Community | February 09, 2012 | 50 comments

Gore, and the c u r r e n t. . . . scene

source: http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/02/05/is-keith-olbermann-the-last-hope-for-gore-s...

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remanns
Is Keith Olbermann the Last Hope for Gore's Current TV? - The Daily Beast
from- Newsweek magazine :
"Al Gore's Desperate Bid to Keep Keith Olbermann—and Save Current TV"
Feb 6, 2012 12:00 AM EST

The former VP’s Current TV is struggling to catch on—and he nearly lost star anchor Keith Olbermann after a breakdown in negotiations in November. Rebecca Dana reports in Newsweek.

It was early November when tensions between Keith Olbermann and Al Gore escalated into a crisis at Current TV. There had been a short honeymoon after Gore, the channel’s co-owner, had handed the notoriously temperamental anchor a reported $10 million salary and equity stake in February of last year, but the relationship soured quickly. Now, just five months after Olbermann’s show Countdown had resurfaced on Current, it looked as if he might walk away.

Accustomed to the flashy graphics and slick broadcasts of MSNBC, Olbermann balked at the cheap sets and lo-fi production values at the scrappy Current. Ensconced in his New York office, the star ignored emails from the network’s West Coast executives. He wanted them to invest more on the technical side, and he wanted more authority in other areas of the network, including personnel decisions. He was also upset about his car service. Gore and his partners had shelled out for a star; now, it seemed, the star owned them.

By November, network executives were exhausted by his antics, according to a source familiar with the inner workings of Current. Olbermann was implacable. Executives feared an ugly, public fight.

-continued



LINK- - -
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/02/05/is-keith-olbermann-the-last-hop...
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50 comments // Gore, and the c u r r e n t. . . . scene

  • kvb1
    • +1
      kvb1  

    • KO is what will save Current from oblivion. He should have been given what he was sold from the beginning, although he knew what he was getting into. Keith is Keith. He is the news director for the company, let him do that. But also, Keith has a love of sports. Put Keith on a project and he will make it happen. So, how about a sport show, ala Sports Center? Something to breakup the misery that is politics in this country. Make Vanguard your Sunday evening broadcast, opposite 60 Minutes. Once a week will give them time to continue to make quality programming. A Sunday talking heads program? Sure, why not. Give it to Keith to get the rating moving, know he will have to leave that chair in a specified time. He always wanted to be the next Tim Russert.

      The possibilities are endless, especially is Current is not JUST a progressive news network. Just don't become the jail channel on the weekends!

    • 4 months ago
  • Arizona_Huey
    • 0
      Arizona_Huey  

    • I'm pretty much done with Olbermann - he has truly burned his last bridge! You're good Keith, but you've become almost as bad as Bill O - at least he doesn't storm off the set after he has an diva based ego tantrum.

    • 4 months ago
  • Ambill94
    • 0
      Ambill94  

    • We will probably never know what is really going on, but I agree with those who say if KO goes there's not much left. I came here because of him, been following him since ESPN; but I am at the point where I'm not sure I would follow him again. It seems to me that his ego, which has always been a tad on the large side, has become out of control.
      I think the worst thing Bohrman did was get rid of Vanguard. That show was the perfect balance to the rest of their programming...and they covered hot topics well.
      It's too bad really. I had high hopes for Current, but the future and my tenure here don't look too good.

    • 4 months ago
  • JanforGore
  • remanns
  • remanns
  • tverdell
  • tverdell
    • 0
      tverdell  
    • Image
    • tverdell:

      This is the promo I was referring to.
      Keith is apparently too busy doing promotions for MLB to help promote Current.
      Notice he was also absent from the television critics conference a few weeks ago.
      Cenk and Granholm somehow were able to put it into their busy schedules.

    • 4 months ago
  • tverdell
    • +1
      tverdell  

    • KO is humiliating al gore, who doesn't have a choice but to wipe his chin.
      He can't fire Keith because current would be over. Countdown is by far their highest rated programming and gives them star power.

      I feel bad for al getting screwed by one of his own.

    • 4 months ago
  • JanforGore
    • +1
      JanforGore  
    • tverdell:

      I usually try not to comment if I don't know the whole story, but from all I'm reading I think Keith Olbermann keeps tripping over his ego. And yes, it's a shame he has done that to Al. I really wasn't for all of this political overkill in the first place. It's going to come back to bite them on the ***.

    • 4 months ago
  • tverdell
  • JanforGore
  • Arnold_Rivas
    • +1
      Arnold_Rivas  

    • If current decides to bring back the podcasts, while at the same time try out this politically direct programming, then go ahead. I'm still watching, even after the overhaul of the network.

    • 4 months ago
  • OlBlue
  • pjacobs51
  • JanforGore
    • +2
      JanforGore  
    • pjacobs51:

      Yes, REAL citizen journalism and one kick a** truth telling hour of global environmental news and solutions that show people the real world and how they can really change it for the better. Ok, we've got two hours full already ;-).

    • 4 months ago
  • remanns
  • pjacobs51
  • pjacobs51
  • remanns
    • +1
      remanns  
    • pjacobs51:

      Well,....That was pleasant ! I want to live on "folk music acoustic island" !
      ( . . . .perhaps thats just a mainland shoreline,....but still....ah, wait,.....credits,......)
      Nevermind -San Fran is nice, but too damn chilly. Staying in Texas,....will have to be content with local talent ) +^d

    • 4 months ago
  • Anonmaly
    • +1
      Anonmaly  

    • I don't get the whole Olbermann love affair....

