Keith Olbermann abruptly departs MSNBC
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MSNBC announced Friday night that its marquee "Countdown" anchor and talk show host Keith Olbermann was out. The network did not provide a reason for his abrupt departure.
"MSNBC and Keith Olbermann have ended their contract. The last broadcast of "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" will be this evening. MSNBC thanks Keith for his integral role in MSNBC's success and we wish him well in his future endeavors," NBC Universal said in a statement.
Olbermann and his bosses have clashed in recent months. He was suspended in November for two days after revelations that he gave donations to a Democratic political candidate, which was a violation of the company's ethics policies for news employees.
-- Meg James
Photo of Olbermann by AP
Good luck Keith. We will miss you and your show. Boo on MSNBC.
Posted by: John Wells | January 21, 2011 at 06:46 PM
I'm so mad they've done this. Comcast said it wants to make money and left leaning, intelligent, factual shows don't have a huge demand. MSNBC's number's jump when "Lock-up" comes on.
This is another voice for democracy we've lost. Pretty soon there will be only T-party stations.
Posted by: Victoria Dwyer | January 21, 2011 at 06:46 PM
CENSORSHIP!!!!! the powers that be didn't want the truth to be told JOSEPH GOEBBEL'S wins again
Posted by: Sweet Tooth | January 21, 2011 at 06:46 PM
Ooooh nooooooo! That leaves Rachel Maddow and Chris Matthews left to watch ... but that's it. If this was MSNBC's call, it's decidedly a cutting-off-one-'s-nose-to-spite-one's-face gambit.
Posted by: Fritz | January 21, 2011 at 06:46 PM
I am so disappointed with MSNBC for ending their contract with Keith Olbermann. I had given up on watching the news entirely until I started watching Keith. I was so angry with all the phoney news that allowed our country to go into one of the most shameful periods in our history as a country and turned news into an Orwellian double speak with very few true journalist. The news was responsible for millions of death, 2 wars and probally countless lives ruined due to allowing the dark forces of greed to take over and phoney journalist to lie to our country. Lies caused a great many to be unemployed and the financial crisis we now face. The news lie and many people die all due to dishonest reporting promoting a party of greed.
Keith was our hope for sanity and I am sure our economy and many problems we have had have been greatly lessened by his presence. MSNBC you suck for abandoning Keith Olbermann. He is a National Treasure you have squandered.
Posted by: Virginia Berman | January 21, 2011 at 06:46 PM
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold up here! This "article" claims that MSNBC was a "success". That is simply not true!
Posted by: John | January 21, 2011 at 06:46 PM
Dumb and Dumber!!!only reason we turned the TV on at 8pm. Hope some mother network puts him back on the TV machine!
Posted by: Mimi | January 21, 2011 at 06:47 PM
As usual, the TV execs know nothing! KO was one of so few Progressives on the dumbed-down U.S. news stations. Expect he'll be replaced w/"reality" TV!
Posted by: Garfather | January 21, 2011 at 06:47 PM
Sad to see Keith leave MSNBC. I have watched his show every night and enjoyed his presentation of (and commentary on) the news in politics. I hope he will triumphantly return on another network someday soon. I'm sure Keith will do all right, it's sadly the viewers who lose here.
Posted by: Red Broad | January 21, 2011 at 06:47 PM
hooray!!! there is a god! good bye you liberal hack! you walking pile of excrament!!
Posted by: cool beans | January 21, 2011 at 06:47 PM
I only learned of Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow mid-year 2008. I love both shows as they are the ONLY shows I trust for honest political news in the USA, even if the commentary is left leaning. At least both are extremely open-minded people who actually listen and not rudely interrupt their guests like MSNBC's other Political Show Hosts so often do. Facts are facts and that is all Keith and Rachel ever provide. But because sometimes the truth hurts, people complain.
Now that Keith is gone MSNBC is going to suck and I'm not sure Rachel's show alone is enough for me to continue to pay my satellite service for this channel any more. I'm grateful for Podcasts.
Sorry to see you go Keith. Best wishes to you with all your endeavors. I can only hope to see you on Countdown on some other network. You are funny enough that maybe the Comedy Channel should have a news hour with Keith's Commentary.
I'm so discombobulated by this sudden end to Countdown that I am rambling !
Posted by: Chris Mowat | January 21, 2011 at 06:47 PM
Same here. The ONLY MSNBC show I will now even consider watching (and, I record it anyway living in a MT Time Zone) is MORNING JOE. I can't believe it! Keith Olbermann is one of the few that actually tells the TRUTH! I hope we see him pop up elsewhere. KEITH, we still need your voice!
Posted by: Frances Hayes Gaylord | January 21, 2011 at 06:47 PM
Good riddance. The amount of mental flatulence KO exhibited was unwatchable.
Posted by: Mike | January 21, 2011 at 06:48 PM
Glad to have this windbag off the airways. Hopefully he's off the air for good but I'm not naive enough to believe that.
He doesn't believe half the tripe he spouts but he counts on his audience to buy it hook, line and sinker. Sadly most of them do.
Posted by: Floyd McClure | January 21, 2011 at 06:48 PM
I was astounded and very, very unhappy to hear Keith Olbermann say tonight was his last broadcast. Mr. Olbermann's Countdown was one of the nightly shows that I always watched.
