Phil Donahue Cancelled
02-25-03, 03:25 PM
#1
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 5,420
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Phil Donahue Cancelled
Another liberal talk show bites the dust.
Bye-Bye Phil.
NEW YORK (AP) — MSNBC fired Phil Donahue on Tuesday, abruptly ending the veteran talk show host's return to television after six months of poor ratings.
During sweeps month, Donahue drew only 446,000 viewers, compared to 2.7 million for The O'Reilly Factor.
Donahue's final show will be Friday night. The news show that precedes him on the air, Countdown: Iraq, will be temporarily expanded to two hours to replace him.
"We're proud of the program and we're disappointed that the show was not able to attract the viewership we had hoped for and expected," said Erik Sorenson, MSNBC president. "We thank Phil and his staff for their dedication, commitment and passion."
The move was not a surprise. MSNBC hoped Donahue would provide a liberal counterweight to Fox News Channel's competing The O'Reilly Factor, but the ratings started poorly and didn't improve.
MSNBC tried to tweak the show in November, putting Donahue in front of a live audience in New York instead of in a New Jersey studio, but it made little difference.
During this month, a "sweeps" month in which ratings are watched closely to set advertising rates, Donahue averaged 446,000 viewers. O'Reilly drew 2.7 million viewers, up 28% from February 2002, according to Nielsen Media Research.
A CNN talk show with Connie Chung as host that debuted shortly before Donahue averaged 985,000 viewers this month, Nielsen said.
Donahue was a nine-time Daytime Emmy Award winner for his syndicated talk show, which aired nationally from 1970 to 1996, paving the way for dozens of such shows to follow.
He began his MSNBC show on July 15 with a panel discussion on whether the United States should try to oust Saddam Hussein. On Monday night, with Rosie O'Donnell as guest, they talked about the same topic.
Bye-Bye Phil.
NEW YORK (AP) — MSNBC fired Phil Donahue on Tuesday, abruptly ending the veteran talk show host's return to television after six months of poor ratings.
During sweeps month, Donahue drew only 446,000 viewers, compared to 2.7 million for The O'Reilly Factor.
Donahue's final show will be Friday night. The news show that precedes him on the air, Countdown: Iraq, will be temporarily expanded to two hours to replace him.
"We're proud of the program and we're disappointed that the show was not able to attract the viewership we had hoped for and expected," said Erik Sorenson, MSNBC president. "We thank Phil and his staff for their dedication, commitment and passion."
The move was not a surprise. MSNBC hoped Donahue would provide a liberal counterweight to Fox News Channel's competing The O'Reilly Factor, but the ratings started poorly and didn't improve.
MSNBC tried to tweak the show in November, putting Donahue in front of a live audience in New York instead of in a New Jersey studio, but it made little difference.
During this month, a "sweeps" month in which ratings are watched closely to set advertising rates, Donahue averaged 446,000 viewers. O'Reilly drew 2.7 million viewers, up 28% from February 2002, according to Nielsen Media Research.
A CNN talk show with Connie Chung as host that debuted shortly before Donahue averaged 985,000 viewers this month, Nielsen said.
Donahue was a nine-time Daytime Emmy Award winner for his syndicated talk show, which aired nationally from 1970 to 1996, paving the way for dozens of such shows to follow.
He began his MSNBC show on July 15 with a panel discussion on whether the United States should try to oust Saddam Hussein. On Monday night, with Rosie O'Donnell as guest, they talked about the same topic.
02-25-03, 03:28 PM
#2
Administrator
He should have kept to wearing women's dresses -- a real highlight of TV "journalism".
But even his old show got old and Oprah kicked his ass in ratings. (Actually, she could have kicked his ass any way she wanted!)
But even his old show got old and Oprah kicked his ass in ratings. (Actually, she could have kicked his ass any way she wanted!)
02-25-03, 03:32 PM
#3
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Cedar Rapids, IA, USA
Posts: 4,727
Likes: 0
Received 7 Likes
on
7 Posts
Re: Phil Donahue Cancelled
Originally posted by Struz
A CNN talk show with Connie Chung as host that debuted shortly before Donahue averaged 985,000 viewers this month, Nielsen said.
A CNN talk show with Connie Chung as host that debuted shortly before Donahue averaged 985,000 viewers this month, Nielsen said.
"Everybody have fun tonight..."
02-25-03, 04:50 PM
#9
Phil D has just gone wacko. The kind of crap he said just after 9/11 was utterly ridiculous, and I'm surprised I actually liked his talk show many years ago. Today, he needs to retire.
02-25-03, 05:12 PM
#13
DVD Talk Hero
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Words
Posts: 28,204
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think they should give Al Sharpton a show....and give the studio audience pies. The real question will be:
1. Will Al Sharpton be able to talk when he is staring at all of those pie?
2. Will be dodge the pies being thrown at him....or will he welcome them with an open mouth?
3. Can Al Sharpton outdraw the Chevy Chase show? (5 6 people to eclipse Chevy's totals?)
-pedagogue
1. Will Al Sharpton be able to talk when he is staring at all of those pie?
2. Will be dodge the pies being thrown at him....or will he welcome them with an open mouth?
3. Can Al Sharpton outdraw the Chevy Chase show? (5 6 people to eclipse Chevy's totals?)
-pedagogue
02-25-03, 06:19 PM
#14
DVD Talk God
Originally posted by LurkerWilson
your'e poking fun at donahue and his suicidal return to tv... I'm reporting this post...
your'e poking fun at donahue and his suicidal return to tv... I'm reporting this post...
