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MSNBC Earns Title of Top Cable Network in Total Viewers for First Time Ever

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Photo courtesy Jeff Maurone via Wikimedia Commons.

According to Nielsen data, the cable news channel MSNBC ranked as the number one network across all of cable in total viewers for the day, for the first time in its history.

For Wednesday, August 16th, 1.52 million viewers for the total day tuned in to MSNBC across all of cable, beating Fox News, who came in second place with 1.5 million viewers.  CNN placed fourth among all cable networks for the day with 1.13 million viewers.

In the key 25-54 adult demographic, CNN was in first place among cable news networks for the day, averaging 381,000 viewers.  Fox News was second in the demographic with 353,000 viewers, and MSNBC third with 343,000 viewers.

Wednesday’s episodes of MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show” and “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell” were both among the top 10 shows of the evening in total viewers.  Maddow’s show averaged 3.25 million viewers, with O’Donnell averaging 2.54 million.  Both shows were the highest-rated and most-watched cable news programs during their time slots.

Compared to Maddow’s 9PM EST time slot, Fox News’ “The Five” averaged 2.31 million viewers.  CNN’s Anderson Cooper averaged 1.52 million viewers during that hour.  (Cooper’s broadcast during the 8PM EST timeslot was third in total cable viewers with 1.67 million.)

Fox News Host Receives Death Threats After Segment Criticizing Trump

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Fox News building on 6th Avenue in NYC. Photo courtesy Jim Henderson via Wikimedia Commons.

Fox News host Eboni K. Williams berated President Donald Trump in her Monday “Eboni’s Docket” segment, blasting him for failing to call out white supremacist groups when condemning violence over the weekend in Charlottesville.  In an interview with Variety, she said her email was flooded with “seething, scathing” take-downs in response.

Some of the comments she received included statements that she “should meet [her] maker soon,” and that she “shouldn’t be allowed to walk the streets of New York.”

“When you don’t speak out and condemn, that’s tacit compliance in my book,” Williams said. “So whether President Trump approves of it actually, or actually wants it, I think is irrelevant because what we know is that these people think they are acting on behalf of the President of the United States.”

Many have criticized Williams for not addressing counter-protests that occurred in Charlottesville during her segment.  “I don’t think they were at fault because they didn’t drive a car into a crowd of people and kill Heather Heyer,” she replied. “That was one individual that self-identified as a white nationalist and Nazi. To even have an analysis beyond that is irresponsible.”

Williams has received extra security from Fox News, and is currently escorted to and from the network building when she arrives and leaves work.

Fox News Could Not Find Any Republican to Defend Trump On-Air Regarding Charlottesville Statement

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Fox News building on 6th Avenue in NYC. Photo courtesy Jim Henderson via Wikimedia Commons.

On Wednesday, Fox News host Shephard Smith announced on-air that his network failed to find a Republican willing to defend President Donald Trump and his comments on the violence in Charlottesville last weekend.

“Our booking team — and they’re good — reached out to Republicans of all stripes across the country today,” Smith said during his broadcast. “Let’s be honest, Republicans often don’t really mind coming on Fox News Channel. We couldn’t get anyone to come and defend him here. Because we thought, in balance, someone should do that. We worked very hard at it throughout the day, and we were unsuccessful,” he continued.

Following violence at a white supremacist rally on Saturday in Charlottesville that resulted in the death of 32-year old Heather Heyer and injured nearly 20 other counter-protesters, President Donald Trump said “both sides” were to blame, while also claiming there were some “very fine people” in attendance of the white nationalist rally.

“And,” Smith continued, “of those that are condemning the president’s condemnable actions, I’ve not heard any prominent leaders, former presidents, members of the House or the Senate use his name while speaking in generalities,” Smith said.

UPDATE:  Other networks have announced similar problems.

Chuck Todd, NBC:  “We invited every single Republican senator on this program tonight, all 52.”  Plus a dozen House Republicans.  “None of them agreed to discuss this issue with us today.”

Wolf Blitzer, CNN: “We did reach out to Republican leaders throughout the day.  They all, at least for now, refused to join us.”

CNN Fires Pro-Trump Commentator Jeffrey Lord Over Nazi Salute Tweet

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Photo courtesy Josh Hallett.

CNN has severed ties with provocative commentator Jeffrey Lord following his tweeting “Seig Heil!” at Angelo Carusone, a prominent liberal activist and president of Media Matters.

“Nazi salutes are indefensible,” CNN said in a release. “Jeffrey Lord is no longer with the network.”

Lord disagreed with the decision, but expressed his respect for CNN and its management. “I love CNN, but I feel they are caving to bullies here,” he said in a telephone interview after the decision was announced.

“You’re not supposed to make fun of Nazis? I don’t think so,” Lord said. “I do not ever intend to be quiet. If I had to do it all over again, I would.”

The personality had served as a staff member in the Reagan administration. He was the first explicitly pro-Trump commentator on the network, joining in August 2015. Lord’s addition to CNN’s roster was viewed as a counterweight to other commentators, who were virtually unanimous in dismissing Trump’s candidacy.

Following his firing, Lord received a phone call from White House chief strategist Steve Bannon. In the call, Bannon told Lord to “keep fighting.”

Chuck Todd Announces He Will Ignore Any Subpoena from Department of Justice’s Leak Investiation

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NBC International Information Bureau. Photo courtesy Jeff Maurone via Flickr.

NBC’s “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd said he would ignore any subpoena issued from the Department of Justice to him in the agency’s recently-announced investigation of White House leaks.

