[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.

[Cincinatus]

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.

Live audience, brain-dead host.

[Crowcreek]

"The news show that precedes him on the air . . . will be temporarily expanded to two hours to replace him"

I wish they'd just run with 'dead air' -- and then compare the ratings to Donohue's!

[lizm_77]

of those 446,ooo viewers, half were just watching the freak-show, laughing at Dumbohue. Did anybody actually watch the show? happen to catch his "angry white men" series... it was one of the worst things I've seen.

Why would anyone want to watch a show to be bombarded with tired cliches and no content?

[latrans]

Thanks, Bill Oreilly! Congratulation are in order.

[Bigg Red]

OMG! Even Connie Chung beat him! Looks like her viewership was almost twice his! He should go hang himself for the humiliation of it all.

[Aquinasfan]

"Donahue" averaged 446,000 viewers. O'Reilly drew 2.7 million viewers

< Simpson's bully voice> HAHA! < /voice>

[Quix]

Such a nice answer to prayer.

[truth_seeker]

"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."

By about three to one, Americans favor action against Iraq (last poll I saw was 69% to 23%).

It therefore stands to reason that arguing against the majority opinion of Americans, night after night, isn't going to be a popular program.

MSNBC figured it out. Prior to MSNBC, Britian, Italy, Spain, Poland, Turkey, Australia, Denmark figured it out.

[shootist]

so sad, so sad he,he, he ha,ha SOOOOOOooooo sad

[ladyinred]

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.

Hee hee hee! Maybe the brass is not understanding the mood of the American people! I am loving this!!!!

[ALOHA RONNIE]

...The People just don't believe all of the Liberal Liars out there anymore.

...I just LOVE the Smell of Napalm in the morning.

...It smells like ..VICTORY.

[nicmarlo]

six months of poor ratings

Surprised he lasted THAT long.