MSNBC CANCELS DONAHUE!

DRUDGE ^

[Recovering_Democrat]

HEADLINE ON DRUDGE!

[joey'smom]

Donaboohoo

[steve86]

Donahue cancels MSNBC!

[The Magical Mischief Tour]

[TX Bluebonnet]

Feb 25, 2:21 PM (ET)

By DAVID BAUDER

NEW YORK (AP) - MSNBC fired Phil Donahue on Tuesday, abruptly ending the veteran talk show host's return to television after six months of poor ratings.

Donahue's final show will be Friday night. The news show that precedes him on the air, "Countdown: Iraq," will be temporarily expanded to two hours to replace him.

"We're proud of the program and we're disappointed that the show was not able to attract the viewership we had hoped for and expected," said Erik Sorenson, MSNBC president. "We thank Phil and his staff for their dedication, commitment and passion."

The move was not a surprise. MSNBC hoped "Donahue" would provide a liberal counterweight to Fox News Channel's competing "The O'Reilly Factor," but the ratings started poorly and didn't improve.

MSNBC tried to tweak the show in November, putting Donahue in front of a live audience in New York instead of in a New Jersey studio, but it made little difference.

During this month, a "sweeps" month in which ratings are watched closely to set advertising rates, "Donahue" averaged 446,000 viewers. O'Reilly drew 2.7 million viewers, up 28 percent from February 2002, according to Nielsen Media Research.

A CNN talk show with Connie Chung as host that debuted shortly before "Donahue" averaged 985,000 viewers this month, Nielsen said.

Donahue was a nine-time Daytime Emmy Award winner for his syndicated talk show, which aired nationally from 1970 to 1996, paving the way for dozens of such shows to follow.

He began his MSNBC show on July 15 with a panel discussion on whether the United States should try to oust Saddam Hussein. On Monday night, with Rosie O'Donnell as guest, they talked about the same topic.

[grumple]

Probably resulting from this weeks numbers between Phil and Rolie Ol-Don't-Know...

Her butch haircut and that No-War jean jacket made top execs wondering who presented more of a manly figure...

Phil will probably be replaced by "The Doughnut"

[rintense]

I'm crushed.

[areafiftyone]

First good thing MSNBC has done in a long time!!!

[rface]

so now they will try the other end of the spectrum.

Michael Savage

[cmsgop]

Later Dates Phil...........

[demlosers]

NO WAR Billboard Rosie colapsed the camel's back. LOL!

[Steven W.]

Donahue + Rosie = INHERENT LIBERAL ANTI-WAR CONTRADICTIONS

[Tacis]

Someone gave Donahue a show?

[Cold Heat]

OMG! And such a informative and bi-partisan show!(LOL!)

[rintense]

Funny how he gets dropped right before the bombs do...

[clintonh8r]

I hope he's on tonight so I can watch the moooooooaaaaaaannnnniiiinnnnggggggg.

[Moby Grape]

WAIT A MINUTE!!!!!!! CLINTON AND THE DEMOCRATS SAY THERE IS NOT ENOUGH "THEIR SIDE" ON THE AIRWAVES TO COUNTER RUSH......how can this be? Won't the REAL American support Donahue and the rest of the liberal lot?

[kellynla]

Excellent pic! Mind if I borrow it?

[TADSLOS]

So I guess Garafalo has a shot at greatness now...? Set 'em up, knock 'em down.

[CheneyChick]

Do you think he threw a hissy fit?

[polemikos]

MSNBC CANCELS DONAHUE

Who?