It is time for the annual drumroll, tah-dah and to-do as TelevisionWeek unveils its list of the 10 Most Powerful People in TV News.
With the roster comes the annual asterisk signifying that while it is painstakingly assembled, the selection and ranking process is both earnest and admittedly unscientific.
To extensive research, add backstage drama and gossip that had us tinkering and rethinking until past deadline last week, thanks to a barrage of headlines about CBS News and Katie Couric and a dribble-down-the-chin-juicy New York Times Magazine profile of MSNBC’s tin-eared Chris Matthews, who has everyone talking about him—and not in a good way. You’ll see that we have taken advantage of the political Zeitgeist to add a little more shock value than usual at the end. While most of the news players listed here are very familiar, it’s some of their key players who are new to our spotlight.
1. Steve Capus
Title: NBC News president
Tenure: 2½ years
Rank last year: 2
Why he was chosen: The NBC News ship, which last year seemed to have sprung a few worrisome leaks, is once again sailing upright and steady as she used to go. “NBC Nightly News With Brian Williams” is edging out ABC’s “World News With Charles Gibson” with more regularity. The “Today” show is once again making it look easy to be No. 1, no longer letting ABC’s “Good Morning America” see it sweat as it did during close weeks last year when “Today” would find ways to eliminate some of its more vulnerable segments from the Nielsen ratings’ scrutiny. During the first quarter of this year, “Today” led by 1.2 million viewers. MSNBC.com is the leading television news organization Web site. Perhaps most tantalizing is the success NBC News has had in this long, dramatic and lucrative political season by making MSNBC “The Place for Politics.” The cable channel may finally have found its voice—brash and brass ballsy at day’s end—and a formula that makes it a valuable platform for (and not just a way of amortizing expenses of) NBC News.
Invaluable asset: His fellow MSNBC alumnus, Phil Griffin, the NBC News senior VP in charge of both “Today” and MSNBC. Mr. Griffin has been given a lot of (tight) rope with MSNBC, whose prime-time lineup tied CNN in the key news demo of 25- to 54-year-olds in March. Even when someone at MSNBC has to apologize, the incident gets a lot of ink and the names are spelled correctly. It’s not the only recent strategy that reads like a page out of a Fox News playbook—even if the political points of view are poles apart.
Nitpicking: Chatty Kathie Lee Gifford for “Today”? Does this portend a spinoff for the fourth hour? Shouldn’t it? Sunday’s New York Times Magazine profile of Chris Matthews reveals a lot of sharp elbows, but makes clear that the man who once was a fresh face now is his own worst enemy.
2. Roger Ailes
Titles: Chairman and CEO of Fox News, Fox Business Network, Fox Television Station Group
Tenure: Launched Fox News Channel in 1996
Rank last year: 1.
Why he was chosen: Fox News Channel is making money, money, money by racking up rating$, rating$, rating$ day in, day out, year after year. The network created in his image is consistently among the 10 most-watched channels in the cable world (second-place CNN is in the low 20s and third-place MSNBC seldom even makes the Top 30). However, FNC has been oddly low-profile and sotto voce in the most portentous political year in memory despite the presence of Karl Rove in Fox News’ pundit pack.
Invaluable asset: His fierce determination to succeed makes folks reluctant to write off the Fox Business Network, which did not come out of the box six months ago showing any of the razzle-dazzle Fox News Channel displayed from the get-go. The wobbly financial sector and economy haven’t helped the channel, which was conceived as “business-friendly.” Still, Mr. Ailes and his team of senior VPs Kevin Magee and Neil Cavuto have not been able to take advantage of the Dow Jones and Co. brands News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch purchased for $6.5 billion last year.
Nitpicking: The prime-time lineup, while as popular as ever—“The O’Reilly Factor” and “Hannity & Colmes” still top the cable news ratings—seems less than potent politically this season. Except for veteran Shepard Smith, there is no next-generation breakthough talent in the Fox stable.
3. David Westin
Title: ABC News president
Tenure: 11 years
Rank last year: 4
Why he was chosen: He’s a survivor—the longest-tenured current TV news organization leader by far. He has finally established a line of succession. There’s an atmosphere of competitive confidence and stability. While “Good Morning America” and “World News” may not have the sense of momentum they had last year, they are vigorous and competitive. The revived “Nightline,” the international aspirations in which Mr. Westin has become an adroit player/booker and the growth of “This Week With George Stephanopoulos” into a consistent silver medalist in the Sunday newsmaker show competition lends ABC News a comforting air of tradition even as it digs for the pot of gold at the end of the digital rainbow that teases all news organizations.
