by Brent Baker
Thanks to MSNBC hiring Phil Donahue at $1 million a year, CNN's Connie Chung Tonight isn't the last place cable news program at 8pm EDT. Donahue's ratings have “spiraled down” since his mid- July debut, the New York Daily News reported August 14. Chung's show now attracts 44 percent more viewers, though it trails far behind FNC's The O'Reilly Factor.
Donahue's strategy of having his show feature leftists doesn't seem to be hauling in the viewers. The August 14 show showcased Donahue's old TV partner, former Soviet propagandist Vladimir Pozner, and the night before viewers were treated to multiple segments with Michael Moore. That same night, The Washington Times reported, Donahue brought aboard the author of a book which “promotes the idea that the Bush administration protected its 'big oil' interests at all cost, maintaining secret diplomatic links with both Saudi Arabia and the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, which ultimately caused the September 11 attacks.”
An excerpt from Phyllis Furman's story in the August 14 New York Daily News:
The mood at MSNBC has turned from hopeful to grim over the last four weeks, insiders said, as Donahue's ratings spiraled down, last week falling to 393,000 viewers from a start of 660,000 viewers. For the month, Chung beat Donahue by 44%. Both shows still lag far behind Fox News Channel's The O'Reilly Factor
With backing from GE chairman Jeffrey Immelt, MSNBC locked in Donahue at $1 million a year and heralded the show's debut with flashy ads featuring Aretha Franklin. The moves spooked CNN execs, who saw MSNBC threatening their No. 2 ranking and were troubled by Donahue's strong start.
MSNBC also hired ex-New York Post editor Jerry Nachman, who serves as editor in chief and has his own show at 7 p.m. That, too, has failed to make a dent on CNN's Crossfire.
MSNBC prime time chief Phil Griffin called the month-long ratings performance “irrelevant” and said the net is committed to the lineup.
He said it's too soon to judge the new shows, especially because August is not a high point for news viewing, and said MSNBC “has gotten only encouragement” from the top brass at NBC. Donahue has more than doubled the 8pm ratings over last year, though ratings are up across the board for cable news.
For the entire story from the New York Daily News, click here
An example of the Donahue guest list
“Donahue senses something sinister in Afghan war,” read the headline over an August 15 Washington Times story by Jennifer Harper. An excerpt:
The thrum of conspiracy buzz has surrounded MSNBC's Phil Donahue….
On his talk show, Mr. Donahue featured an interview with Jean Charles Brisard, author of Forbidden Truth, a contentious book published in France in November and released in the United States two weeks ago.
It promotes the idea that the Bush administration protected its “big oil” interests at all cost, maintaining secret diplomatic links with both Saudi Arabia and the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, which ultimately caused the September 11 attacks.
“All the dots connect to Saudi Arabia,” Mr. Donahue told the author. “And those dots include George Bush, senior Bush, as well as al Qaeda and the U.S. government itself.”
The Bush family, Mr. Donahue continued, “had an interest in seeing the construction of this pipeline through Afghanistan continued or moved forward, and that, you're suggesting, slowed us up and reduced our enthusiasm for going after al Qaeda and terrorism.”
“From the beginning, Phil Donahue said he wanted to give a voice to those who have not been heard,” said MSNBC spokeswoman Cheryl Daly. “That must be what happened last night.”
For the article in its entirety, see The Washington Times by clicking here.
(This update courtesy of the Media Research Center.)