      Granted Kieth and his staff of writers are intelligent, and come up with some interesting news. And do allot to expose messed up crap going on behind the scenes, or just stuff the msm doesn't want to cover as much.... (actually feel Cenk does a much better job though)

      It's his attitude. He has this overwhelmingly narcissistic sarcastic attitude... He can't do a show without breaking things down to the lowest, basest form of petty insults and ridicule. I mean state a fact, state your feelings on the fact, but if you're going to regress into some teenage mentality of petty insults and trash talk.... I'm not going to tune you in, If you're going to do almost nothing but see the very worst from the other side, rarely even acknowledging that someone from the "right" might have a good idea, or someone on the "left" could be wrong.....

      Idk, if you want to keep your 30+ audience who still likes to follow that cut & dry nonsense, keep Keith.... The audience that doesn't take the time to research themselves, the audience that is living SEVERAL times better than those under the age of about 35.... Keep him, pay his overinflated salary, and keep towing party lines, painting Obama and democrats as the only answer...

      But the younger people, will keep looking for answers outside the traditional political spectrum, they'll keep seeing that voting Media Approved republican, or democrat is a waste of time, they offer no substantive change over the other party puppets, and anything short of serious change is a crock of shit.....

      Oh, and RON PAUL 2012!!!!

    • 4 months ago
  • remanns
    • +1
      remanns  
    • Anonmaly:

      I personally prefer Cenk as well,...

      Bill Maher, and Stephen Colbert are really edgier and more nimble tongued than Olbermann,....and along the same lines,........and personally I think Cenk may be a more decisive less fluffy Journalist than Olbermann .

      ( I don't MIND Olbermann, mind you - I just don't have hot flash fantasies in the night, or write unsent love letters )

    • 4 months ago
  • remanns
  • joeredford
  • bailey78
    • +1
      bailey78  

    • I don't know the man to say i like him or not. i have seen some of his programs. But to me he is just a talking head for the left. But thats just what I see in the guy. In real life he may be a nice guy or a real asshole. I don't know.

    • 4 months ago
  • ecoalex
    • +3
      ecoalex  

    • Keith was absent on Countdown again last nite ,so so was I.Schuster is unwatchable.When Bill Press was on countdown,I watched.Countdown needs a suitable replacement.

    • 4 months ago
  • attilatheblond
    • 0
      attilatheblond  
    • ecoalex:

      Schuster's voice and diction are grating in the extreme, but I like his flare and his tenacity so the sound is something I will deal with. Cenk and TYT are great. Have not yet had a chance to catch Granholm's show yet, but I do find her mind and wit to be promising and look forward to watching when time permits.

      KO is good, but he is not the last hope. Current is giving a platform for some real talent and truthspeakres. Seems the network is building a solid base. But then, I am just a viewer and not someone charged with selling advertising for Current.

    • 4 months ago
  • joeredford
    • +2
      joeredford [removed]  

    • Current's lame attempts to become relevant and become a national news force for the left ,have so far, been an embarrassment. Without Olbermann they have nada. If they don't give him the tools he needs to succeed, he should leave and put their amateurism behind him. Current is in the sub basement of national news and will remain there without Keith.

    • 4 months ago
  • remanns
    • +1
      remanns  
    • joeredford:

      I rather think c u r r e n t should - STOP !!! - trying to BE " a national news force for the left" -( primarily ) ; that is LAME compared to the initial 'CULTURAL HUB - youth culture applicable/accessible' vision/potential of c u r r e n t .

      "culture" WAR, does not deserve the total attention of the community, ALL the time ; there IS more worthy of the focus of both mind and spirit,. . . and we should be it"

      ( I suppose THAT would be my thesis statement )

    • 4 months ago
  • joeredford
    • +4
      joeredford [removed]  
    • remanns:

      Current's stated objective is to be a news force. Their objective , not mine. This is not the way to do it , if indeed that is the course they wish to pursue. Or they can simply remain an obscure cable channel that very few have ever heard of. The decsion is Gore's not mine, and ultimatley it makes no difference to me. I'll follow Keith wherever he goes because he's the only reason I ever deigned to point my remote at the station. There is nothing else compelling enough on Current to cause me to set aside time to view it.

    • 4 months ago
  • Leen61
    • +3
      Leen61  
    • joeredford:

      Somebody posted this story last week. I'm with you, joe. And personally, I still think that new asshole Bohrman is trying to throw his weight around with Keith. Childish.

    • 4 months ago
  • SFirman
  • remanns
  • joeredford
    • +1
      joeredford [removed]  
    • remanns:

      I guess you have never heard of the word change? Gore has changed it dramatically or he would not have hired a 10 million dollar man to change it. I don't really care one way or the other. Current TV sucks and always has.

    • 4 months ago
  • joeredford
  • joeredford
  • Leen61
  • Leen61
    • +4
      Leen61  
    • SFirman:

      I'll go wherever Keith goes as well, SFirman. He's the reason I came to Current in the first place. To be honest, I heard about Current TV when Rachel mentioned the 2 women reporters who were captured, but I didn't tune in until I heard Keith was coming here. I just heard that Al Gore had this station and didn't think much about it at the time.

    • 4 months ago
  • SFirman
  • Leen61
  • ThatCrazyLibertarian
  • remanns
  • dudefromtherock
  • bailey78
  • rerushg
  • remanns
  • TanzaniteDiamonds
  • remanns
  • remanns
  • rerushg
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