Invaluable asset: Dave Davis, the executive VP overseeing ABC News programs, has more than lived up to his reputation as a smart, decisive executive with much-needed people skills. Add in his visibility and accessibility and you’ve got a big morale boost.
Nitpicking: Just once, could ABC hire a male correspondent who doesn’t look like a clone of Mr. Westin?
4. Tim Russert
Titles: Managing editor/moderator of “Meet the Press” and senior VP/Washington bureau chief for NBC News
Tenure: Since 1991
Rank last year: 5
Why he was chosen: If it’s an election year, it must be a particularly good one for Mr. Russert, for whom “term limits” is an alien concept. When his current 10-year contract expires in 2012, he will have been the moderator of “Meet the Press” for 21 years. He’s been the “Meet” man for more than a quarter of the 60 years that make the show the longest-running program in TV history and a veritable institution in the political capitol of the free world. His “Meet the Press” audience, often more than 4 million viewers strong before the show is even made available online, enjoys a 40% ratings lead over the closest competition, ABC’s “This Week.” It could be argued that he’s more powerful than many higher-ranked news executives.
Invaluable asset: The political-TV equivalent of “Perry Mason” moments enabled by the dogged research for which Mr. Russert and his executive producer Betsy Fischer are justly famous.
Nitpicking: Mr. Russert’s loyalty to people used to making familiar points in a familiar way can sometimes make his roundtables seem fusty, especially in a presidential campaign year like this when a woman and an African American man have changed the political landscape and the race and gender conversations forever.
5. Jim Walton/Jon Klein
Titles: CNN Worldwide president and CNN/U.S. president, respectively
Tenure: 5 years and 3½ years, respectively
Rank last year: 8
Why they were chosen: CNN/U.S. has revitalized itself by focusing on politics. Prime-time ratings, revenue, CNN.com traffic and morale are up. There will be the big test of avoiding precipitous ratings drops in between the election and the next big story, but for now, CNN can bask in the glow of having topped Fox News in the all-important news demographic of 25- to 54-year-old viewers in February for the first time in six years.
CNN’s invaluable assets: The addiction to politics of Senior VP and Washington Bureau Chief David Bohrman and political director Sam Feist is the wind beneath CNN’s politically corrected ratings wings these days.
Nitpicking: Book-ending Larry King with the youthful and vital Campbell Brown and Anderson Cooper only makes his increasing weaknesses more glaring. Yes, it’s CNN’s most-watched program, but “Larry King Live” also means there is no compatible audience flow, only prime-time whiplash for viewers. Lou Dobbs’ angry and autocratic persona also seems increasingly out of synch with what Mr. Klein says is working for CNN—passionate middle-of-the-roadness—but no one seems able or willing to temper Mr. Dobbs. “American Morning” also represents an audience challenge.
6. Keith Olbermann
Title: Host of “Countdown With Keith Olbermann”
Tenure: Five years
Rank last year: 6
Why he was chosen: Two decades into his career, he’s become an overnight success as talk TV’s first break-out liberal voice. With about 1 million viewers per night, he is MSNBC’s Goliath and so he can gleefully play David to Bill O’Reilly’s Goliath.
Invaluable asset: After blithely burning oh, so many career bridges, Mr. Olbermann seems inclined not to screw up this opportunity, which is arguably his best ever, especially since it comes with fun assignments and exposure on NBC Sports’ Sunday Night Football bench.
Nitpicking: He remains an acquired taste.
7. Bill O’Reilly
Title: Host of “The O’Reilly Factor”
Tenure: 12 years
Rank last year: none
Why he was chosen: He’s still the ratings king of the cable news world, easily bringing more than 2 million viewers into the Fox tent at the beginning of each weeknight and giving Fox a distinct advantage in reach over its competitors. If Mr. O’Reilly writes a book, it effectively debuts as a best seller.
Invaluable asset: He can say the most outrageous—and often non-doctrinaire—things with an almost straight face.
Nitpicking: His bully-boy persona doesn’t seem to frighten so many people anymore. Indeed, it can be argued his heckling has helped MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann. “The Factor” often seems more interested in reading body language than in the race for the White House.