I'll admit that I have it coming. I noticed you didn't capitalize the "D" in Donahue
02-25-03, 06:44 PM
#17
Banned
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Silenced Forever
Posts: 1,620
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well the problem with the show was that it wasn’t very good in the beginning. Also, he turned off his core audience (Democrats) with his constant fawning over Ralph Nader. BTW: It got better ratings than Hardball.
Last edited by goop; 02-25-03 at 10:16 PM.
02-25-03, 07:24 PM
#18
DVD Talk Legend
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: The Last House on the Left
Posts: 12,332
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Originally posted by mysterX
So is MSNBC going to bring back Keyes now?
So is MSNBC going to bring back Keyes now?
"Making Sense with Alan Keyes" Yeah, too bad the only guy he made sense to was the only one who couldn't watch his show when it aired (himself.)
I'm not surprised Donahue got the boot. Aside from the fact that it was Donahue and was doomed from the start, MSNBC has lost a lot of viewers to Fox News (myself being one of them.) The only show I watch on MSNBC now is Nachman (
), but not lately since he's been out sick.
02-25-03, 07:27 PM
#19
DVD Talk God
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Directionally Challenged (for DirecTV)
Posts: 130,271
Received 616 Likes
on
495 Posts
Alan Keyes is probably the most intelligent conservative that I have ever listened to on television. Of course he has very little in the way of charisma and doesn't drown out those he argues with so there is no way he can get decent ratings. 
02-25-03, 07:44 PM
#20
DVD Talk Gold Edition
I can finally watch MSNBC again!
Intially I was not that dead set against Phil on MSNBC, but quickly the reasons I dispised him before came rushing back.
As Chris Mathews said to Phil, "I criticize America but I feel good about being a American, you Phil make us feel bad about being Americans!" Chris said that to him on Phil's own show, thought Phil was going to lose it when he did that!
I do know who Phil's replacement is!
MSNBC signed him and has him waiting in the wings!
Intially I was not that dead set against Phil on MSNBC, but quickly the reasons I dispised him before came rushing back.
As Chris Mathews said to Phil, "I criticize America but I feel good about being a American, you Phil make us feel bad about being Americans!" Chris said that to him on Phil's own show, thought Phil was going to lose it when he did that!
I do know who Phil's replacement is!
Spoiler:
MSNBC signed him and has him waiting in the wings!
02-25-03, 07:51 PM
#21
Administrator
Originally posted by mgfred
As Chris Mathews said to Phil, "I criticize America but I feel good about being a American, you Phil make us feel bad about being Americans!" Chris said that to him on Phil's own show, thought Phil was going to lose it when he did that!
As Chris Mathews said to Phil, "I criticize America but I feel good about being a American, you Phil make us feel bad about being Americans!" Chris said that to him on Phil's own show, thought Phil was going to lose it when he did that!
02-25-03, 08:50 PM
#22
Banned
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: The City of Roses.
Posts: 4,802
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by X
I saw that and thought Matthews expressed what Donahue does perfectly. I think some of our members do the same thing as Donahue here.
I saw that and thought Matthews expressed what Donahue does perfectly. I think some of our members do the same thing as Donahue here.
02-25-03, 09:03 PM
#23
DVD Talk Legend
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Right of Atilla The Hun
Posts: 19,749
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well the problem with the show was that it wasn’t very good in the beginning.
02-25-03, 10:06 PM
#24
Banned
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Silenced Forever
Posts: 1,620
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well in a desperation attempt to save MSNBC it looks like they are going full tilt ditto monkey like Faux news.
http://tv.zap2it.com/news/tvnewsdaily.html?30315
Oh and the reason Keyes got canned, was that he was making cents not sense for the MSNBC. Keyes show kind of makes an interesting point though. Put someone on a political show be they liberal or conservative if they actually try to have intelligent discussion instead of pounding on the podium calling the other side names and parroting the days talking points nobody watches or listens.
http://tv.zap2it.com/news/tvnewsdaily.html?30315
The firing of Donahue represents a recent shift to the right politically for MSNBC. Perhaps concerned with the failure of liberal pundits in the political talk show format, MSNBC has hired ultra-conservative radio host and author Michael Savage to bring his "The Savage Nation" to the small screen. On Monday, MSNBC also announced that former House Majority Leader Dick Armey, a Texas Republican, will join the cable network as a regular contributor to provide on-air commentary and analysis
02-26-03, 01:29 AM
#25
Banned
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: The City of Roses.
Posts: 4,802
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by goop
Well in a desperation attempt to save MSNBC it looks like they are going full tilt ditto monkey like Faux news.
http://tv.zap2it.com/news/tvnewsdaily.html?30315
Well in a desperation attempt to save MSNBC it looks like they are going full tilt ditto monkey like Faux news.
http://tv.zap2it.com/news/tvnewsdaily.html?30315