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

[Justin Gibson]

How MSNBC's lineup should be:
M-F, all times CDT.
5-7A: Morning Joe
7-8:30A: Morning Meeting
8:30-10A: rotating anchors
10-11A: Carlos Watson
11-12P: rotating anchors
12-1P: Andrea Mitchell Reports
1-2P: Contessa Brewer
2-4P: David Shuster/Tamron Hall
4-5P: rotating anchors
5-6P: The Ed Show [N]
6-7: Hardball [N]
7-8P: Countdown [N]
8-9P: Rachel Maddow Show [N]
9-10P: The Ed Show [R]
10-11P: Countdown [R]
11-12A: Rachel Maddow Show [R]
12-1A: Hardball [R]
1-2A: Countdown [R]
2-3A: The Ed Show [R]
3-4A: Rachel Maddow Show [R]
4-5A: First Look

Saturday/Sunday, all times CDT
5-12P: MSNBC live
12-1P: Hardball [R]
1-2P: The Chuck Todd Show
2-3P: Countdown: Best of the Week (break in when needed)
3-4P: The Rachel Maddow Show: Best Of The Week (break in when needed)
4-6P: MSNBC live
6-7P: (Sa):MSNBC live, (Su): Meet The Press [R, from NBC]
7-8P: MSNBC Archives (can be past news shows)
8-11P: MSNBC documentaries (break in when needed)
11-12A: The Ed Show: Best Of The Week
12A-5A: MSNBC documentaries

It won't get rid of Lockup entirely, but the weekends would help significantly w/ news coverage.

[Lion24]

Brevity. Look it up.

[Jerome Henehan]

your cruel-your good.

[Insider1]

Get a life Justin.

[BeachBubbaTex]

Oh.... my....

[JohnDewey]

Well, it looks like the "in" thing to do is mock you, but I'll pass. A lot of people have hobbies & interests that don't appeal to me in the slightest, like trainspotting and stamp collecting. But, I figure that's the beauty of diversity - we don't all have to like the same things, but we can all find something we like.

Anyway, it's clear that this is important to you, so why not send your suggestion to the programming department at MSNBC? I've read several commentaries online that disparaged the "prison & pervert" shows that MSNBC replays endlessly on the weekends, so you're not the only one who cares. How about starting a blog/online petition to get signatures to send along to MSNBC? Showing replays of NBC programming is cheap & it appeals to the desired demographics, but I'm guessing that several of MSNBC's employees would accept weekend air-time for not a lot of $$$.

Good luck.

[Lion24]

Sorriest debut since the Chevy Chase and Magic Johnson shows.

[Texas4Obama]

Well that's a bunch of fooey.
MSNBC said a few months ago that they weren't going to add a new person in the evening because of budget constraints and now they add two new people!!!

WE want CENK UYGER to have an evening show on MSNBC !!!!!!!

[GeorgeP922]

If MSNBC had any brains they would have given Cenk the Morning Show after Imus left.
(At the time TYT was Air America's morning drive show, at the same time as Imus's)
It all comes down to money, if they film these at 30 Rock, the production is probably low and affordable.

I think if MSNBC is smart, they would give Cenk the Midnight slot (Mathews 2nd repeat slot).

They could catch all the folks finishing up Daily Show/Colbert and/or Maddow's repeat.

[KataVideo]

I watch cenk on youtube. can't imagine that for an hour. 3 minute installments are fine.

[SF13]

The only intelligent show among all the networks and cable channels is Fareed on CNN. The rest can't compare. It's a good thing competence. It is also very rare.

[Renisance2K]

That COULD BE the Truest thing said thus far!

His show is DYNOMITE!!!

[levibatgirl]

I heard this guy as background noise with the tv going this morning.

He's a major boor and talk about trying too hard.....

He reminded me of David Gregory.

[SF13]

He is a total loser. I bet his show will be replaced soon.

[bigsioux]

He is a windbag. Another dolt who things the louder you speak the more persuasive you are. It's too much after Scarborough.

[dazed]

I can't stand the new graphics.