8. Sean McManus
Titles: President of CBS News and CBS Sports
Tenure: 2½ years and 12 years, respectively
Rank last year: 7
Why he was chosen: He’s smart. He’s solid. He’s wise to the fun and frightful ways of the rollercoaster of an industry he was born into as the son of ABC Sports legend Jim McKay. His long tenure at CBS Sports made him familiar and reassuring to the CBS affiliates whose support he has needed as he made nitty-gritty moves they might otherwise resist—giving back significant time during “The Early Show” and moving ad spots to create a seamless transition from their local newscasts to the “CBS Evening News.” While the continuing ratings challenges facing the third-place “CBS Evening News With Katie Couric” made unscheduled news last week, Mr. McManus is very good at focusing on what has been accomplished and being sanguine about what hasn’t. He gambled on the volatile Shelley Ross as executive producer of third-place “The Early Show,” then made a quick change six months into her rocky tenure. His decision to assign “Evening News” executive producer Rick Kaplan to temporary double duty on “Early” was rewarded with a quick ratings lift. He’s got two of the sturdiest properties in TV news: “60 Minutes” and “48 Hours.” And he has convinced another institution, Bob Schieffer, to postpone his retirement from “Face the Nation.”
Invaluable asset: His long relationship with CBS President and CEO Leslie Moonves. Mr. McManus has been a trusted member of the team. And he knows all that entails, even the stuff that’s not always pretty or fun.
Nitpicking: CBS News is the way last network to get a debate (still unconfirmed at press time). After all the Democratic candidates’ much-watched back-and-forths, the question must be asked: “What’s the diff?”
9. N.S. Bienstock
Title: Agency
Tenure: More than three decades
Rank last year: 9
Why it was chosen: Prime time in cable news would look very different if it weren’t for clients represented by the agency headed by husband-and-wife team Richard Leibner and Carole Cooper, which has different clients holding down an hour from 5 p.m. through midnight on weeknight all-news cable network lineups: Bill O’Reilly at Fox; Campbell Brown and Anderson Cooper at CNN; and Chris Matthews, David Gregory and Dan Abrams at MSNBC. MSNBC’s Norah O’Donnell was added to the Bienstock stable when agent Rick Ramage joined the diverse agency late last year.
Invaluable asset: A long, star-studded history as well as a focus on the road ahead, whether it’s in hard news, soft news, documentary or reality programming.
Nitpicking: Bienstock and its clients are confronting the same realities as everyone else in an industry that is breeding smaller stars who will inevitably get smaller paychecks.
10. Amy Poehler, Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart
Titles: Comedians who have affected the country’s political dialogue
Last year’s rank: Mr. Stewart 10; Ms. Poehler and Mr. Colbert, none
Why they were chosen: “Saturday Night Live’s” Amy Poehler touched a national nerve with her portrayal of New York Sen. Hillary Clinton. During a debate with her opponent Sen. Barack Obama, the real Ms. Clinton even cited the faux Sen. Clinton’s gripe that she was being manhandled by the press, which put on kid gloves for Sen. Obama. Mr. Stewart was muted by the writers strike and then his stint as host of a kiss-and-make-up Oscars ceremony was made possible by the settling of the writers strike. But there are months to go in one of the most exciting contests in presidential campaign history and his consistent ability to do unto politics and politicians and the real journalists who cover them—Google “Tucker Carlson” and “Chris Matthews” and “Jon Stewart” and reminisce amongst yourselves—is why this fake journalist is a veteran on this list of real journalists. And his Comedy Central spawn, Mr. Colbert, recently won a Peabody Award for his “Victor/Victoria”-like turn as a satirist playing a fake cable news icon who defines over the top.
Invaluable assets: They get it.
Nitpicking: We don’t see enough of them.
Del.icio.us 
Digg 
Fark 
StumbleUpon 
Comments (538)
To bad you couldn't get all liberal people on the list
Posted by francis james | April 14, 2008 5:54 AM
Is anyone else sick of the phrase "They get it" and the hacks that use it?
Posted by Vink | April 14, 2008 5:57 AM
You people must be crazy.... anyone who puts anyone from NBC at the top of the most powerful list of anything must be getting paid to do so! Get a clue on this list!! Not even close!! I would laugh if this wasn't serious business this year.. what a joke!
