineup is overkill. It's exactly why I don't watch any other cable networks either.

I came here in the hope of discovering new young talent making news at its source and telling us interesting stories with us as well as the participants and frankly, I don't think it was given a fair chance. So, here I am again going out on a limb and telling you what I think would be an absolutely necessary show for this station since "speaking truth" was something you told Cenk Uyger was what you wanted;

You wrote a book titled "Our Choice" which gave us a very clear roadmap as to the solutions to climate change/biodistress based on actual solution summits with scientists and other involved in them. We don't have a show that lays that roadmap out to give people information, access and hope to these solutions. Why can't we have a show that is non partisan that lays out that roadmap? Why can't we have as part of that show segments where we go to the places experiencing climate change so people can actually see how it is affecting the world ( which could also include participation of members here?) Why can we not have a show that gives us segments on places in the developing world using these solutions already and introducing some we may not have known about? A show that is not based on political spin, but moral courage and hope for the future? A true environmental show that sends a message that we are all connected in this?

You know the effects of climate change are now becoming more pronounced and what they are affecting (water, agriculture and access to both.) People need to know this and the solutions and see that they are being implemented and are making a difference. They need to know they are viable and accessible in a media where all we see are propaganda ads for oil, natural gas and now even tarsands. I think this type of show is relevant, important and urgently needed. It is along the lines of an "Environmental Vanguard."

Beyond all of the politics there lies a more important underlying issue: the perception we have of this world and being made aware of the paradigm shift we need globally in order to change that perception to sustain this planet for the present and future. I know you understand this. I would love to see that expressed here and frankly am not impressed by shows called, "The War Room" where political prognosticators get to show off their egos in an attempt to one up the opposition. We need real solutions to this and I just don't think that will happen the longer we stay embroiled in these partisan political back and forths. Now do I think this will be listened to considering I'm just a lowly citizen? I can only hope, because it' s way past time.

Thanks,
Jan

vanguard was the reason I started watching current.

“@TeamOlbermann: NYT article on the future of #Vanguard and @Current TV http://t.co/DVJNAqBv”

http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/current-cuts-staff-of-vanguard-...

I think this answers all the questions: From Current a management profile:

"David Bohrman was appointed President of Current TV on August 8, 2011. Bohrman is known for combining news programming expertise, keen technical acumen and a penchant for innovation to capture some of the world’s most profound and important events on television. His career has spanned three decades and has included producer and executive jobs at CNN, NBC News, and ABCNews.

Bohrman’s award-winning television programming includes producing coverage of Presidential elections, political conventions, and Presidential debates. He is widely known for producing CNN's award-winning coverage of the 2008 Election year, creating CNN’s “magic wall” for John King, the YouTube Debates, “The Situation Room” for Wolf Blitzer, NewsNight with Aaron Brown, The Site and Imus in the Morning on MSNBC, and World News Now at ABC News, in addition to being a member of the original staff of Nightline with Ted Koppel in 1980. He also created the first new media division of a major media company, ABC News InterActive in 1989."

I remember telling a friend that he could be what the network needed when he was hired...guess that depends on your point of view, but I think he was given a pretty free hand to redesign the network as he saw fit...

Well some of what he has done so far may spell the end of the network...there is only so much room in the market for more politico-news...ask MSNBC who fills even some of their prime time with prison stories...???

Vanguard was a perfect balance...

“@TeamOlbermann: To those curious about #Vanguard, @Current has interest in future new episodes, just not now with new political programs in the spotlight.”

First current ruins the front page of the 'NEWS' section on the website now they've gotten rid of their best show. It's part of their 12 step plan to ruin news. Next is "get rid of all those people who post articles for the site for free"

The show sucks! It's edited for effect and the two guys cried like little school girls .they should have been left in the desert , the show would have improved.now that it has been canncelled ,just maybe they will try not to commercialize any more of the current shows.i

Well that just sucks...Vanguard was quality investigative journalism...way ahead of what the other networks can muster...the personnel were a great fit...my son and I watched it regularly and it looked like the new season was going to be strong...

I like Keith, and Cenk and Co will probably be a good fit depending on how they format the show, but Current without Vanguard doesn't leave much...The War Room will have an uphill battle with her I think...who knows...

Current could go down in flames if it tries to be too political...there's too much out there already...new management always shakes things up...

I WAS a fan of the show back in the day when current would post them online. But now that they don't anymore, I lost access. Our cable doesn't carry current tv.

“@ChristofPutzel: Clarity, @Current has expressed interest in more Vanguard episodes in the future. If you're a fan of the show, show @current some love.”

Well that's the last of OG Current. Glad to see current as some crap msnbc knockoff. Enjoy your channel Olbermann. I will not.

Current is destroying itself....

It was probably just a little too intelligent for the masses.

It's all about tv ratings and advertisements folks ....money. Nothing good lasts.

I genuinely liked Infomania, with Erin Gibson & the crew. And
Vanguard had a dedicated team of investigative Journalists
whose stories I bloged too. Though I rarely watch Current's TV
network station, I've always seen whatever has spilled over from
it on their website here. Imho, it would be an error for them to
compete with the mainstream media because it would only bring
them down to their level, which is nowhere. Current is special.
They shouldn't abandon what made them special. Politics may
be a necessary evil, but it's a sewer. If humans ever live long
enough as a species to make it to another planet, they'll likely
long have outlawed TV as a corrupting influence as a form of
mass mind control conducive to the Roman Colliseum sports
arena with out of work people amused by bread & circus.

Tweet #watchingvanguard and let 'em know.

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!!!!!

Thats a shame I was just getting interested in the show!

“@ChristofPutzel: Got "the call" that @current will not be renewing #Vanguard for another season. Thank you all for #watchingvanguard for the past 6 yrs.”

I had a feeling that was going to happen come next season because they have an entire political lineup whose shows they will be repeating nightly as they do Countdown now, which will take up the whole night. Big mistake far as I am concerned if so.

Christof said so on twitter.