“

MSNBC is still a destination for liberal viewers, but there’s some disappointment that network personalities aren’t more challenging to the Obama administration and Democratic orthodoxy, said Jeff Cohen, an Ithaca University journalism professor and liberal activist. He said there hasn’t been enough debate about military action in Afghanistan and Libya.

“I would argue that it was more independent when Olbermann was there,” Cohen said. “His charm, if you can call it that, is that he’s uncontrollable. He’s not a party-line guy.”

MSNBC is facing the same issue that Fox News had during the Bush administration: It’s not as exciting being on defense when the party you support is in power as it is being on the outs and on the attack, said Tim Graham of the conservative Media Research Center.

“Now it’s, `Let’s not make trouble for these people. They have enough to handle with angry conservatives,’” he said.

[MSNBC’s chief executive Phil] Griffin said that analysis is flat-out wrong. He said there was extensive debate among MSNBC hosts about the extension of President George W. Bush’s tax cuts, for example. Network personalities also harshly criticized the Obama administration for not fighting Wisconsin legislation that unions considered harmful, he said.

“We are not a rubber stamp, and it would be wrong for anybody to imply otherwise,” he said.

”

How MSNBC Is Surviving After Olbermann - NPR

Recent comments

Blog comments powered by Disqus

Notes

  1. scottraposo reblogged this from brooklynmutt
  2. jaison96 reblogged this from brooklynmutt
  3. note-a-bear reblogged this from brooklynmutt
  4. allthingspolitical reblogged this from brooklynmutt
  5. brooklynmutt posted this