Posted by Mark M. | April 14, 2008 5:57 AM
It isn't his list, though he should have cited the source.
Reading is hard.
Posted by retro | April 14, 2008 6:00 AM
Keith Olbermann is 6th? Then the next list he's 50th?
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL This article is a joke.
Posted by Riteaidbob | April 14, 2008 6:03 AM
Keith Olbermann???? What a maroon, and dinky ratings. Guess we HAD to have him higher on the list to make the Libs feel superior. What a joke, like the rest of the Enemedia.
Posted by davecatbone | April 14, 2008 6:12 AM
"If you're 20 and not a liberal, you don't have a heart. If you're 30 and not a Conservative, you don't have a brain."
Posted by kevin67 | April 14, 2008 6:14 AM
Keith Olbermann - relevant - LOL
How much did he pay you? Really? Have you watched him? He is a joke. If you listed him down there with Saturday Night Live, I "might" have taken your list seriously.
Posted by McGuire | April 14, 2008 6:15 AM
Keith Olbermann ahead of O'reilly?? HaHa! Olbermann isn't fit to wipe Bill's shoes. He's a partisan hack who just parrots Media Matters and MoveOn daily! He has already hit his ceiling! It's the best he can ever do, because fair-minded people don't buy his B.S. Oh, and apparently ratings, respect, financial impact, integrity, and a radio show don't count on the list of "most powerful".
Posted by The Dude | April 14, 2008 6:19 AM
The DNC called. They renewed your membership and you are now a SUPER DELEGATE! Job well done!
Posted by Your Secretary | April 14, 2008 6:20 AM
Keith Olbermann? isnt he the ugliest man in the entire world? i think hes Janet Reno's brother. nobody i know watches his garbage.
Posted by kim578 | April 14, 2008 6:22 AM
Also ....
are they so backward to not realize the relevance of the Matt Drudge and the Drudgereport????? I'm not even going to comment on the stupid list overweighting of the liberal media and their even more overweighted "power".....
Posted by Danimal | April 14, 2008 6:24 AM
You must be afraid of Rush.
Posted by schoolboardgreg | April 14, 2008 6:25 AM
They should have put Katie Couric as number 1! Give me a break. This so called report is an utter joke. Do these folks really think mainstream Americans are that stupid??? And they don't understand why nobody watches abc, cbs, nbc, etc. They will just bury their head in the sand and when they pull their heads out the audience will vanish.
Now in case some of you liberals would like to know why I would not take a Katie Couric seriously as a news source? Because I don't need to have someone talking about serious life threating issues like the middle east, border security, the economy, etc and worry if their hardoo is looking spiffy or if their mascara is running. Mainstream America does not want to watch a ditz report the news!
I could have told you Couric was not going to work.
Posted by Macon Hardy | April 14, 2008 6:26 AM
The first thing most of the people on that list do each day is look at the Drudgereport. How Matt Drudge does not rank baffles me.
How anyone at CBS ranks as influentual in news baffles me as well.
Posted by pbs | April 14, 2008 6:27 AM
When I got to Keith Olbermann, I laughed out loud. I'm still laughing. If he is powerful, then it truly shows how weak these people are.
Posted by Tom | April 14, 2008 6:28 AM
When I got to Keith Olbermann, I laughed out loud. I'm still laughing. If he is powerful, then it truly shows how weak these people are.
Posted by Tom | April 14, 2008 6:28 AM
Katie is finished as anyone important.
Posted by Ronald | April 14, 2008 6:36 AM
And Joe Klein hasn't an original thought since "legs that were a gift from God."
Posted by Ronald | April 14, 2008 6:43 AM
Damn, you all beat me to the punch!!! LOL!!
To say this Rag is a Joke would be the understatement of the century thus far!!! TV "Weak"---it should be called.... Keith Olbermann #6----BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
Posted by Delaware Vol | April 14, 2008 6:47 AM
Kieth Olbermann................?
what idiot in your company chose to watch this sick schmuck?
Posted by al bedross | April 14, 2008 6:50 AM
THANKS FOR THE MORNING LAUGH!
Posted by AXE | April 14, 2008 6:53 AM
Is this bogus or what?
Drudge sets them all up every morning, Rush gets their blood pumping and Glen Beck makes blood shoot out of their eyes. Jon Stewart - Isn't he the lead singer and banjo player in the Kingston Trio? Think about it.