[KataVideo]

The new graphics probably look great on one of those new-fangled hdtvs. Some of us, however, have gotten over the desire to fork over $1500 to best buy every season to get the latest electronic piece of planned obsolescence. The new graphics don't look that great on my bulbous non-hdtv, which I suspect the majority of viewers still have.

[Rusken]

I can't stand the new graphics either! Enough so that I guess I'll have to start watching local news channels.

I don't understand why they make changes for the sake of making changes!!???

And I agree, there should be news coverage on the week-ends. Or do they think news doesn't happen over the week-end.

Bye-Bye MSNBC

[SuesW]

Hopefully their new morning show will eventually start at 7am ... and replace what's on at that time now.

[cosmicmom]

PLEASE Jaysus...m­ake it so...

[SF13]

now that would be great ! I hate that early show

[realpolitic]

Morning Joe is awful and the chemistry is terrible.

[heal57]

Since the new format today on MSNBC, I'm unable to read the graphics at the bottom [or very top]; they're cut off on my TV which I've had for years with no problem with graphics. Great Job, MSNBC.

[mrjworld]

i know mine too, the graphics are cut off on top and bottom, and the text is way too small ...it looks awful, they better fix this else they are going to lose a lot of people

[KataVideo]

watched the snyderman show today. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

[MisterHands]

When Morning Joke is gone, I'll start watching MSNBC again.

[mrjworld]

just watching from 1pm until 10 like I do...i dont understand what they are thinking with Morning Joe and this new lineup...

[Insider1]

Nine hours of TV? You must have a nice couch!

[jonjon66]

This is the problem with Liberals to them diversity means white...yo­ung & old

[KataVideo]

a completely ignorant comment based in nothing.

[jonjon66]

If you watched Snyderman show, you must not have an IQ

[Laserbeam]

Is 66 your IQ?

[jonjon66]

If you watched Snyderman show, you must not have an IQ

[deeppeace]

Okay, this is where you blame the Libruls for the ring around your tee shirt collars, your pimples and the poor teevee reception in your parents' basement.

[levibatgirl]

Oh.

It's backwards day in tro// land.

[dubster]

Actually that's the conservative usual line up. However in this instance you are right there's one black guy Carlos Watson and no Hispanic. Actually I don't think I've ever seen a Hispanic on the network proving commentary other than Gov. Bill Richardson during the primary season. And maybe once or twice a latino here or there but very seldom. It's a disappointment.

[TheApeMan]

I read somewhere that MSNBC HD will be available on Dish Network July 8.
Not sure how reliable the info is, but that is the only date I found regarding Dish...

[constabull]

No HD here yet, just the new format on the same regular signal. Comcast says they have no ETA for HD.

[BrwnSknGurl4]

Where is the diversity in these anchors on MSNBC? Is there no person of color qualified for their own show?! Good grief!

What about Eugene Robinson, Jonathan Capeheart or Carlos Watson??

[AprilPA]

Tamryn's black, Contessa's a brunette. MSNBC has way more diversity than Fox News. In order to be an anchor on Fox News on the weekdays, you have to be white and the women have to dye their hair bleach blonde.

[Beantownbadboy]

Good grief? Have you ever heard Robinson and Watson speak? Get real.

[Laserbeam]

Eugene won a pulitzer this year. What did you win, BeanBoy?

[Ponderus]

You're right.

But Tamron's got the late afternoon slot with David, and they make a great team. It's not a lot, but it's something.

I think they're grooming Carlos for bigger things.

[BlueBoomer]

Can't stand Shuster...

[Obamasoldier]

AGREED. I love Carlos Watson

[jonjon66]

Their duversity is blonde, brunette abd various old white men. Carlos & Tamron are cool, but very little.

White Men Rule, even at MSNBC - SAD

[Beantownbadboy]

Stop skipping English classes and get over it.

[Renisance2K]

Just because we elected an African American President, doesn't mean from here on out All White People shouldn't get jobs or that they should Move 2 the Back of the Bus, so 2 speak.

I say that as a African American man who himself is currently unemployed.

I wouldn't go as far as saying your a Racist, but your way closer 2 being 1 than what I would hope 2 be the norm.

Stop being a Hater!!!

[m4rk0]

When will DirecTv have the HD channel?