Countdown with Keith Olbermann
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Countdown with Keith Olbermann is an hour-long nightly newscast on MSNBC which airs live at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time and reruns at midnight and 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on weekdays. The show, hosted by Keith Olbermann, debuted on March 31, 2003 and counts down the top news stories of the day with news reports and interviews with guests. According to recently revealed statistics, the show averaged roughly 157,000 viewers in January and February 2006, 5,000 more than in January and February 2003, before Olbermann took the anchor chair. The median age of viewers of the show is 58.7 years old. The show's ratings have increased by 41% in the last year. In the first quarter of 2006, the ratings for Countdown surpassed CNN's Paula Zahn Now in the 25-54 demographic, marking the first time in five years an MSNBC show has beaten a CNN show in prime time for this demographic. [link]
The show is notable for Olbermann's elaborate writing style, fast-paced delivery, historical and pop culture references, and signature witty interjections, which make Countdown more colorful than average newscasts. Olbermann interleaves serious news stories with humorous segments.
The show has come under some controversy due to Olbermann's back-and-forth feud with rival newsman Bill O'Reilly. More can be found in the subject below.
History
Countdown originally was titled Countdown: Iraq and was a show focused on a single pressing topic, which at its inception on October 7, 2002 was the military and diplomatic actions which would become the Iraq War. Countdown: Iraq aired at 7 p.m. and replaced a flailing eponymous show hosted by Jerry Nachman, which was moved up to 5 p.m. before its eventual termination. The original Countdown: Iraq was hosted by Lester Holt. In addition, a daytime version of Countdown entitled Countdown: 2002 Election aired from October 25, 2002 to November 2002.After the new incarnation of Donahue was terminated on February 28, 2003, and because of the build-up to the start of the war, Countdown: Iraq expanded to a two hour program, from 7-9 p.m. Eastern. On March 28, 2003, MSNBC announced it was hiring Keith Olbermann to host the 8 p.m. hour of Countdown. The show dropped the Iraq subtitle and would be titled Countdown with Keith Olbermann. The 7 p.m. hour of Countdown was turned over for Hardball with Chris Matthews. Holt was moved to anchor rolling news coverage during the day.
At the start of Countdown, Olbermann told television columnist Lisa deMoraes that "Our charge for the immediate future is to stay out of the way of the news.... News is the news. We will not be screwing around with it.... As times improve and the war ends we will begin to introduce more and more elements familiar to my style." On O'Reilly, which Olbermann would later have a grudge with, "I'm not looking to take down Bill. It will be a totally different program. It will not be a show in which opinion and facts are juxtaposed so as to appear to be the same thing."
Signature style
Each night, Olbermann begins with "Which of these stories will you be talking about tomorrow?" and signs off since February 6, 2006 with "That's Countdown, for this, the 1042nd [for instance] day since the declaration of 'Mission Accomplished' in Iraq. I'm Keith Olbermann, keep your knees loose. Good night and good luck. Our MSNBC coverage continues now with Joe Scarborough and Scarborough Country" (as of April 24, 2006). Olbermann crumples up his notes and throws them at the camera, which "shatters" (made possible by a digital effect) and, Scarborough's show begins. Until he began the "Mission Accomplished" count, the sign-off was "That's Countdown, thank you for being part of it."
Several times a week, Countdown's only correspondent Monica Novotny files a story and has a friendly banter with Olbermann.
On Fridays, the show previously featured "What Have We Learned?" in which Olbermann attempted to answer questions based on the stories he had reported over the past week, conducted by Novotny. This was later replaced with his top stories of the week, frequently repeats of Oddball clips but the format on Fridays has gone back to the normal style since Fall 2005.
During the Michael Jackson trial, Countdown presented renactments of the day's courtroom scenes simply entitled Michael Jackson Puppet Theatre. These quirky scenes that represented events that Countdown was able to draw from that days' courtroom summaries. Countdown employees handled the puppets while Keith himself recorded the voices. After the trial ended, it was announced that Puppet Theatre would be used for other events.