Keith Olderman hit his peak at Presidency in Crisis (the Lewinsky scandal). When will that come out on DVD?
Keith: The most over the top liberal news reader - IN THE WORLD!
Posted by Rick | April 14, 2008 6:53 AM
Olbermann ahead of O'Reilly????
You're a joke!
In an effort to life Olbermann, you only serve to bash yourself.
Posted by Bounce | April 14, 2008 6:54 AM
Ok, so the list is "TV" news. Drudge isn't on TV, but neither is that Beinstock Agency at number 9. If Matt Drudge decides a story is news, it leads on every newscast on every network. This list is irrelevant.
Posted by Duane | April 14, 2008 6:54 AM
Seriously Olberman? Really the who in the world thinks this guys ranks that high on any list except for maybe a list or self-righteous turds? O'Rielly kills this guy heads up everyday. Come on this list is really bad. Is this an add for NBC and NBC affiliates, or an actual list we are supposed to take serisously. It feels more like an add.
P.S.
Olberman is a bitter person that attempts to take on O'Rielly as a way to generate ratings.
Posted by Kip | April 14, 2008 6:54 AM
who ever wrote this articale is dummer than obama
Posted by john robertson | April 14, 2008 6:55 AM
I'll simply say that if I had been a member of the selection commitee for this endeavor, 80%+ of these picks would have been trashed. Keith Olberman indeed! This "man" isn't qualified to even sell dog biscuits, much less be recognized as a newsperson..
Posted by VinceB | April 14, 2008 6:56 AM
... From the same people that tell us there is no liberal bias in the media and global warming is real... are they serious?
Posted by Jeff | April 14, 2008 6:58 AM
Keith Olbermann...I can't watch that idiot when he is doing sports!
He is no powerhouse!
And the left maroons wonder why talk radio and Fox News have all the ratings.
Posted by Ted | April 14, 2008 6:59 AM
Hey any one remember when Terry Gross made O'Rielly cry? It was one of the funniest things ever. Almost as funny as reading the hyperventilations of the Drudgebots.
Posted by The Boots | April 14, 2008 7:03 AM
ROFL - Lets see where on the honesty rankings Mr. Olbermann is:
50. Keith Olbermann
He also has the smallest market share during his period, yet you claim he is #6 on your list?
Guess we can tell where you stand and it shows the "honesty" of your report here and how completely inaccurate it is.
Posted by JeffinSac | April 14, 2008 7:04 AM
ANY ratings Keith Olbermann has is based on people watching what an IDIOT he is.
Seriously. I'd say Olbermann's ratings are 1/4 serious. The other 3/4's are people in shock at what a total, shameless clown he is.
Posted by jake | April 14, 2008 7:05 AM
Hey any one remember when Terry Gross made O'Rielly cry? It was one of the funniest things ever. Almost as funny as reading the hyperventilations of the Drudgebots.
Posted by The Boots | April 14, 2008 7:08 AM
Article written by: Michele Greppi.
All I can say is, Michele, you need to get a Greppi on your sanity.
Posted by Richard | April 14, 2008 7:12 AM
You dopes just made yourselves irrelevent!!!
Posted by Dave | April 14, 2008 7:13 AM
How'd you forget about Jim Lehrer? I know he doesn't get the ratings of ABC, NBC, and FOX, but he certainly is a staple of balanced news here in the U.S. and is someone you can definitely trust.
Posted by are you kidding me? | April 14, 2008 7:13 AM
It's amazing you could put anyone from MSNBC on the list, especially Keith Olbermann.
MSNBC is the most dishonest news channel in American history. It's absolutely stunning to watch the constant flow of left-wing propaganda that is presented as news on that channel.
Between the Bush hating, Obama worshiping, and Air America hosts, there's pretty much zero chance of getting accurate information.
I guess that explains why they're consistently dead last in the ratings week after week.
Posted by Chris Jones | April 14, 2008 7:17 AM
I am a "middle of the road" on everything, idependent voter. Fox should be rated higher than all the others combined. There is a standing money reward for anyone proving they lie about a news item. Check other outlets and see if they make the same offer. I think not, remember Dan, the "I hate all Bushes man", and one should not forget how many times "60 Minutes" has fabricated stories.
Posted by Melvin McCormick | April 14, 2008 7:19 AM
Okay....now I get the whole point; but it took a while.
