employees? Do you know his history? Or are you simply a Hyatt fan?
Not one person is on air at Current who was on air at Current 18 months ago. Ponder that. It is not true of any other media outlet. Why do you think that is?

You can choose to believe Keith or EVERY OTHER person he has ever worked with at 4 networks.

choose to believe. I see crappy quality, indecision, frequent and mass firings, and what I hear, well, what I do hear is tinny and thin and poorly produced.
Joel Hyatt is a person with a history you most likely do not know. It is a disgusting one. Al decided to hook up with Hyatt.
Not one person who worked a Current 18 months ago is on air there today. That is what it is. No one pleases them,apparently.
Read up on Hyatt's company and their unlawful termination of a man for getting sick with AIDS.
I'll stand with the talent, not the cheap skate producers with their history of creepy crap. Al does things for more money. That's Al's choice. If he wants to do things Hyatt style, he's lost me as well.

Surprised Keith would would for Joel or Al in the first place. He must have been doing it for the money.

Besides, Keith ain't hurting financially. He's still got a gig with espn and baseball season just started. Let's see how long he and Disney stay cozy.

and being a media professional means nothing. BFD. I'm one, too--in the 1st and 2nd markets... and in this business, past is prologue. It's a small world and people talk.

Al Gore is not in business to gain anyone's personal approval. He's in it to make money. It's his company and if he sees fit to take it in a different direction, that's his right as the owner. Anyone who doesn't like it can raise the money and start their own network and hire whomever they please. On-air talent know first and foremost that none of them have an expectation of a job for the rest of their careers--especially now days. In fact, new news directors/general managers make that abundantly clear every time one takes the helm.

my opinions of what they are doing there are founded on that. Also that while some are focused on Keith alone, as you rightly say, no one is clean in this mess. The actual history of Hyatt is as worthy of mention as Keith's famous ego. And that's it.
Current was a thing of great potential for a long time. The Keith firing is just the latest action that makes me wonder what they are thinking. I don't think his deal was a wise choice for any of them. Current, I hope they get something they want to do and take the time to do it well at last. I miss their more risky programming from prior to the news.
In general, what they put on air lasts just long enough to start getting an audience. They change their minds a lot. I miss Infomania, what can you say?

He answered, "Not so much." He mentioned Joel Hyatt runs the station. I too had blamed Hyatt in a recent thread here. If you want to talk about histories with employees, Hyatt's is bind-boggling.

On the other hand, 25 members of his staff followed Keith Olbermann to Current. Many had worked for him directly in one or two engagements, but he specifically mentioned one person who had been with him in at least four different spots. He said that he hung on as long as he did because of loyalty to his viewership and to his staff. He really looked kind of emotional when he said what bothered him the most was that he was not given to opportunity to talk to them before his show was cancelled. And that was really nagging away at him. It doesn't logically follow for people to continually say he couldn't get along with those with whom he worked when so many had often loyally followed right after him.

Keith Olbermann did get a really bum rap, but I personally believe Joel Hyatt bears more of the responsibility. Just my two cents.

Sam

... but with authority/the boss.

Just a hunch.

during the Bush regime when Keith was the only commentator courageous enough to swim against the marching-in-step-for-Bush media tide to speak the unpopular truth.

Al Gore, on the other hand, gets along just fine with authority. After the SCOTUS handed over the election Gore had won to Bush, Al Gore quietly went away.

I admire the man who stands up to injustices, rather than the one who quietly accepts them.

I think because of that he thought the contract terms would be respected and everything else was negotiable.

Sam

fired many people, sacked their entire line up, 'changed directions' and so forth. What that means is that there is not one person on air at Current who was there on day one, nor a person who was there a year ago. There is no reason at all to watch programs that are treated with less respect and support than shows on actual networks are. The production quality sucks there, and they do not seem to care. They do not respect their audience nor their talent.

numerous problems. Can't drink martinis and eat prime rib at the best restaurants if you're in New Jersey.

What was the contractual agreement? Do you know? No. Of course not. Look. I'm a performer, I always, always side with talent not with producers. Deal with it. You feel that the employers are in the right. Due to what, I'm not sure. I see no metrics, no mention of quality, nor of contractual agreement, just lots of talk of talent and ego which is repeated anytime talent has a dispute with producers. Heard it all many times.
I side with the workers. This is how it is. Done so for years on end now.

Maybe because they were paying Keith 10 million a year. I wonder what Keith's hospitality rider looks like.

