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

[superhifan]

Yeah, what is up with the prison shows? If they are the "Place for Politics" then why aren't they a 24 hour news network. They repeat those lock up shows relentlessly. MSNBC also repeats their line up again and again. Chris Matthews Hardball comes on 5,7,11,3am. Enough already. It is not "The Place for Politics," it's the place for repeats.

[lukebenward]

Yeah, they really are just a 6am - 10pm Monday - Friday ONLY news channel. Everything else is just filler (prison docs) and repeats (of their prized 5p, 8p and 9p shows).

[Yve72]

There is no MSNBC-west channel. Keith at 8pm primetime EST is 5pm out on the West Coast. Those folks are just leaving work. So I don't mind the weekday primetime repeats.

I admit the weekend programming is awful.

[Tommi2]

I heard there's a daily pool going amongst the stage crew on Ratigans show on how many times you can catch him gazing lovingly at himself in a monitor during breaks.
It started while he would guest on Morning Joe with their crew and carried over to his own crew.

But the pool originally started with counting how often Mika would gaze at herself in an almost trance-like state during breaks and everyone was scolded when it became too widely joked about.

.

[superhifan]

Carlos Watson has a really good show at 11 am. I like when he brings on his celebrity friends to talk about creating a business, making some money. He should do that more often, it makes his show original. A show about creativity in business. News with a Donnie Deutsch? spin.

[truthglow]

That's not supposed to be MSNBC'S focus, which is POLITICS! I don't care for Watson either. They should have left well-enough alone. Their line-up was fine as it was before they started tampering with it. I used to watch the entire day, AFTER Morning Joe (which I cannot abide!)

[superhifan]

I enjoyed Ratigan's show yesterday. Dr. Nancy's show is boring. Her show should be a half hour show, if at all. It looks like she had some work done on her face, things seem a little too tight. She's too boring and self righteous.

[lukebenward]

Her show should be a 7:30am on a Sunday morning show.

[truthglow]

MSNBC is supposed to be a "Political" network, not a "Medical" network. I'm not interested in listening to her.

[lee4]

She's had a face/brow lift and I think the doc got carried away with the brows.

[Shayrae]

Are those dimples real? Just askin'.

[Mygirl]

Make Miki go away.

[truthglow]

Also Joe and Willie. They are all absurd!!!

[gonbald]

I agree.

[tomasedison]

The danger with Dylan is that at any moment - without warning - he is likely to slip into a "pro corporate" rant out of habit. Otherwise his very smart and knowleable.

[nordstrom]

MSNBC is unwatchable during the day.

[Marie62866]

I will agree, I only watch CNN in the a.m. !!

[meede]

You don't mean CNN -- you mean MJN - the personal Michael Jackson News Station when they are not known as DCN - the D,C, News

[lee4]

Try C-Span's Washington Journal.

[Owlygirl]

Where's Nora? I love Nora.

I don't want a medical show! That should be left for weekend airings. Just eliminate one hour of "Behind the Bars."

[dylansfan]

I too love Nora. She is a pleasure to watch. She is also very smart.

[Shayrae]

I miss Norah! She is a very smart interviewer. Dr. Nancy, Ratigan, not so much.

[Mauimom]

When they get rid of "Morning Joe," then I'll be interested.

[dylansfan]

Ditto

[yoli647]

Thank you

[digeridoo2]

OMG, I'm moist in anticipati­on...

Drivel.

[KLordsha]

Who knew that MSNBC would resort to hiring a loud talker and a joan rivers lite...for their mid day lineup...

[chiara12]

I didn't see Snyderman's show but OMG Dylan Ratigan wouldn't stop yelling. It was horrible, he was yelling over everyone it was actually hard to watch.

[Marie62866]

I won't be watching Dylan! And morning Joe is just bad!!

[wingsabre]

I live on the west coast so I don't get to see Snyderman's show. However, her show is the right direction for the network. They cant just do political news. They have to do some health and science news. CNN fired their whole science division, and Since then have washed case on making hologram instead of reporting news.

[oberon123]

I want to see Poxnews in HD. Watching Beck have one of his sobbing fits or Billo having one of his "We'll do it live' meltdowns in High Def is worth every penny.

[AprilPA]

You don'twant to see how old they look on Fox News HD.

[2contango]

The female anchors MSNBC replaced probably appealed to what I assume is a predominantly female audience in Ratigan's time slot. Ratigan is smart, but his tone may not play well to a morning audience. He'd probably do better after 4 pm, when the market closes and he can draw some viewers from CNBC. Also, MSNBC morning viewers are used to straight news, not the opinion-dominated guests Ratigan had this morning. I don't know if other feel the same way, but I'd rather hear from the great reporters MSNBC has on staff..

[wingsabre]

what great reporters? They all go to the main network, NBC. NBC uses MSNBC like major league baseball uses the minor leagues. They develop players and then pick the best to ploy in the majors.

[lukebenward]

Just eye candy (Nora, Alex, Tamron, etc.).

[DogTown]

It's not very good. Both shows are a waste of space!

[ECB]

Are their shows better or worse than boring smo and weaka ?

[Owlygirl]

Har!

[beanchihuahua]

Good job "new era". I cannot get the entire picture in my screen. I am not buying a $1500 TV either. I'm actually moving and debating whether or not I want to get cable at all anymore. Somehow spending $80 for channels that I don't watch seems impractical.