Olbermann Rails Against Ted Koppel, Defends MSNBC (Dinosaur Media DeathWatch™)

Neon Tommy ^ | November 15, 2010 | Paresh Dave

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Keith Olbermann struck back at Ted Koppel on Monday night's edition of MSNBC's "Countdown," saying Koppel's brand of journalism failed and that his own sharp, biting analysis forms the foundation for good journalism.

Koppel published an op-ed in Sunday's Washington Post, saying the media has lost its objectivity. He heavily criticized MSNBC and Fox News and called Olbermann the most opininated commentator on television's most liberal news network.

During a nearly 13-minute long special comment period at the end of his show, Olbermann defended himself and his network. He said people who herald te broadcasting and reporting of Edward Murrow, Walter Cronkite and Koppel ignore that all three exercised strong editorial judgement. In fact, Olbermann said, they were all liberals. They all influenced the course of presidencies and the nation because of what they choose not to report, Olbermann argued.

Olbermann also chided networks like Fox News for creating a "false god of objectivity."

"To acquaint this network with Fox, as Mr. Koppel did, to accuse us of having our own facts, is another manifestation of a dangerously simplified understanding of modern news," Olbermann said.

He deried Koppel for shining a light on the Iran hostage crisis every night for 14 months, but then ignoring the reasoning behind the Iraq War for three years.

"The bitter irony that must someday occur to Mr. Koppel and the others of his time," Olbermann concluded, "is that their choice to not look deeply into Iraq before or after the war began was itself just as evaluative, just as analytically-based, just as subjective, as anything I say or do here each night.

"I may ultimately be judged to have been wrong in what I am doing. Mr. Koppel does not have to wait. The kind of television journalism [Koppel] eulogizes failed this country because when truth was needed, all we got were facts --- most of which were lies anyway. The journalism failed, and those who practiced it failed, and Mr. Koppel failed. I don't know that I'm doing it exactly right here. I'm trying. I have to. Because whatever that television news was before -- now we have to fix it."

Koppel used the fact that Olbermann was suspended for making donations to political campaigns to blast the partisan, profit-driven and opinionated nature of modern television news.

"While I can appreciate the financial logic of drowning television viewers in a flood of opinions designed to confirm their own biases, the trend is not good for the republic," he wrote.

Koppel hosted ABC's "Nightline" for 25 years, retiring in 2005.

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Tuesday morning good news. They're eating each other...

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ping

[Texas Eagle]

Keith Olbermann struck back at Ted Koppel on Monday night's edition of MSNBC's "Countdown," saying Koppel's brand of journalism failed and that his own sharp, biting analysis forms the foundation for good journalism.

In other words, Uberschmuck is having adverse reactions to his new meds.

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http://tunedin.blogs.time.com/2010/11/16/olbermann-jousts-koppel-in-battle-of-high-horses/
Olbermann Jousts Koppel in Battle of High Horses

http://www.slate.com/id/2274927/pagenum/all/
Ted Koppel, Bad Reporter
ABC News veteran Ted Koppel ladles out self-serving news nostalgia in the Washington Post.

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/towerticker/2010/11/sam-zell-says-tribune-co-in-dramatically-better-shape-than-07-doesnt-criticize-ex-ceo-randy-michaels.html
Zell doesn’t criticize ex-CEO Michaels, says Tribune ‘in dramatically better shape’ than in ‘07

[Old Retired Army Guy]

Olbermann’s days are numbered. He has alienated just about everyone at that very liberal network. Comvast will not put up with him.

[Texas Eagle]

I gotta hand it to Paresh Dave.

That is the best satire I've read in a long time. That sounds EXACTLY like something Uberschmuck would say.

[DManA]

that all three exercised strong editorial judgement

Obe’s right. They just hid it better. Were less honest in their advocacy.

[screaminsunshine]

A communist network. They are coming out of the closet. They can get the communist viewers.

[Old Retired Army Guy]

Just wonder what Comcast will do with this bunch.

[lacrew]

“....Koppel’s brand of journalism failed...”

Well, Ted had a pretty good run.

And the current Nightline still pulls in 3 million viewers, while Keith gets a million?

Guess that ‘fact’ is probably a ‘lie’.

[abb]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/16/bill-oreilly-ted-koppel-fox-news_n_784061.html
Bill O’Reilly To Ted Koppel: Show Me When I’ve Lied And ‘Shut Me Up For Good’

http://www.politico.com/blogs/onmedia/1110/Olbermann_responds_to_Koppel.html
Olbermann responds to Koppel

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/16/AR2010111601324.html
Suspension gives MSNBC, Olbermann bump in ratings

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118027519
Jeff Gaspin out at NBC Universal

http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/digital/e3id635aef8860e45ff65ab75100b76761d
Google CEO Schmidt Slams Broadcast Nets

http://adage.com/mediaworks/article?article_id=147119
After Tepid Season Open, NBC to Reshuffle Prime Time

[jpf]

Me thinks the boy doth protest too much.

I used to call Keith Obamaman a pompous ass, then I stopped because it was an insult to pompous asses everywhere.

[Lurking in Kansas]

Olbermann’s days are numbered.

Agreed. He will not be on air next year this time.

What. A. Prick.

[bigbob]

Olbermann bites. He’s right about that part.

[abb]

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/459927-Genachowski_Broadcast_s_Successful_Past_Could_Impede_Broadband_s_Successful_Future.php
Genachowski: Broadcast’s Successful Past Could Impede Broadband’s Successful Future

http://gannettblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/tip-hr-layoff-notices-given-today-in.html
Layoff notices given today in HR reorganization

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/Headlines/detroit-newspaper-unions-ok-contract-with-cuts-63248-.aspx
Detroit Newspaper Unions OK Contract With Cuts

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/olbermann-on-koppel-op-ed-the-kind-of-television-journalism-he-eulogizes-failed-this-country_b39908
Olbermann on Koppel Op-Ed: ‘The Kind of Television Journalism He Eulogizes, Failed this Country’

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman2/publish/Television_44/NBC-plots-a-sweeping-midseason-makeover-.asp
NBC plots a sweeping midseason makeover

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thecutline/20101116/bs_yblog_thecutline/new-york-times-re-structures-its-web-newsroom
New York Times re-structures its web newsroom

[TexasFreeper2009]

there was nothing wrong with the old model of journalism.. it's just that they stopped being journalists... and wanted to become part of the story. They also became lazy and would just report what was handed to them by others. These along with their left bias destroyed them.

Just imagine if just ONE mainstream journalists researched Obamas background and did a 10 part series on what they found. The ratings would be off the charts.

[LeonardFMason]

How long before Keef “offs” himself on “live” TV like R. Bud Dwyer of PA?

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[ken5050]

Question..channel surfing last night..clicked on hardball for a sec..caught the end of a promo for a 10PM program last night..some type of network forum on immigration..but at the end of the logo was the line ..”(something) Latino..” anyone see it... know what it is?

[Libloather]

They all influenced the course of presidencies and the nation because of what they choose not to report, Olbermann argued.

And *POOF* FR was born.