Given his job history I believe that Olbermann is the major cause of this latest firing from Current TV. Personally, I believe he should get back into sports. A baseball franchise somewhere is in need of a play-by-play man. That's the only job where he will find happiness.

as an egotist who can't hold a job. I personally think that Hyatt/Current did not live up to their commitments and Keith wasn't willing to tolerate the rinky dink operation.

I just don't understand the eagerness of many here to toss aside someone who gave such strong support for progressive principles. We need all the help we can get!

work or play well with others. He's had this reputation for eons, now.

It's HIS turn to prove that he can be something other than an asshole to his co-workers and bosses. He is "Major Fail" in the media army--not his boss, not his subordinates, and not his co-workers.

When people act like petulant jerks, they shouldn't be surprised when others notice.

I don't go for cults of personality--especially when the "personality" is an insufferable ass.

Thanks

$10 million per year.

He had lost thousands of viewers in the past few months and from all accounts he is pain-in-the-ass to work with.
In broadcasting, if you lose that many viewers, you're in trouble no matter what!
The former Current, MSNBC, ESPN, CNN, FOX employee has no where left to go in TV land.
I also trust Al Gore more than KO.

in this country. How come Keith is SOOOOOOOOO important? Shouldn't the talent pool be huge where losing "Keith Olberman" doesn't even make a dent? Isn't it just like the nut Glen Beck going off the radar from Fox?

What do you mean we need all the help we can get? It's not like Keith is a Rhodes Scholar or something LOL

You know I see similar arguments whenever there is an attack against any progressive voice in the media that gets crushed. "...what is so important about x?" Or some kind of holier than thou crap that only applies to liberal democrats and progressives. Centrists are usually fat and happy as commentators. Of course they don't challenge things much.

<I just don't understand the eagerness of many here to toss aside someone who gave such strong support for progressive principles. We need all the help we can get!>

Why are you and so many others on here so willing to toss aside Al Gore?

with the operations at Current. I believe that role is played by Hyatt. Since I do not see this as an Olbermann versus Gore battle, supporting one does not necessarily mean opposing the other to me. Hyatt and the other fellow brought into management shortly after hiring Olbermann, that's another matter.matter.

cult of personality back at ya

olbermann will continue to burn bridges wherever he lands.

when they strike or are in other disputes with employers, corporations and producers. The memes are old and tired. Look it up. Check out the last WGA or SAG strike. They say the same things they are repeating toward Keith toward entire occupations. Tired old stuff. Decades old material they push.

He could careless about growing this rinky dink operation. Notice that? I think he could use an attitude adjustment.

I think KO was a real talent but if you consistently have problems keeping a job sooner or later you should take a close look in the mirror. I tried to catch KO's shown in re-runs when I worked from home but did not follow him the way I did when he was part of the MSNBC lineup. I think he will be aggressive in his fight with Current because he realizes this latest firing may have done lasting damage to his career.

that he was agreeing to provide illumination to a place that was less than a ready-made palace, then he should have been.

Perhaps he could have shown a bit more patience while the carpenters worked on a new wing, suitable for his twinkly, expensive ass.

I'm continuing to tune in to Current, especially now that they have additional news programming hours, and a growing stable of go-to talking heads. Last night's appearance by Al Gore on the Spitzer show was inspiring.

Also, maybe now they can bring back infoMania. Rock on, Current!

But the truth is that Keith has problems no matter where he works.

if they didn't KO with a disgraced governor who cheated on his wife with a hooker.

I watch for the news and viewpoints, not personal drama.

Keith leaving in almost identical circumstances from ESPN, FOX, MSNBC and Current.

Also, if you do not have the channel, the public access claim is kind of funny.

There is more, the same exact studio Keith was having a cow over is being used by Elliot Spitzer with seemingly no issues.

That kind of suggests Murdock was at fault. He quit MSNBC; he was not fired. His attorney had been negotiating with MSNBC for months as to settlement of contract obligations. Additionally, his representative had been in negotiations FOR MONTHS with Current's regarding the 41 technical issues that had to be addressed. I guess we will see when the lawsuit concludes which party is held responsible by the judge.

Sam

And many of us will no longer follow or defend Keith. Yes, I tend to side with workers, but in this case at the very least both are at fault.

