Steve Capus: MSNBC Hosts Not "Flag-Wavers For Obama"

Washington Post:

The end of the election cycle presents the cable news networks with a tricky transition, said Andrew Tyndall, publisher of the Tyndall Report, which tracks television news. The three all-news networks built audiences this year by becoming "the cable politics networks," he said, serving political junkies to the exclusion of people seeking other kinds of news.

With the election over, the problem they face is how to build an audience without the daily give-and-take of pundits debating the latest campaign developments, he said. Of the big three, Tyndall believes MSNBC has the most difficult road. Its marquee hosts, Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow, have carved out reputations as fierce critics of the Bush administration, making it harder for them to turn around and become opponents of Obama, he said.

But Capus disagreed. "Fox has had a pretty darn good run with George Bush in the White House," he said. "So there are a lot of different ways to reach the audience that's out there. None of our hosts have to fall into the category of flag-wavers for Obama. We do not have to present a predictable ideological conversation. We've got to be smart about it. The success we've had recently is more broadly based than just being the loyal opposition."

Read the whole story: Washington Post

Comments

[BOin08]

Let's not confuse KO or RM with journalism. Keith is a joke on campus- all the fluff of Howard Stern, but without the midget stripers. At least Rach has a political background and can interview somone without leading questions like "don't you think..." or "shouldn't we...". It's not news and it's not journalism, just bad TV. Jon Stewart's Daily Show has more credibility as a news source and is waaaaay funnier. KO will be on HBO after Rach takes his TV slot by next fall and Mr Olbermann won't take the time slot demotion, so....ciao bella!

[funkalicious]

Olberman and Maddow not flag wavers for Obama?

They were certainly working the semaphores pretty darn hard and fast. Teaching the American electorate how to paddle the little man in the boat, stroking him in for the big Ooooooo!!.

If not flag wavers....­.

At the very least I would say they were french ticklers for Obama. Lets see if they can keep the feeling all warm and fuzzy in January.

[FlamingLibrul]

If rabid repug pundits are allowed to be unashamedly biased for their wingnut candidates, why can't liberal media representatives have the same courtesy? When are we going to take back the word "Liberal," and stop allowing the rightwingnuts to use it as a euphemism for everything wrong with America? That's what the Obama bias claims are really about; the repugs fearing their claims about a liberal media takeover are actually coming true.

[ChurchAndState]

Yeah they are. There's nothing wrong with that. Trying to deny it, is just being a tool.

[Candace8383]

Mr.Campus

I have been glued to the TV all through the campaign ...if you want me to continue to watch ...TELL ME THE TRUTH. Its simple i want back the trust we all had for the news when i was a child. If one of your hosts or guests makes a statement i want to be able to assume that its correct. If someone on your network says something that's incorrect i expect you to have them correct it at the first opportunity. What the right doesn't get and how the left is different is that the left uses facts. You have a fact based audience and if you want to keep them you better be more careful about who you allow to speak on your network. For some reason you had Christoper Hitchens on saying that Hillary tried to stall help in the Balkans . If you allow someone to say something like this then at the first opportunity it is incumbent on the host of the program on which it was said to correct it ...isn't it? If you are the network who is the most accurate you will keep me if not ..then i will go .

[JNagarya]

There have been overt "flag-wavers" for Republicans since at latest Reagan -- the excuse being that the media is "liberal biased" -- and no one DARE comment upon that fact either way.

So if Olbermann and Madow were "flag-wavers" for Obama, SO F'ING WHAT.

[Grulg]

I wouldn't be me if I didn't say it again:

Keith is going to have to say, and say it w/out foaming at the mouth: Secretary of State-Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Say it with me, will you? Sounds good, doesn't it? I think so too. Oh Chris--you've swallowed your tongue there-

[strifeknot]

Please, stop being you, and become someone more informed and less smug.

[brynn6]

They'll be all right, they've certainly had to report on worse. Question is, will you? Now run along, don't you have more threads to post this on?

[Shadow08]

Lets say for the sake of argument they are flag wavers for Obama. I say GREAT! It's about time we have an alternative to Fox and 24/7 AM radio flag waving for republican­/christian­/conservat­ives.

Why are the republicans such babies? They can dish it out, but can't take it.
If we have someone on the airwaves fighting the 24/7 conservative media machine, what is wrong with that? The republicans have to learn they simply can't control everything. Those days are over.

[ohiomark]

That headline makes me laugh.

Capus must be watching another MSNBC, because the real MSNBC was the television headquarters of the Obama campaign and I'm guessing that Obama will make MSNBC the "official news agency" of the government soon after he takes office.

Keith Olbermann will be the new "Baghdad Bob".

[Witchitalineman]

Good Obama should then. Keith has done nothing but help expose the lies and illegal activites of Bush, Cheny and this administration!

[Grulg]

Just remember, when Keith there gets back from his vacation, you'll get to enjoy hearing him say-"Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton".

You'll also get to hear him say "Confirmed" and "met with Obama IN THE WHITE HOUSE Today-" surely enough to set KO's blood to roiling to the Nth degree.

It just rolls off the tongue, don't it? "Secretary of State Hillary Clinton", sorta like 'Great British Teeth' and 'Comedian Rush Limbaugh" etc.

[steamboat]

Yes, and I hope he chokes....­..I still remember this jerk wanting Hillary beat-up in a room......­Can't wait until he has to announce she's been selected Sec. of State.

[truthglow]

SELECTED by PRESIDENT Obama!!!!!!!!!

[harriscrl3]

I still watch Keith I have been MISSING him this past week when I need news thats where I'm going. Its the only place I go.

Carol

[NTexasHillbilly]

As far as I'm concerned, Olbermann and Maddow collectively toppled the Bush regime and along with it, McPalin and the rest of the repubes who've fallen. Kinda like watching the statue of Sadam Hussein being pulled down.

[Shadow08]

Right, and I'm in their debt for doing so. They had the guts to take on the entire right wing media and they won. They're real American Patriots.

[brynn6]

Hi fellow Texan. You are right-on, but let's not forget Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. Fake news counts too.

The "statue" of Bush being pulled down in was kinda fun too, even if it was Sadr's nutjobs that did it.

[pupbayer]

"MSNBC Hosts Not "Flag-Wavers For Obama"

LOL!!! Of course they are. It is their reason for living.

[Oldbuck]

I would say if you bring Keith and Rachel back from vacation your ratings will go back up I am a avid sport fan but watch Keith and Rachel nearly every night instead of ESPN which is saying you got something going don't screw it up.

[Grulg]

I wanna see Keith here have Fred the Turkey Funneller (You know who I mean...) on for an interview. C'mon it'll be fun.

[brynn6]

Wouldn't it! Are you sure his name isn't Joe though? Actually, I was thinking about a Jon Stewart skit with a Senior Turkey Funneller Correspondent. They're off next week, otherwise I don't know how they could resist.