O'Reilly vs. Olbermann
Olbermann began the rivalry on May 5, 2003 when after doing a piece of Sen. Joseph McCarthy's famous 1950's communist "witch hunt", when he said that "it was like shooting fish in a barrel, much like how Bill O'Reilly does his show." Over the next three years, the rivalry has grown to enormous proportions.The Ratings Game
During the January 30, 2006 edition of the "Talking Points Memo" segment on The O'Reilly Factor,["Network Rivalry" transcript, FoxNews.com, January 31, 2006] O'Reilly lambasted NBC Universal, the parent company of MSNBC for "taking cheap shots at Fox News on a regular basis...for some time" and noting that NBC is "dead last in prime time, [and] its' cable operations are ratings failures" adding "that is no excuse for unprofessional behavior." O'Reilly also claimed that FNC has "good relationships with ABC News, CBS News, and generally CNN." O'Reilly gave no specifics about his gripes with NBC but it was understood by most to refer to Olbermann's criticisms of "The Big Giant Head" (one of Olbermann's pet nicknames), who has been named the "Worst Person(s) In The World" 30½ times through July 12, 2006, including a clean sweep on November 30, 2005. [link] One of the honors (?) he shared with Laura Ingraham came on July 12, 2006 on a story in The New York Times which featured pictures of Vice President Dick Cheney's vacation home.
Olbermann responded the following night on Countdown by translating the "Memo" into "what he's actually saying." [Olbermann responds to O'Reilly]. Media Matters. January 31, 2006
- Olbermann responded to O'Reilly's charge of cheap shots by noting that O'Reilly said the Catholic Church was against Christmas and his endorsement of a terrorist attack on San Francisco on his radio show. Olbermann said that when he quotes O'Reilly, "they must seem like cheap shots."
- On O'Reilly's claim that NBC's cable networks are "ratings failures," Olbermann noted that NBC Universal sibling USA Network garnered higher ratings in 2005 than FNC, and further pointed out that Countdown's ratings growth was higher than O'Reilly's in the adults 25-54 years old group, called by Fox as "the money demo", then Keith added that "Bill is obviously among our new viewers." As of March 2006, Countdown had 404,000 viewers to O'Reilly's 2,274,000. [link]
- On O'Reilly's charge of "unprofessional behavior," Olbermann pointed out the sexual harassment lawsuit against him by former producer Andrea Mackris in 2004, also leading him to the name for O'Reilly's statements as "The Falafel Guy Fatwa" and running jokes of loofahs.
- Olbermann also pointed out that the relationship between FNC and CNN has been less than cordial. Among other things, Olbermann pointed out FNC setting up a billboard across the street from CNN's headquarters in Atlanta taunting them about ratings, that a network spokesman compared CNN to the Titanic, issued an anonymous statement saying that CNN founder Ted Turner had "lost his mind," and later pointed out that management compared former FNC on-air personality Paula Zahn who has gone on to work for CNN to an outhouse and a dead muskrat.
- In addition, he compared FNC's amazing success had spread "like [the] bird flu" and that CBS and ABC and other news organizations were credited for their work ethic and competitive zeal, to which Olbermann added "Especially since [David] Letterman (of whom O'Reilly's appearance on his show became a verbal barbfest which included Letterman telling O'Reilly that he thought "sixty percent of [O'Reilly's] comments were full of crap") kicked the crap out of me on CBS earlier [in January]."
- On O'Reilly's comments that there were problems within NBC, and he would later get into the specifics of them, Olbermann asked "Is this that 'code among most in TV news of respect and professional courtesy' you mentioned, Bill, or do we get to that part later?"
- Commenting on NBC chairman Bob Wright, of which O'Reilly said that he was president, Olbermann asked to "keep our bosses out of this, or I'm going to have to call yours, and you know how much Satan hates to be disturbed when American Idol is on. Oh, and I ain't calling Rupert Murdoch (the chairman of FNC parent company NewsCorp) the devil either, by the way." Later, when a comment was made that "Bill-O" (another Olbermann nickname) that "perhaps we were wrong about Wright…", Olbermann stated that "Bill made a funny" and did an imitation of Looney Tunes character Pete Puma's laugh.