Al Gore was a gentleman last night. He thanked viewers and moved on. That alone makes Keith look bad. And sadly media is a small world. Keith will have a hell of a time getting hired with that cv. He should look for a radio show where he is in charge of all. I am sure a few here will follow.

Joel Hyatt is in charge of these things, and he does have a history you might want to review.

I don't think Keith Olbermann's true followers expect him to go into radio, and I don't think too many of us think there is anyone out there that rival's Olbermann's intelligence and willingness to be candid regardless of who is the target of his discussion. Olbermann is a one of a kind.

Sam

i bothered with Keith's half assed apology this morning. I watched the daily show. Right now watching Spitzer, and gasp, enjoying it. Given it's the same studio and zero issues...

His contract with CURRENT included a non-disparagement clause, and he went off course when it came to sticking with that.

I guess we will see when all of this reaches a legal settlement.

Current is not blameless in the non-disparagement clause. There have been a lot of leaks by someone at the network, and I believe the person who did the leaking is pretty obvious when one considers the history of friendships in this field.

Sam

It was a tradeoff--cash for taking ball/going home. He was prohibited from working elsewhere for six months or so.

From week two or so. I thought he lost the tie as a signal of a more relaxed work place...apparently he was protesting.

Did you know that MadMen was first pitched to HBO?..and they said no thanks.

As good as it is on AMC, can you imagine how much better it COULD have been on HBO..
Cutting-edge stuff (and people) belong on pay channels

attached for non-performance, disparagement, no-shows or any "attitude." He has a shitty reputation, and he's jumped that shark all by himself with his self-important attitude.

I just stopped bothering to tune in.

You're fooling yourself if you don't believe Olbermann has built a reputation as being very difficult to work with. It's not a coincidence the guy has been pushed out the door so many times in the past.

So, Olbermann is probably not as innocent as you suggest in your post.

Current also deserves blame, though. But remember, this still is a network finding its place in the TV/political landscape. There will be successes and failures.

It happens. We'll see what they do next.

I found a really good article about what went on behind the scenes and it's pretty obvious that Current shoulders most of the fault.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/04/01/keith-olbermann-s-angry-e-mail-trail-traces-breakup-with-current-tv.html

But of course the corporatist contingent here are happy to see a true liberal voice silenced and all too happy to lay the blame on him.

...who seem to think that FEWER liberal voices in the media is a good thing...

accomodations, and their petty little dramas--particularly when they are getting paid MILLIONS to do their job. The frigging President doesn't make that kind of money.

I like a liberal voice as well as the next lifelong Democrat, I'm just not much of a fan of petulant 'chandeliers' who can't be bothered to turn up when scheduled and who trash one of the best Vice Presidents (and ripped off President) this country has ever seen.

Watch the corporate media throw the blame exclusively at Keith for this.

I eventually stop watching them because he was almost never there. At this point if he gets another job fine, if not fine, I don't care. About the only chance of him getting back on TV is HBO and I doubt they have a format that he'll find suitable. He's become the Terrell Owens of TV News.

Keith, no matter how good and entertaining he is, IS a PRIMA DONNA.

He expects everything to be done his way and nothing else is allowed.

18 months ago, CURRENT was a new network searching for their voice, now, they have
matured some and are zeroing in on their image. Programs have to change as the
group matures into a media powerhouse (someday) but until then, there will
always be bad feelings and ruffled feathers between management and the
people who don't make the cut. It sucks, but that's how business works.

A year from now, it will probably look different than it does now but
you have to accept the growing pains in order to rise to the top.

Good luck to Current TV
and good luck Keith Olberman

We love you both long time !

He said he effed up majorly, it was him, not anyone else, and it was just something he couldn't do. I thought that was gracious indeed.

http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/04/03/keith-olbermann-on-letterman-i-screwed-up-really-big/

That he should have known better. We went into it hopeful that things could work out, but there were continual problems of a technical nature that seemed to reoccur. One night as he was broadcasting, the lights were kind of browned-out. They went to a commercial and right after the broadcast resumed, the studio went totally dark. It is kind of difficult to connect with your audience under those conditions, Keith mentioned, and he said the bill had not been paid by Current. It was things such as that that he could not accept. Additionally, his car service was cancelled twice because the bill had not been paid, and that definitely was a stipulation in his contract.

Sam

It was more like "I thought they could provide me with a studio and technical help that was worthy of my enormous talent." "I was wrong. I screwed up big time." "I was a ten million dollar chandelier in an outhouse."

Some apology. When I saw that video that was all I had to see to know where the problem lies.