This is a bit like saying my hamster Timmy is the most powerful one in the box, and Buddy is second.
Binky takes a still impressive third.
Posted by Kirkpat | April 14, 2008 7:20 AM
Keith Olberman???!!!! Nobody watches him. LOL
O'reilly has like 5 times as many viewers and he's below Olberman. What a freak'n joke!
Posted by Ron | April 14, 2008 7:24 AM
What a monumnental joke this list is! Typical Libs celebrating Libs.
The thought of Bill O'Reilly coming in after the completely brainless and inept Olbermann is beyond laughable. For good left wing measure TV Week has to belittle O'Reilly after grudgingly putting him on the list while celebrating a nitwit like Olbermann.
Note to TV Week - You better zip up, your ideology is showing!
LOL!!!!!!!!!
Posted by KC | April 14, 2008 7:26 AM
Well we've certainly made the case for Drudge this morning. More people have tuned into this than 2 cycles of MSNBC.
Posted by Rick | April 14, 2008 7:26 AM
What a hoot!
I already knew about the liberal mainstream media--news AND entertainment. But having presented this ridiculous ranking, we now know you are a part of that group...as in card-carrying.
Olberman on ANY list of "news" people?!?!?!!??
Only a handful of people watch him; check the Nielsen's, by the way, it's not a million. But those are the same people who watch train wrecks and gawk at traffic smashups.
TV WEAK.
Posted by Tim Emerson | April 14, 2008 7:26 AM
Keith Olbermann as a power player? BALONEY! He's more like the clown at the dunk tank. The entire MSNBC network is a joke and anybody of right mind knows it.
This list is little more than a who's who of lefties that the authors of this proposal "wish" were powerful. I'm surprised you didn't list Bill Maher as #2.
Posted by Brent Taylor | April 14, 2008 7:27 AM
Michele Greppi makes TVWeek a JOKE.
Olbermann 6th most powerful of what? What power does this guy have?
Maybe Michele Greppi should've put him as #1 coward and fraud. Too cowardly to debate anyone that has a different opinion then his becuase he knows he'll get outdebated.
Posted by LurkerLou | April 14, 2008 7:28 AM
This list should definitely make a thrill run up the leg of Chris Matthews!
I mean MSNBC listed as a "News" organization!
The most left leaning outfit on cable shilling for the far left dems is listed as a "News" organization! ROTFLMAO!!! ROTFLMAO!!! ROTFLMAO!!! ROTFLMAO!!!
Posted by Can't Stop Laughing!!! | April 14, 2008 7:32 AM
Youve lost your minds. Olberman? you cant find a bigger drooling moron on tv.Whats he got 100k viewers nationwide? Drudge destroys every one of these idiots. He and Rush do all the prep work for every news outlet in the country. Come to terms with it.
Posted by jeff | April 14, 2008 7:33 AM
Judas H. Priest! After reading this abominable screed, one can only wonder if the authors remembered to bring their kneepads and K-Y jelly before serving up this hand job to those leftist icons (read: faux journalists) whose professional fortunes they are obviously so hell-bent on boosting!
Posted by 91201man | April 14, 2008 7:36 AM
So.....
Keith Olbermann ranks 6th as most powerful and last in the list for honesty and integrity. Interesting.
Posted by Darryl | April 14, 2008 7:38 AM
Having Olberman and O'Reilly on this list just shows people no longer can differentiate between news and opinion. News is the unvarnished and unbiased statement of facts without opinion. Once a qualitative or subjective term is used, then it no longer is news but opinion. If you are looking to Olberman, O'Reilly, or even worse, Colbert and Stewart for your news then you are in a sorry state. Accept them for what they are, either a political show with an agenda or a comedy show. Please don't think this is real news.
Posted by SteveH | April 14, 2008 7:39 AM
"If you're 20 and not a liberal, you don't have a heart. If you're 30 and not a Conservative, you don't have a brain."
And if you're 40 and still a conservative, you find happiness only in possessions that never have voice.
Posted by Steve | April 14, 2008 7:39 AM
Keith Olberman ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Are u serious??????? What a joke!!!!!
Posted by Lisa | April 14, 2008 7:41 AM
Interesting. I've always thought that a cable channel that was unabashedly conservative would be an instant ratings success. Television is about imitation of success - one show in a format does well, and the other networks immediately come up with imitations. So, for example, after "60 Minutes" was a success, next thing you have is "20/20". And so on.