The \"Fire Keith\" Petition
On February 22, 2006, O'Reilly initiated an online petition to have MSNBC remove Keith Olbermann from the 8 p.m. EST timeslot. The petition is in the form of a letter addressed to Wright saying, "We, the undersigned, are becoming increasingly concerned about the well-being of MSNBC and, in particular, note the continuing ratings failure of the program currently airing weeknights on that network at 8:00 p.m. EST".[BillOReilly.com: Petition, February 22, 2006] Olbermann responded two days later on Countdown by playing a collection of O'Reilly's "greatest hits"["Late Night: Olbermann signs O'Reilly's Petition"]. Crooks and Liars. February 24, 2006 and mocked the whole affair by joining several MSNBC staffers, including Tucker Carlson and Dan Abrams, in signing the petition to have himself fired.\"Faux News\" Security
One week later, on March 3, Olbermann reported a story about O'Reilly banning a caller from the latter's radio show allegedly for using Olbermann's name one day earlier, which O'Reilly equaled to an obscene word. Olbermann promptly told everyone watching that "Bill thinks he has his own police," then pointing out that Fox's security department had the caller's name and phone number and would be contacting local law enforcement agencies. Keith made a mockery of the whole affair, stating that Fox News security was Sean Hannity and Alan Colmes coming to his house with billy clubs, had a picture of the poster of the movie renamed as "FOX Security" and using a Ted Baxter impression, did a paranoid version of O'Reilly. Six days later, Olbermann played the phone call from the FNC security director which was left on the caller's answering machine and also interviewed the man in question, who was identified only as "Mick of Orlando, Florida," a member of the weblog [callingallwingnuts.com].More ammo was fired during a guest appearance on Comedy Central's The Colbert Report on March 14, 2006, when host Stephen Colbert asked about O'Reilly, whom Colbert called "my hero," and Olbermann commented that "Well, Stephen, we both agree on one thing: he's an idiot." The next day (March 15, 2006) on Al Franken's Air America Radio show, the barbs continued.
Critics have pointed out that Olbermann's comments on O'Reilly are sometimes inaccurate. On January 27, 2006 Olbermann criticized O'Reilly for comments about MSNBC coverage of Vermont judge Edward Cashman, but in fact O'Reilly said nothing about MSNBC coverage of that issue. [link] In a previous incident, Olbermann ridiculed O'Reilly comments about ratings, adding: "Too bad Billy isn't as good with a calculator -- or a brain -- as he is with a loofah." But transcripts and video show Olbermann misrepresented O'Reilly's comments, which were accurate. [link]
The Malmedy Massacre
However, things turned from comical to seriousness when on June 1, 2006, Olbermann accused O'Reilly of twice getting facts wrong about the Malmedy massacre during World War II. O'Reilly was trying to use Malmedy to defend the actions of Americans in Haditha, when arguing with General Wesley Clark on his show May 31. O'Reilly said American forces captured S.S. forces and executed them while they had their hands in the air, but in reality, it was the reverse that happened in Malmedy. As Keith Olbermann pointed out, this was the second time O'Reilly got his facts wrong about Malmedy-- he used that as an excuse previously for American actions in Abu Ghraib, again while in a debate with the retired general.Olbermann went on to point out that even FOX News viewers tried to correct O'Reilly on his show. O'Reilly answered the correction email from his viewer by claiming that he was referring to an event that happened after Malmedy, to which Olbermann replied that it was the incorrect answer, then insisted that when "you are that wrong, when you are defending Nazi war criminals and pinning their crimes on Americans and you get caught doing so twice, you‘re supposed to say 'I‘m sorry, I was wrong,' and then you‘re supposed to shut up for a long time." Olbemann went on to claim O'Reilly as a "false patriot who would rather be loud than right." Olbermann finished his editorial with "The victims in Malmedy in December 1944 were Americans, Americans with their hands in the air, Americans who were unarmed. That‘s on the record and documented, and their memory deserves better than Bill O‘Reilly. We all do." [link]
MRC and Bozell Vs. Olbermann
The Media Research Center (MRC), a conservative Internet think tank coordinating with the blog Newsbusters.org aimed at pinpointing what they view as "liberal media bias", has been very critical of Keith Olbermann ever since he became the "Countdown" host. The show has accused of him of "liberal bias" in the form of criticizing President George W. Bush, attacking FOX and O'Reilly, starting off his newscast with what they claim to be unimportant stories with a left wing motive, avoiding the Bush administration's side of the story, supposedly supporting the president's impeachment, and so forth.["Keith Itching for Impeachment"]. MRC.org February 13, 2006 and ["NewsBusters.org - Keith Olbermann"]
In response, Olbermann has sometimes named MRC founder Brent Bozell "the worst person in the world" for what Olbermann claims is hypocrisy. The anchor has also said that the MRC desires "an institutionalized, pro-Republican slant" in the media.[Olbermann: MRC Wants "Institutionalized, Pro-Republican Slant"]. MRC.org. March 16, 2005
The MRC researched Keith's Worst Person in the World segment and found that of the approximately 600 nominees, 174 had conserative political views and 23 had liberal political views. The remainder of the nominees had no apparent political affiliation. Olbermann, however, in spite of the results went on to state that the segment was neutral by saying "I'd like to thank the MRC for confirming my point that that the [Worst Person in the World] segment is apolitical."
