MSNBC Replaces 'Rita Cosby'

TV Week ^ | 6/29/06 | Michele Greppi

[LdSentinal]

Rita Cosby is losing her year-old MSNBC show and will get her own specials unit for the cable channel effective July 10.

The shuffle, which MSNBC announced Thursday, is the first big move of Dan Abrams' three-week tenure as MSNBC's general manager.

"Rita Cosby: Live and Direct," which has been telecast at 10 p.m. (ET) weeknights and repeated at 1 a.m. (ET) since late spring, will be replaced by taped documentary programming, under the familiar label of "MSNBC Investigates." Ms. Cosby will serve as the primary anchor of "Investigates," which has been led by various rotating anchors over years. "Investigates" also will run at 11 p.m.

Joe Scarborough's "Scarborough Country" will remain at 9 p.m. weeknights.

"The Situation With Tucker Carlson" will move into the 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. timeslots that have been the home of "The Abrams Report," the legal-issues and crime show that Mr. Abrams hosted prior to his promotion.

Ms. Cosby left Fox News Channel last year to host her weeknight show. In June, "Rita Cosby" averaged 233,000 viewers, 93,000 of them in the core news demo of 25 to 54, according to data from Nielsen Media Research. That's down from her first month on the air, August 2005, when she averaged 398,000 viewers, 146,000 of them in the demo.

In addition to being down since last year, "Rita Cosby" has been losing lead-in from "Scarborough Country," which averaged 319,000 viewers, 109,000 of them in the demo, in June

[tioga]

LOL........

[peggybac]

I agree - Rita and Paula made a mistake leaving Fox. They had viewers on FNC. Linda Vester is on her 5 year (it seems) maternity leave.

[mom4kittys]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,166462,00.html

[xzins]

I think they took Tucker's salt petre and started feeding it to George Will over at ABC.

[xzins]

I didn't know she was from Cincy. So is Tony Snow. (so am I. :>)

[AmishDude]

Test pattern.

[Radix]

"I bet her viewer is disappointed."

I'd be glad to be her viewer if I even knew what station she was on.

I'd look at her all day if I could.

[ovrtaxt]

I never knew Bill liked white chicks, then I saw Rita. You learn something new every day, huh?

[satchmodog9]

do you have a link?

[04-Bravo]

Poor Rita. She sometimes reminds me of Rodney Dangerfield's best line, "I don't get no respect."

Rita was one of the people chosen to witness the Tookie Williams execution in San Quentin. After the execution, Rita was in the pool of witnesses that was interviewed live by the other reporters.

Rita gave her name and FOX affiliation. One of the reporters didn't recognize her (or maybe pretended not to recognize her), and asked her to repeat her name. You could tell that Rita was offended by this, and repeated, "Rita Cosby, FOX news ANCHOR."

I think it hurt her feelings. I bet she was thinking, "This never happens to Geraldo..."

[xzins]

I liked Rita. I guess she felt she needed to reach for the brass ring.

Zahn, though, had it made. She was co-hosting major events with Hume. She followed one of Fox's top 2 hits, H&C. With a little talent, she could have blown the lid off.

Unfortunately, that's all she had....a little talent.

(Did anyone else think she came across as a bit too hoity-toity for THE ENTIRE WORLD?!!)

[Radix]

Wow.

I quit Imus just about 2 years ago.

He is out of touch. Relying on polls or something.

I ain't going back either. I am too pissed off at him.

[peekaboo]

Thanks Common Tator. I thought something had happened to my digital remotem when I awakened and turned on IMUS yesterday then again today.

I could not agree with you more. Imus will certainly be hurt in the ratings with these bafoons in his spot. I am actually a big fan of Fox and Friends, especially Brian and Steve, NOT E.D.

Thanks again for taking the time to respond to my question.

[LdSentinal]

Is Imus still calling for the Swift Boat veterans to be executed?

[dmw]

Seems they are keeping Scarborough. Too bad. His program isn't much different than Hardball since he's become a liberal--IMO.

Since they're keeping Matthews and Olberman that pretty much tells you that they are going to focus on the liberal audience. Seems like a pretty stupid decision considering CNN has lost a big chunk their audience. Maybe they think they can get some of the CNN audience to watch them.

Does anyone know how many viewers Rita had when she was on Fox? Bet she wished she stayed at Fox now.

[xzins]

7+ tops on a scale of 10.

(But if you're a 3 like me, that's movin' on up...:>)

[BarbaraS.]

I always hated Rita's croaky voice, but this Kimberly G.
is worse. Doesn't anyone in the hiring hall at Fox ever
listen to these dames?? Kimberly twisting her mounth is annoying even with the "mute" button on.

[txrangerette]

And I think he plans to repeat and repeat and repeat them. He plans to try to shove those two rabid Bush/Cheney hate-mongering Dem hacks even more down the throats of American tv viewers. Abrams could be dumber than Rita Cosby. Well, what else can I think?

[Bean Counter]

I'm waiting for CNBC to catch a clue and finally dump Chris Matthews...

[shield]

I never watch him...I'll have to see if I can catch him when he's talking about Rove...so I can look at those soul less eyes...of his. The eyes are the windows of the soul.