At this time, there seems to be little information about the reasons for his show going off air.
I would strongly urge MSNBC to re- hire Mr. Olbermann and his Countdown program. Mr Olbermann had the best of political news, views, and commentaries, but he always managed to have a little light-hearted segment that kept the "real" news from becomming too depressing.
I have never written any news organization, either radio or TV, but I felt I must convey my unhappiness over Keith Olbermann being taken off MSNBC.
I do hope that this will be a temporary situation, and that Mr. Olbermann will once again be at his Countdown desk - no matter what time slot he would fit into.
Anita Kantowski
Posted by: Anita Kantowski | January 21, 2011 at 06:48 PM
It use to be my desire to have MSNBC become more CNNish, but still give us progressives a platform. The ball has just been dropped.....totally into the abyss. At some point the real reason behind this debacle will surface and we will again be reminded; the masses are still being dictated too by the major corporations of the world. We, the masses, continue to be lolled to stay asleep in a dream state thnking we are awake. Hopefully, whether left, center or right, we all wake up and start thing as rational beings.....asking ourselves why do we believe as we do, and not just because my forefathers believed.
Good night Keith.
Posted by: Art Jefferson | January 21, 2011 at 06:50 PM
Keith Olbermann -- intelligent, insightful, and very entertaining. I am confident we will hear from him soon.
Posted by: Gary Kent | January 21, 2011 at 06:51 PM
I could not believe my ears when Keith announced that tonight was his LAST show!!!!! What is wrong with MSNBC???? Keith and Rachel Maddow are the only ones on TV who always strive to present Facts..NOT Fiction. MSNBC should seriously reconsider their gargantuan Mistake in taking Keith off the air!! Rachel Maddow is now the only Primetime Anchor worth watching on this soon to be disintegrating channel.
If someone had to go...in my opinion it should have been Chris Matthews!! He is so in love with his years-gone-by employment by Moynihan (which he inserts into conversations at every opportunity), and just how "correctly" he pronounces Dick Cheney's last name ("Cheee-nee")....plus all the "spittle" that must cover his desk during his marathon talking fest, making any questions asked of a guest difficult for them to answer....without being repeatedly interrupted. GET Rid of Chris....Geez !.....NOT KEITH!!!
Bring Keith back....Pleeeezzzzeeee!!
Posted by: Nancy | January 21, 2011 at 06:51 PM
I really have no idea as to what MSNBC was thinking or maybe knew just exactly
what their intent is. "The act of shutting down another truthful journalist that
reports the truth and informs his listeners with the facts that are side stepped
by other news programs like "Fox." Now another news station is crumbling to
the goose step of subversive talk people. We will mis the truth. "Good luck
Keith Olbermann where ever you go."
Posted by: j.b | January 21, 2011 at 06:51 PM
The irony of this sudden move is, the fact that Keith's appearance remains in the stations' "Lean Forward" campaign that played in the first quarter hour of the Rachel Maddow Show immediately following his alleged final sign off. The executives at MSNBC have clearly demonstrated their inability to understand the value of their own brand. Can they truly be this stupid?
Posted by: Fernando Periera | January 21, 2011 at 06:51 PM
We cannot believe Keith has been, "axed"!We have been watching the whole line-up of hosts on MSNBC, and really enjoy their factual, interesting take on news events. Who else is going to walk us through all sides of an issue? Guess we should be thinking about watching less TV, and reading more books.
Posted by: JLC | January 21, 2011 at 06:52 PM
Hope is gone, I learn so much by watching your show. God Bless.
Posted by: Sharon | January 21, 2011 at 06:52 PM
Don't let the door slap you in your massive rear-end on the way out Olberman. You were certainly the true voice of NBC, a rabid hate filled leftist without an ounce of objectivity or honor.
Posted by: Jason Brock | January 21, 2011 at 06:52 PM
MSNBC, you've made a big blunder firing Keith Olbermann. He has great heart, fire in the belly, great intellect, insight, common sense, and a great sense of humor. I looked forward to watching and listening to him every night. I miss him already!
Chris Matthews, Ed Schultz, Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O'Donnell are my other favorites. Will they now have to "watch what they say", while Beck, Hannity, O'Reilly, et al over at Fox continue their blatant lies and hateful rhetoric - countered by fewer and fewer voices of reason? I'm really astonished with MSNBC's decision, and am actually feeling quite ill at ease about it.
Maybe Chris, Ed, Rachel and Lawrence will break away as soon as their contracts are up and join Keith in creating their own cable station. I'd certainly tune in there - and away from MSNBC.
Posted by: Karen Visoky | January 21, 2011 at 06:53 PM
Just so sad at the news! Keith was so bright and sharp, always entertaining and educational. MSNBC needs to really take a hard look at this decision, Countdown was the ONE show I NEVER MISSED on any network!!!!! Hopefully he will be back on the air soon! CNN Scoop him up!!!!!! Its a no-brainer!!!!!!!!!
Keith your audience loved your style, a beacon in swampy stew that is cable news! Keep your head up!!!!
Posted by: barb davis | January 21, 2011 at 06:53 PM