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MSNBC and David Shuster: The End of the Road?

By Jeralyn, Section Media
Posted on Mon Apr 05, 2010 at 03:04:29 PM EST
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MSNBC is keeping David Shuster off the air for now as a result of him filming a CNN pilot. (More here.) His contract is up this year, but he may get canned early -- as early as today.

So, will Shuster go to CNN? And will it help? I'd rather see them add news hosts than pundits. CNN has the most boring, recycled, predictable stable of pundits. They get lazy and pontificate off the top of their head, without adding any depth to the discussion. A news network show should not be a coffee klatch. CNN should use more knowledgeable guests with a "fit" to the particular story and rely less on paid personalities who long ago had an inside job in some Administration.

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    MSNBC and David Shuster: The End of the Road? | 14 comments (14 topical)

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    "Shuster Pimps Himself Out" (5.00 / 5) (#1)
    by Cream City on Mon Apr 05, 2010 at 03:26:16 PM EST
    is one of the best blog post headlines on this yet.

    Love it (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by ruffian on Mon Apr 05, 2010 at 03:33:05 PM EST


    Parent
    Will it help who? (5.00 / 2) (#2)
    by ruffian on Mon Apr 05, 2010 at 03:32:31 PM EST
    MSNBC - yes
    CNN -no
    Shuster - TBD

    "A news network show should not be .... (5.00 / 2) (#4)
    by Robot Porter on Mon Apr 05, 2010 at 03:59:09 PM EST
    a coffee klatch."

    Amen!

    yes (5.00 / 1) (#7)
    by Capt Howdy on Mon Apr 05, 2010 at 04:34:54 PM EST
    CNN has the most boring, recycled, predictable stable of pundits. They get lazy and pontificate off the top of their head, without adding any depth to the discussion.

    absolutely.  I think MSNBC and FOX are doing better in relation to CNN is that people are smart enough to know no one is really impartial.  I think the internet, for one thing, has made people expect some opinion with their political coverage particularly.  
    not saying I think this is necessarily a great thing for the political discourse and the coverage of it I think it is just a fact.
    and CNN has made boring an art form.

    Trouble in the Village, eh? (5.00 / 4) (#9)
    by Anne on Mon Apr 05, 2010 at 05:19:35 PM EST
    I would care more, but I don't watch either the MSNBC Villagers or the CNN perceived-to-be-serious-about-the news denizens, so this all seems like kind of a "meh" bit of "news" to me.

    So, what's the worst fate for Shuster - being paid to stay home until his contract is up in December?  Having to spend the next 8+ months not being able to further his career?  Is this some great loss for journalism?  I don't think so, since "journalism" isn't really practiced anymore where the maximum number of people will see it; no, Shuster and his ilk are simply a political version of Entertainment Tonight.  Ugh.

    I've tried, but I can't squeeze out even a tiny little tear for this guy.

    And Shuster had to know (none / 0) (#12)
    by BackFromOhio on Mon Apr 05, 2010 at 08:03:46 PM EST
    that working for CNN would have ramifications at NBC

    Parent
    Lets face it (5.00 / 1) (#13)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Mon Apr 05, 2010 at 08:06:48 PM EST
    CNN needs to do something. Once upon a time they were number one.  CNN is now neck and neck for distant second/third with MSNBC.

    Well, they coluld try to be (none / 0) (#14)
    by jimakaPPJ on Mon Apr 05, 2010 at 09:26:31 PM EST
    fair and balanced...

    ;-)

    Parent

    If Shuster is an example (none / 0) (#5)
    by jeffinalabama on Mon Apr 05, 2010 at 04:27:36 PM EST
    of 'improvement,' then CNN will be off the air in a couple of years. He's as much a villager as David Broder.

    Nah, the DS I've (5.00 / 1) (#6)
    by brodie on Mon Apr 05, 2010 at 04:33:06 PM EST
    seen is a lot more inclined to call out the nonsense spewed by some far right propagandist guests.  Much more inclined to interrupt them and call out their lies.

    That said, he might be Broderesque in the sense of flashing some anti-Hillary sentiments in the 08 primaries.

    But constantly seeking some bland MOR false political middle ground and bipartisan consensus from his guests?  Not very consistently from what I've seen.

    A few more than his share of career blunders though.  More than I would have suspected from someone who's not unintelligent.

    Parent

    Shuster is filler (none / 0) (#8)
    by Capt Howdy on Mon Apr 05, 2010 at 04:37:02 PM EST
    Eric Ericson is "improvement".
    you know, the guy who warned census takers away from his house by threatening a shotgun would be involved.
     

    Parent
    Rick Sanchez is (none / 0) (#15)
    by gyrfalcon on Mon Apr 05, 2010 at 11:06:13 PM EST
    absolutely and totally insufferable!  Not only that, the stupid morons at CNN have modeled his program almost segment for segment on Olbermann's.  "Rick's List," it's called, and he has "the list you don't want to be on!"  Nooooo, not at all a straight copy of "Worst Person in the World."  He even uses puppets sometimes the way Olbermann used to.  Arrgghh.

    I frequently find myself at 3:00 Eastern wanting to watch a little TV news and I so cannot tolerate Sanchez, I actually voluntarily go to Fox and Shepard Smith.

    If CNN really wants to fix its ratings, they should find a way to blackmail Shep Smith to jump ship.  At this point, he's pretty much the only watchable "news host" on all of television, IMO.

    I used to work for CNN (none / 0) (#16)
    by kmblue on Tue Apr 06, 2010 at 07:27:25 AM EST
    once Fox was born, they pretty much lost their minds.  Several presidents and ill advised mergers later, they haven't found their footing.

    However, CNN International (my old stomping grounds) is still a cash cow and is a lot easier to watch. CNN Domestic (which most people in the US have to watch) has become intolerable.

    MSNBC and David Shuster: The End of the Road? | 14 comments (14 topical)

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