That didn't happen with "Fox News" however. Despite its unarguable success, the idiots at the other networks were too stupid (or blind, or more likely blind AND stupid) to imitate. Instead they went the other way - CBS decided the problem was that they weren't liberal pro-Democrat enough, and next thing you know Katie Couric is the replacement for that old lib fossil Dan Rather. C'mon. was anyone really surprised that a liberal pro-Democrat hack like Couric bombed?
Even the newsmagazines have sought the answer to their sliding subscriptions by moving further to the left. And, fo couse, when this doesn't work they blame something else. I mean, how willfully blind can you get?
So what we have is a first in television - depsite the unarguable success of Fox News, the networks refused to follow their financial interest, and come up with something similar, preferring to stay with the old tired failed formula of lib and more lib.
The question is WHY, and I just don't have the answer. Why would being pro-Democrat, and liberal be more important that making money? Why give up ratings in support of ideology? Right now Fox has the conservative side all to itself - there has NEVER been any hint of conservative programming at the big three networks. In fact they are going in the opposite direction - Not just in news, but in entertainment, - NOTHING conservative at all! Even Fox could do more - it really is objective overall - I've wondered why it doesn't go more to the right in a separate cable channel. After the success of conservative talk radio, why not build a channel around the conservative point of view? Heck, it would be a lot less risky than the nonsense that the big three networks have put together over the years.
Posted by B. Samuel Davis | April 14, 2008 7:43 AM
When I saw that Keith Olbermann made this list I knew it was crap. The guy is a joke. Just a year ago he was getting 300k viewers a night and now he is more important than Bill O’Reilly who averages 1.5 to 2 million a night? You have to be kidding me? Hey Michele Greppi! drugs are bad for you, mmmmmm kkkkkk..
Posted by xinunus | April 14, 2008 7:44 AM
What is the first thing most people with PC's do in the morning for the latest news? GO TO DRUDGE REPORT! All other morning news are way behind and over report the slightest item till it makes my eyes go purple! If I had to listen to anyone on your list for my news I would not know what is going anywhere in the world in my lifetime waiting for them to finish their long winded, over reported nonsense that really most average people don't care about! HULLO!
Posted by rosemary matter | April 14, 2008 7:46 AM
Is it me or does Keith Olbermann look like Eddie Munster? Wow he doesnt even need to dress into a Halloween costume when going to Halloween parties!
lol..
Posted by xinunus | April 14, 2008 7:51 AM
Olberman? Amy 'I have no talent' Poehler? NBC? What an absolute joke and obvious NBC promo piece. Where's Brit Hume? Anderson Cooper? Chris Matthews? Rush Limbaugh? Jeff Greenberg? Sean Hannity and Alan Colmes?
Posted by Michael | April 14, 2008 7:54 AM
Keith Olberman ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Are u serious??????? What a joke!!!!!
Posted by Lisa | April 14, 2008 7:55 AM
What a wonderful way to start a Monday...seeing all of these whiney girlymen types who have been seduced and ergo made even dumber by the likes of Hannity, Limbaugh , Oreilly, Coulter, all pathetic jokes determined to stay relevant.
Olberman by far has done more of late to give real news with real teeth particularly keeping this administration's feet in the fire and reporting on non-fluff issues. Unless you have the IQ of the average Hannity fan, it's easy to see thru the obfuscation presented by Faux ( God, Guns, and Guts fluff pieces, designed not to illuminate and challenge the viewers intellect, but moreso in order to seek compliance from its viewers and showing that they can be the equivalent of "Good Germans".
Congratulations Keith, what a breath of fresh air you have brought to Cable News, and not all the phoney hubris associated with feigned patriotic social agendizing fascists we get with Right Wing Hate radio and Faux Noise.
Posted by Ronald Reagan | April 14, 2008 7:56 AM
Does NBC own TVWeek or Crain?
Posted by Mark | April 14, 2008 7:57 AM
Rush is the most powerful person in the media. Keith could not carry his jock strap.
Posted by Robert Sailing | April 14, 2008 7:57 AM
No bias here. Read the comments below Olberman's pick and compare to that of O'Reilly's. I think putting O'Reilly on the list caused the writer of this article to bust a hemmrhoid. The only top ten list Olberman belongs on is Top Ten Turds and then he's at the top of the class.