KO may be difficult to work with, but how many other folks are there out there that are hard to work with.
Being difficult to work with is relative anyway. He seemed to have a pretty good run at MSNBC (8 years) and was reputed to be very supportive of his staff. Management, not so much.
That is something I can relate to and sympathize with.
Management is often difficult to work with and at some point you have to say 'no' and dig in your heels.
I have done this myself, and while I may have been 'difficult' to deal with from a management viewpoint, I had excellent relationships with my former colligues and still do since I left.
My point is that the 'difficult' memo is all about perspective.
I personally take the side of lador in this case.
I had high hopes for Current, but I'm worried that that TYT will be next on the chopping block.

and people can't understand why some find that off-putting? for fucking real?!!

I totally get the $10M chandelier self-reference. Keith got one thing wrong, though: the chandelier wasn't put into a house, but placed in what I'd call a wannabe-tv clubhouse.

I'll be the first to admit he's full of himself. But, having seen all of the foul-ups that were turning what had always been a first-class show into something that looks amateurish, at best, I don't blame him for putting up a stink. Much ado is being made about all the money he was being paid. But, if Gore couldn't afford to pay him that, he should never have offered it. And, I didn't realize that not wanting to do things half-assed makes a person "difficult".

I mean who among the the news media talking heads is not full of themselves to some extent.

Hell, any profession for that matter.

To me that is a non-issue.

Success in business is not just about getting noticed. Heck, every once in a while I hear about Sean Hannity but I don't trun him on and watch him because he SUCK BALLS (figuratively, at least).

Using Keith to get attention is counterproductive if they don't have decent programming to keep the attention. If people tune in to watch Keith, do you (or they) really think their programming is so strong that people will continue to watch even without Keith?

Sure, that is the long-term goal but their rating showed that they were not close to that point. Instead, a lot of times those who wanted to watch Keith tuned in only to find a sub. So he didn't build a consistent\, growing audience.

So he simply didn't do what he was supposed to. So bye-bye Keith.

n/t

His set look like crap. How many times an interview was interrupted for one reason or another. and the list goes on.

What I saw seems to back parts of 'both sides' KO didn't seem to interact with the other programming that preceded or followed him.

His show when it debuted was of terrible quality, low sound, interference in the audio, etc. I gave up trying to watch after a few weeks of this poor quality. Somewhere down the line I saw KO off more often than not, I don't know about health issues or what not just he wasn't there. I also saw him have fewer guests than he did on his old show, mostly him 'lecturing' viewers, can't say he was responsible for the lack of guests or people didn't want to 'play ball' with him/current ie current wasn't paying these guests enough or what.

In general current programming varied from average to poor, it has gotten better over time but when KO first started both his show and the shows that came after him had pretty obvious poor production value put in them, lighting/sound technical glitches. I've seen this improve over time but there are still segments/pieces that look like they are really cheap. Does it really matter to me, no so long as I can watch and hear it, I don't need or demand stupid CNN virtual reality holodeck technology or rendered animations of things,

What happened with KO, I don't know, he seems to have issues with management, but it seems there were issues with current's management as well. I tend to think there were problems on both ends and neither side *really* tried to make it work. Having said that I think it was within Current's power to rectify most of those issues barring of course KO just not cooperating which we really can't know just from them pointing fingers.

It becomes painfully clear that Peabody award winning programming from Current ... Namely, Vanguard which was doing real work to uncover hate crimes in Russia, expose Oxycontin trafficking in Florida, or discussing the Death Penalty for Homosexuality in Uganda, wasn't going to survive after KO decided it shouldn't ... mostly because he was charging a lion's share in a market that simply doesn't support it.

Rachel Maddow made a good point the other day on Howard...

If any of these Talk Jocks on Cable television think they're so important (herself included) then they should realize they lose in ratings to Spongebob Squarepants and Cartoon Network any day of the week.

KO's salary bled Current dry, and we lost good shows like Vanguard because of it.

It only hangs one way, same as the cheap ones.

It's the single reason that Vanguard was cancelled. This seems to be the unsung story, mostly because Vanguard's team was let go quietly while their last two shows of 2011 were about to go to air...

And all of it was because Keith Olberman... the 10 million dollar chandelier... wanted the spotlight for himself.

I used to have a special place in my heart for Keith's well delivered tirades against the powers that be...

but this tirade against Current smells like he thinks way too highly of himself.