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MSNBC Adding ‘Cosby,’ Moving ‘Situation’

Jul 29, 2005  •  Post A Comment

MSNBC is rearranging its weeknight lineup starting Aug. 8 to put former Fox News Channel personality Rita Cosby at 9 p.m. and move 6-week-old “The Situation With Tucker Carlson” to 11 p.m., where it will be the only live cable news program.

The announcement Friday morning said “Rita Cosby: Live and Direct” will “deliver compelling stories, intriguing guests, and Cosby’s hands-on, won’t-take-no-for-an-answer reporting.” Angie Dorr will be executive producer of “Rita Cosby.

“The Situation” has struggled in the ratings, averaging 201,000 viewers, according to data from Nielsen Media Research, and is generally running in deep fourth place in the cable news race at 9 p.m.

“MSNBC will be the only cable news network to offer viewers six hours of first-run prime-time programming, and the network will now offer our West Coast viewers a live program at 8 p.m. (PT) for the first time,” said MSNBC President Rick Kaplan. “The fast-paced style of ‘The Situation’ is best suited for a late-night audience.”

The scheduling of “Rita Cosby” boosts MSNBC’s headline potential value at 9 p.m., since Ms. Cosby chases big interviews, in contrast to kicking around the day’s topics with a regular ensemble every night, as “Tucker Carlson” does.