Posted by Syd B. | April 14, 2008 7:58 AM
Olberman? Amy 'I have no talent' Poehler? NBC? What an absolute joke and obvious NBC promo piece. Where's Brit Hume? Anderson Cooper? Chris Matthews? Rush Limbaugh? Jeff Greenberg? Sean Hannity and Alan Colmes?
Posted by Michael | April 14, 2008 8:01 AM
Elvis is more powerful than Keith Olbermann and Evis is dead.
Posted by Robert Sailing | April 14, 2008 8:02 AM
Must I state the obvious? This list is irrelevant. TV news is fading fast. Where do most people get their news (under the age of 50ish I would guess) - it's the internet. Between talk radio and internet, cell phones with internet & blackberry thingies. Who has time to watch news on tv? And why bother?
Posted by mb | April 14, 2008 8:07 AM
Thank you for not putting Rush Limbaugh anywhere on this list. This out-of-touch blowhard is yesterday's memo.
As for most of the rest of the list, who the hell are these people? Corporate doo-wahs pulling the strings on the talking heads?
Posted by jesse | April 14, 2008 8:13 AM
In order to be important in the news business you must have, generate or control an audience. Screaming in the desert does not make you a significant news reporter or source of information.
Obviously the networks still have significant audiences and those who control these networks must be considered. Cable is still a small relative audience. But Rush Limbaugh has a daily audience for three hours which dwarfs the networks? Hannity is close behind and Ingraham, Levin and O'Reilly are very significant. It is readily apparent too, that all of these news sources rely heavily on the Drudge Report. To ignore this reveals that thsi is a silly effort by a mind numbed Leftist.
Who watches Olberman? Who takes him seriously?
Posted by Mike Moroney | April 14, 2008 8:16 AM
It took me two seconds to see the bias in this poll. Bill O'Reilly has three to four times the viewership of Olberman. This is consistent week in and week out.
No objective person would rate him above O'Reilly.
Your poll has no credibility.
Posted by Calie Stephens | April 14, 2008 8:17 AM
Bias?
NBC beats out fox for #1 by saying how great MSNBC is, yet when the writer explains why FOX earned the #2 spot, it goes on about how MSNBC's ratings and earnings can't hold a candle to FOX.
Posted by mark | April 14, 2008 8:21 AM
I watch Keith Olberman all the time. Only place I can get any commentary that isn't entirely skewed to the right.
Posted by Fred | April 14, 2008 8:24 AM
MenstualSNBC...'tales, told by idiots, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing".
Olberman..with his 'inadequate appendage' is nothing more than a playground loser trying to get into the game. His 3 viewers must be so proud. Abrams...not only lacks the balls...(pun intended) but his lawyerly logic doesn't hold water on most issues. He's starting to foam at the mouth like the grand daddy foamer...Chris Matthews. Hey Chris...have you cleaned up your leg after your Obasam? Tingles? Whatever!
Posted by Matt | April 14, 2008 8:24 AM
OH MY GOD!!! Could you be any more liberal? This is so laughable.
Did Keith Olberman, Dan Abrams and Chris Matthews help you put this together?
How about Air America and Nancy Pelosi?
You are a joke!!!!!
Posted by Katherine | April 14, 2008 8:27 AM
"He can say the most outrageous—and often non-doctrinaire—things with an almost straight face."
Wait, this is said of O'Reilly but not lunar resident Olberman? Some of KO's statements should be accompanied by a warning that "viewers should not try to hold these opinions."
Posted by Nigel | April 14, 2008 8:29 AM
For somebody who isn't at all powerful or relevant, Keith Olbermann sure is getting a lot of comment-time here. I thought all you guys said his show was going to canceled, but his ratings keep going up...strange. Maybe next year he'll be gone...
Posted by Fred | April 14, 2008 8:30 AM
With apologies to Crocodile Dundee: You call that a list? Here's a list:
http://www.naa.org/blog/digitaledge/1/2008/04/Nielsen-Online-Releases-Top-30-News-Sites-List-for-March.cfm
qed Drudge and Fox lovers.
Posted by Rick | April 14, 2008 8:36 AM
This list is a joke, right? Olbermann? Ha ha ha ... wait, this isn't funny. I'm amazed he draws any audience other than angry liberals. Oh, I mean "bitter" liberals.
Posted by John | April 14, 2008 8:40 AM