\"Olbermann Watch\"
A group of individuals dissatisfied with Olbermann's work have created [Olbermannwatch.com], a web site which "watches" for liberal media bias in Olbermann's work or personality. Recurring "liberal" themes include Olbermann being skeptical of the GOP and Bush and repeatedly criticizing the administration's handling of Hurricane Katrina, CIA leak grand jury investigation, the indictment of Scooter Libby, the Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal, the NSA wiretapping controversy, and Fox News Channel controversies and allegations of bias.Olbermann counters the accusation of liberal bias by claiming that he would be equally critical of a Democratic president who had invited criticism by his actions. "I mean, no one in 1998, no one accused me of being a liberal in 1998 because I was covering the Clinton-Lewinsky story. And whatever I had to do about it, I tried to be fair and honest and as accurate and as informed as possible, and allow my viewer to be the same way. And nowadays it’s the same thing. And now all of a sudden I’m a screaming liberal." [link]
Guests
Guest commentators regularly featured on the show include:[link]- Michael Musto, editor of Village Voice — tabloid/entertainment
- Howard Fineman, Newsweek contributor — political
- Margaret Carlson, TIME Magazine columnist and author of Anyone Can Grow Up: How George Bush and I Made it to the White House — journalistic, political
- Pat Buchanan, Conservative commentator, former and author — political
- Craig Crawford, columnist for the Congressional Quarterly — political (on location in Washington D.C.)
- John Dean, former White House Counsel to Richard Nixon — political, especially related to Deep Throat
- Savannah Guthrie, Court TV correspondent — Michael Jackson trial
- John Harwood, Wall Street Journal political editor and CNBC contributing reporter — political
- General Barry McCaffrey, Ret. — military
- Dana Milbank, national political reporter for The Washington Post — political
- Tom O'Neil, editor of Entertainment Weekly — entertainment
- Mo Rocca, comedian — pop culture
- Robin Wright, diplomatic correspondent for The Washington Post — terrorism and international events (not Robin Wright Penn from The Princess Bride)
- Clint Van Zandt, former FBI profiler — abductions/murders
Other
While other MSNBC shows such as Scarborough Country, The Abrams Report and Hardball with Chris Matthews consist mainly of opinion and analysis, Countdown is a nightly newscast, covering major national and international stories, albeit with commentary from the host. Clips from NBC network news broadcasts are featured on a regular basis. Olbermann typically treats guests on the show courteously, eschewing the aggressive style of interrogation employed by some of his competitors and colleagues. On the other hand, Olbermann is known to interject his opinion when merited. The program is advertised as News Not Snooze, because of the quick pace of the show.
According to The Cornell Daily Sun, Olbermann has a staff of roughly 10 to 12 people who work on the show. They spend the morning looking for noteworthy or interesting stories. The group meets via conference call at 11:00 a.m. for a half-hour discussion to toss around possible subjects for the evening's show (many times pulling information from online sites like Fark.com and MediaMatters.org). By 12:15, Olbermann receives a final list of story prospects, picks what he likes, and puts them in order. He emails the list back to the staff, and the writing process begins. He arrives at MSNBC's studios in Secaucus, New Jersey by 2 p.m. and works on writing the show's material in his office until 7:30, when he goes to makeup, before going on air at 8 p.m.
Stories such as Tom Cruise's strange behavior or the relations with his significant other, Katie Holmes (a/k/a "TomKat"), "Bradgelina" (Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie and their child, Shiloh), Britney Spears and her husband Kevin Federline (a/k/a "K-Fed") and American Idol results (or Simon Cowell) are always said to be, in Olbermann's own words, "stories my producers are forcing me to cover."
See also
Notes
External links
- [MSNBC - Countdown with Keith Olbermann Front Page]
- [Bloggermann, the Countdown blog]
- [A Cornell Review article on his coverage of the 2004 U.S. presidential election results]
- ["Counting Down With Keith Olbermann '79"] - The Cornell Daily Sun, November 29, 2004
Fan sites
- [Olbermann.org, an Unofficial Keith Olbermann Fan Site]
- [Olbermann Watch], criticism of Keith Olbermann
- [Either Relevant or True] Keith Olbermann blog
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