Keith, We Hardly Knew Ye

Washington Free Beacon

Washington Free Beacon Staff – March 30, 2012 5:17 pm

Keith Olbermann was dismissed by Current TV Friday afternoon. His program “Countdown with Keith Olbermann” will be replaced by a new show entitled “Viewpoint with Eliot Spitzer.” Current TV founders Al Gore and Joel Hyatt released a statement announcing Olbermann’s termination. The statement reads in part:

Current was also founded on the values of respect, openness, collegiality, and loyalty to our viewers. Unfortunately these values are no longer reflected in our relationship with Keith Olbermann and we have ended it.

Olbermann will not be allowed a farewell broadcast.

Full Article

Current TV Fires Keith Olbermann, Replaces Him With Spitzer Immediately, Olbermann to Sue

(THINK PROGRESS)   The New York Times’ Brian Stelter breaks the news that Current TV has let go Keith Olbermann, and will replace him starting tonight with Eliot Spitzer, denying Olbermann to give a send-off or special comment to his viewers. Spitzer, like Olbermann, also had experience at MSNBC, where he appeared as a guest anchor. Olbermann had been suspended by MSNBC for violating its rules on campaign contributions, an event that soured his relationship with the network, before his departure from MSNBC opened the door to his deal with Current. He was at one point a high-profile acquisition for the network, founded by former Vice President Al Gore to provide a more progressive take on the news. But his ratings fell and his relationship with Current quickly foundered.

In an open letter to Current viewers, Gore and co-founder Joel Hyatt wrote “We created Current to give voice to those Americans who refuse to rely on corporate-controlled media and are seeking an authentic progressive outlet. We are more committed to those goals today than ever before. Current was also founded on the values of respect, openness, collegiality, and loyalty to our viewers. Unfortunately these values are no longer reflected in our relationship with Keith Olbermann and we have ended it.” Olbermann had complained about technical issues on his set and squabbled with the network over his role in its coverage of the Republican primary, though he ultimately agreed to anchor those segments.

In a series of Tweets after that letter was released, Olbermann said that he would sue the network. “I’d like to apologize to my viewers and my staff for the failure of Current TV,” he tweeted. “Editorially, Countdown had never been better. But for more than a year I have been imploring @AlGore and @JoelHyatt to resolve our issues internally, while I’ve been not publicizing my complaints, and keeping the show alive for the sake of its loyal viewers and even more loyal staff. Nevertheless, Mr. Gore and Mr. Hyatt, instead of abiding by their promises and obligations and investing in a quality news program, finally thought it was more economical to try to get out of my contract. It goes almost without saying that the claims against me in Current’s statement are untrue and will be proved so in the legal actions I will be filing against them presently…Joining them was a sincere and well-intentioned gesture on my part, but in retrospect a foolish one. That lack of judgment is mine and mine alone, and I apologize again for it.”

http://thinkprogress.org/alyssa/2012/03/30/456104/current-tv-fires-keith-olbermann/