MSNBC Goes HD, Launches Dylan Ratigan, Dr. Nancy Snyderman Shows

It's a big day for MSNBC, with the network launching its high definition broadcast signal, unveiling a new daytime lineup (including two new shows), and debuting a new set of on-screen graphics.

Network President Phil Griffin spoke about the shift to HD with Broadcasting & Cable:

"I love our anchors and our people being looked at in hi-def. But this is about being in the neighborhood. You get your regular core audience to tune in, but a good chunk of our [total] audience is people who are flipping around....

"I think you've got to be [in HD] now," Griffin points out. "And I think in a year or two it will definitely make a huge difference. If you want to be competitive in this game, it's the price of entry."

B&C further reports that the HD rollout will be gradual based on service providers:

MSNBC in HD will launch at different times on different MSOs. It will debut on Cablevision on June 29 and on Time Warner in July. By the end of August, MSNBC HD will be available in 11 million homes.

Along with the addition of an HD signal, MSNBC has shaken up its dayside lineup, adding "Morning Meeting" with Dylan Ratigan from 9AM-11AM and "Dr. Nancy" at noon. Carlos Watson will anchor the 11AM hour, Andrea Mitchell will continue at 1PM, and David Shuster and Tamron Hall will co-anchor from 3PM-5PM. There are no explicit plans for the 2PM hour.

"It's the right time," Snyderman told the Daily News about her health show, which premieres with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Elizabeth Edwards and FDA Commissioner Peggy Hamburg as guests.

Snyderman elaborated on her plans for the show to the Daily News' Richard Huff:

Her show, she said, will be different than others because she has the resources of NBC News and the ability to quickly jump on a story that breaks that day.

"There really isn't going to be anything taped," she said.

"We're raising the bar," Snyderman said. "This is going to be very smart programming. If I don't think something's true, it's not getting on."

She's also realizes she must make medical mumbo-jumbo palatable for the everyman. "That's the burden for me," she said, "to take complicated and dry medical information and make it compelling."

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Comments

[yoli647]

Would never watch these two.

[Cal Schrotenboer]

I'll second that. Lawrence O'Donnell would be excellent. His fill in for Chris Matthews on the week of July 6-10 was fantastic.

Give him the 10:00 PM EST time slot.

[Mustang Sally]

AWFUL...

[breakingnews3]

Yestarday Dylan claiming that no on is dy.ing in the streets due to lack of health care because HE has never seen it happen............

First and last time I will be watching that show.

Then Dr. Nancy claimed that there will rationing of health care "just like Canada" if we have a public option. Her guest asked if she had ever been to Canada to see the health care system in action for herself and she said "no". And yet she was perfectly comfortable spouting the talking points du jour.

So much for "it's not true, it wont get on the air".

I wont be turning on MSNBC til 1pm.

[IlPense]

Dylan - as yucky as Joe Scarborough, as loud as his pals at CNBC, what's the point? He's just not watchable or interesting - get somebody new. Contessa Brewer was annoying at times, but Dylan takes annoying to new heights.

[winstonian22]

Now we can watch bulls*** and boring shows in HD! Yay!!

[tweedy54]

I HATE the new graphics.. it is very distracting.. like OTB!!!
Dylan Ratigan Ain't feelin' him AT ALL!!!! Will NOT be tuning in. they need to give Lawrence O'Donnell is own show!! He is great!!!
BUT GET RID OF ALL THAT NONSENSE GRAPHICS ALL OVER THE SCREEN!!! RIDICULOUS!

[NickConrad]

Personally I can't stand Ratigan. He comes off as arrogant and mealy-mouthed not to mention that he's never had concern with deficit spending until the stimulus (and now health care) debates. The guy's a tool, and every time I hear his "expert advice" it's just spouting off right-wing talking points with an added smirk.

[Badger84]

He's also trying to kill health care reform by raising the subject of rationing.....while ignoring that health care is already rationed, on the basis of wealth.

[Morganster]

Lawrence O'Donnell is a breath of fresh air! He is smart, quick, passionate, insightful and is confident enough to point out his own faults!

Why is it that MSNBC teases by only having him come on for some quick analytical comments?

The man is far brilliant than most of the anchors at MSNBC and their recent coverage of the death of Michael Jackson was totally unwatchable. I could not believe that the normally adroit Keith Olbermann just droned on and on with the most inane comments and that all the MSNBC anchors gave a free pass to Maureen Orth to spout venomous drivel, all because her husband was Tim Russert.

Someone please wake up the producers at MSNBC!! Give Lawrence O'Donnell his own show!

[ECB]

No Coffee for Dylan and a gallon for the Doc.

[Calkathy]

For the first time in a long time, I turned off a morning MSNBC program.

At 7:00am this morning, when I was trying to wake up, I heard someone who is so anxious to get let everyone know his opinions that he loudly interrupted and overrode his guest's comments. What sent me over the edge was Dylan Ratigan's bullying people who were trying to talk about conserving resources, and then using as a so-call source, a set of data from the plastics industry about how expensive it is to produce paper bags. (Now there's objectivity!) He was obviously uninformed about the topic, but that didn't appear to stop him--he just kept yelling. That was just one instance of several in a very unpleasant morning. I quit. I will no longer watch MSNBC news in the morning. If worse comes to worse, I'll watch CNN.

MSNBC brass: Those of us on the west coast can't see Morning Joe with its really good guests and intelligent civil discussions unless we are having problems sleeping.Why can't we get Morning Joe on a tape delay?

A former watcher

[december30]

I live on the west coast too. Morning Joe is a bad as Dylan Ratigan or worse

[rhondadavis28]

again- boring

[javagirl322]

"If I don't THINK something is TRUE, 1t won't get on....

[Shayrae]

I hope the big wigs at MSNBC are reading these blogs. I used to keep my TV on MSNBC all day long. Not so much anymore. Phil Griffin, are you guys listening?

[MeggieJ]

I think the MSNBC bigwigs are probably satisfied with all these personalities and the consistency of their programming - they obviously want to be the Left's version of Fox TV. Dylan is the same as Chris, Ed, Keith and their 180 degree counterparts: O'Riley, Hannity and radio's put PITA Rush -- loud mouths, opinionated, never listen to a guest, egotistical. Dylan can be tolerable on Morning Joe (which I still watch) because it is a highly animated current events discussion that no one can dominate too long -- and they have great guests. I watch the first half hour of Today and switch to Morning Joe. Then no TV until Andrea. The only news people on MSNBC these days are Andrea Mitchell and Chuck Todd. Too bad they have become such an extreme network. I'm a former long-time listener. Can't take it anymore.

[JZ735]

Soon, you will be seeing far less of the Obamapropaganda that is MSNBC...why? Because of the recent decision by Obama to tighten a loophole that was very lucrative to GE (which story was posted here). Of course, if he DOESN'T tighten the loophole, you will see Chris Matthews practically shooting a load when Obama goes on TV...for the umpteenth time.

Gone, if Obama chooses to d--k his boot lickers at MSNBC/GE around will be the legion of apple polishers so attentive of Obama's every alleged move.

[ECB]

Does Dylan ever take a breath ?

[joyf1]

Does Dylan ever stop sweating?? I couldn't watch the whole show. Yuck.

[idael50]

I love the show,as well as Dylan please keep him I too talk loud(clearly) and appreaciate his speaking clear, the show is quite informative, thanks, Ideal50