Countdown with Keith Olbermann Interview @KeithOlbermann

There is nothing on my shoulder other than getting the best news, information and commentary show on the air every day. We’re in this for the long haul, there are no set audience targets. This is a progressive television news operation. The sort of stuff we’ve been doing – everybody is fair game. There are certain limitations in both directions that partisan media in the sort of old media format – television require and create, and we’re not bound by those. We’re not going to fit any stereo types, we’re going to surprise people on the content. It would be nice to think about a television show being an incubator for other television shows, but that’s one of those things you cannot force. This is not ‘All in the Family’ spinning off ‘Maude’ and ‘The Jeffersons.

 

Keith OlbermannKeith Olbermann
Broadcaster, writer and commentator | Host of Countdown with Keith Olbermann on Current TV | Chief News Officer of the Current TV network

Will the show reflect your own views and beliefs?

Keith Olbermann: We’re not going to try and sell anyone on the notion that this will be a popular program with conservatives. I don’t particularly care if it isn’t, I don’t think they are right about things. That’s my point of view, and that’s the point of view we’re going to operate from. I will not carry water for anybody, and no one is necessarily exempt from criticism on this show.

What do you think of the Lawrence O’Donnell Show?

Keith Olbermann: I haven’t seen Lawrence’s show. I have not watched MSNBC for more than five minutes since I left. It’s not that I don’t care. I get my news from a thousand sources online and a little radio and a very little TV. It’s not cable news.

Current TV is a relatively new network, what is your target audience?

Keith Olbermann: We’re in this for the long haul with no set audience targets.

Will Bill O’Reilly be a major target for you?

Keith Olbermann: Bill O’Reilly has lost a little on his fast ball.

You were close with Rachel Maddow before you left MSNBC. How is your relationship with her now?

Keith Olbermann: We had a very brotherly/sisterly relationship. I was normally in her office or she in mine, four out of five days, just to throw the crap around. Several times I talked her out of storming out of the place, and several times she talked me out of storming out. But since I left, I’ve kept my distance from all my friends I couldn’t bring with me. I hope I’m employing all of them someday, but at the moment there is a somewhat chilled view of me at NBC. I don’t think they expected this would be the outcome. They expected “OK, he’s going to go away now, probably for so long that nobody will be interested in bringing him back.

 

‘Count Down with Keith Olbermann’ at 8pm ET on Current TV.

 

_Daedrian McNaughton

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