MSNBC's President Wants Network Known as 'America's NewsChannel'

the wall street journal ^ | 4/12/2 | sally beatty

[crazyj]

NEW YORK -- Responding to pressure from its overseers at General Electric Co.'s NBC, MSNBC, the struggling 24-hour cable-television news channel, is looking to boost its ratings by cloaking itself in the American flag.

In a wide-ranging memo sent to news staff Thursday morning, MSNBC President Erik Sorenson tried to define the channel's mission in the post-Sept. 11 world as to "serve the American people." As a result, MSNBC will now be known as "America's NewsChannel." The cable property is owned jointly by NBC and Microsoft Corp.

[SGCOS]

Clyer. New York Times Journalist. At a press conference, he was pointed out to George Bush by Dick Cheney. Not knowing the microphone, Bush said: "yeah, a major league arsehole."

Hence, a clymer.

Bush was even presented with a baseball jersey with "Clymer" on the back.

[mewzilla]

Why settle for the imitation (MSNBC), when you can have the real thing (FOX)?

[3catsanadog]

Ah, thank you. I've seen this term many times at FR.

At last I can get on with my life. I have closure now.

[Joe Boucher]

scooby-doo is a lot more believeable then cnn or msnbc.

[Benrand]

THey should begin by canning Ashleigh Banfield and Brian Williams, two utter morons.

Ahsliegh Banfield asked some young Israelis if they would have used suicide bombers against Germany. Now, did she understand the differences in the two situations before asking that question? Or is she so stupid, she didn't know?

[mattdono]

There already is one...it's called "Fox News Network". Maybe the (P)MSNBC folks have heard something about that?

[afraidfortherepublic]

What is a "clymer"?????

A synonym for a$$hole, taken from George W.'s celebrated remark during the Presidential campaign when he spotted NYT reporter Adam Clymer in the auidience.

Bush whispered to Cheney, "There's that guy from the NYT. He's a real a$$hole," and Cheney responded, "Yeah, big time." The only problem was that they were whispering in front of a live mike.

Instead of being a campaign killer, this exchange turned out to be a campaign booster because most of America understood that most reporters are a$$holes. So now everyone calls an a$$hole a "Clymer".

Comprende?

[who knows what evil?]

What is a "clymer"?????

I see several posters have already beat me to it. (I had to go out for a while.) I'm not terribly comfortable using profanity to get my point across, but 'clymer' suits the bill when somebody/something REALLY infuriates me, as this 'activist' did last night. Besides; Jim says "NO profanity".

[StriperSniper]

AnnaZ wants to be known as the hottest, richest, smartest woman in America.

So, all you need is a big check?;-)

[Bronco Buster]

Recently, MSNBC moved from a mix of documentaries and news toward a Fox News-style mix of opinion shows and news.

Their documentaries are boring, insipid, and wasteful time fillers. I never watch them except if I am interested in the person they are covering which is very rarely.

I hope they are serious about more news and commentary. That will add to their appeal. I like having a larger mix of news and commentary to choose from since competition makes shows more exciting. Although I like FoxNews a lot, sometimes the formulaic presentation of their commentary shows is a little boring since I like hard news and what it means for all of us.

[genefromjersey]

More like the Al Sharpton Broadcasting Network !

[Cold Heat]

They lie only slightly less than CNN.

[Helms]

Little late for CPR on a flatliner, however please take Diane( oh I bet you were a babe in your day) Diamond back.

[Helms]

"Recently, MSNBC moved from a mix of documentaries and news toward a Fox News-style mix of opinion shows and news" they may try to copy a fox style but they need a nice fox mix.

Ya they recycled pretty boy Stone and the ever arrogant Jane Pauley. News on the cheap, while Brian Williams is the Man in Waiting.

[Helms]

How about her TV helment ala M. Dukakis and his. They plucked her from obscurity and its more News on the Cheap.

[I still care]

Exactly - I would think Phil Donahue would object strongly to the "red, white, and blue" - way too imperialistic. Expect him to come on with a UN pin.

[Timesink]

Their documentaries are boring, insipid, and wasteful time fillers. I never watch them except if I am interested in the person they are covering which is very rarely.

You won't be seeing them much longer. MSNBC recently fired their entire pseudodocumentary staff.

[AnnaZ]

LOL!!!

 

I think it might take a little more than that (or the Iceberg™ wardrobe, for that matter). However I will accept big checks (well, any size checks, actually), whether or not they elevate me to my desired status or not.

 

;^)

 

All the best!

[arielb]

Why I like MSNBC? Because unlike Fox News, they can cover the rest of the world way before Fox considers getting someone in there and only if that story is related to the US news. Because Alan Keyes is the real thing unlike O'Reilly. Because even Phil Dunno who? and Chris Matthews are less annoying than Geraldo and have more interesting things to say than ditsy Judith Regan and Laurie Dhue. CNN however is a total waste of time unless you're up in the middle of the night and catch a live speech from around the world

[jackbill]

Why I like MSNBC? Because unlike Fox News, they can cover the rest of the world way before Fox considers getting someone in there and only if that story is related to the US news. Because Alan Keyes is the real thing unlike O'Reilly. Because even Phil Dunno who? and Chris Matthews are less annoying than Geraldo and have more interesting things to say than ditsy Judith Regan and Laurie Dhue.

Sounds like you're off of your meds again.