On Friday, Todd stated on Twitter that:

“If DoJ media source threat is real (I assume it’s not; just a show presser to please WH) then I look forward to ignoring that subpoena”


Attorney General Jeff Sessions said earlier on Friday that the Department of Justice was reviewing policies regarding media subpoenas.  “We respect the role that the press plays and will give them respect, but it is not unlimited.  They cannot place lives at risk with impunity.”

Todd followed up his tweet with another: “The worst way to stop leaks: threats”

Israel Makes Moves to Ban Al Jazeera

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Al Jazeera English Newsdesk. Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

Over the weekend, the nation of Israel joined other Middle Eastern nations in moving to ban the news network Al Jazeera from operations within the country and also the occupied Palestinian territories.

Israeli communications minister Ayoob Kara announced Saturday that press cards for the network’s reporters would be revoked, and the network’s Jerusalem bureau closed with cable and satellite transmissions shut down.

These actions follow four Arabic nations in the region — Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain — demanding Al Jazeera close, following diplomatic strains with the nation of Qatar, which is accused of promoting terrorism in the region.  Al Jazeera Media Network receives significant funding from the ruling royal family in Qatar.

“Lately, almost all countries in our region determined that al-Jazeera supports terrorism, supports religious radicalization,” said Kara. “And when we see that all these countries have determined as fact that Al Jazeera is a tool of the Islamic State, Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, and we are the only one who have not determined that, then something delusional is happening here.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote in a Facebook post that tensions with the network centered over a holy site in Jerusalem.

“The Al-Jazeera channel continues to incite violence around the Temple Mount,” he wrote.  “I have appealed to law enforcement agencies several times to close the Al Jazeera office in Jerusalem… If this is not possible because of legal interpretation, I am going to seek to have the necessary legislation adopted to expel Al Jazeera from Israel.”

The networked denounced the announcement, saying Israel could not substantiate their allegations by referring to “a single news bulletin or situation” to defend their actions.  They called the actions “undemocratic.”

Al Jazeera said it would take all necessary legal measures, and would continue to cover “news and events in the occupied Palestinian territories in a professional and objective manner in accordance with the common journalistic standards set by the relevant international organizations, such as the British Broadcasting Code of Ofcom.”

Fox News Suspends Anchor Eric Bolling

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Fox News building on 6th Avenue in NYC. Photo courtesy Jim Henderson via Wikimedia Commons.

Over the weekend, Fox News confirmed it has suspended anchor Eric Bolling after allegations emerged he sent unsolicited, explicit text messages to female co-workers.

In a statement Saturday, the news channel stated that:

“Eric Bolling has been suspended pending the results of an investigation, which is currently underway.”

Citing a dozen anonymous sources, reporters at HuffPost revealed Bolling had sent explicit photos to two employees at Fox Business Network and an additional co-worker at Fox News.

Several personalities at Fox News had been accused of inappropriate activity recently, including Bill O’Reilley, then the network’s top anchor, who was forced out of his prime time slot.  Former network chief Roger Ailes was also removed following allegations of impropriety.

The Paul Weiss law firm will investigate Bolling’s activities for the network.

MSNBC Edges Out Fox News as Most-Watched Prime Time Cable Network

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Photo courtesy Jeff Maurone via Wikimedia Commons.

For the first time ever, Nielsen data shows that MSNBC was the most-watched cable network during weekday prime time.

Averaging approximately 90,000 viewers more than second-place rival Fox News, during the week of July 17 through July 21, MSNBC had 2.34 million viewers during weekday prime time. Fox News racked up 2.25 million viewers. In third place, Disney Channel received 1.74 million viewers. USA Network and HGTV made up the remainder of the top five channels for the week.

Rachel Maddow continued winning the 9 PM time slot over all other news programs. During the week, hers was also the second most-watched program of all cable, behind only WWE Entertainment.  The network’s lineup from 7 PM through midnight also was first among cable networks.

“MSNBC was previously #1 in cable news in weekday prime during the weeks of May 15, 2017 (behind TNT) and September 3, 2012 (behind USA) among total viewers, but this was the 1st time MSNBC was #1 among all of cable,” the network commented in a statement.

Fox News still held in at first place in “total day” viewers, which measures from 6 AM to 6 AM, extending its streak over all basic cable channels to its 29th week.

CNN finished in ninth place in total viewers in prime time, averaging 875,000 viewers.

Megyn Kelly to Host New NBC News Show in September

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NBC International Information Bureau. Photo courtesy Jeff Maurone via Flickr.

Megyn Kelly will host a new hour-long morning segment starting September 25, broadcast in front of a live studio audience, NBC News has confirmed.

Compared to other morning news programs taking place primarily on a set with no substantial live viewership, NBC News is hoping Kelly’s upcoming program and its unique format will add a fresh perspective to the network’s array of news shows.

Today show senior producer Jackie Levin has been named executive producer of this hour-long live segment.  Levin has been called

“…one of the most talented and hardest-working producers in television news.  Her intimate knowledge of the brand will be invaluable as we launch Megyn’s show under the Today umbrella,” NBC News president Noah Oppenheim wrote in an email to staffers.

The show will be sandwiched between portions of the Today show, and premiers during NBC’s launch of its prime time schedule this fall.

Comedian Matt Lucas Dresses Like a Baby to Drum Up Support for Children Under 5

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Photo courtesy Theirworld.

British Comedian Matt Lucas dressed in a baby onesie to raise awareness of five crucial interventions needed for children under 5 years old.

Promoting the #5for5 campaign sponsored by the children’s charity Theirworld, Lucas returned to his Shooting Stars character George Dawes to draw attention to the five most crucial things infants and toddlers under the age of five years old need to thrive.

“I think 5 for 5 is a great campaign to be involved in, it’s a strong message. Theirworld is a great charity. For me, it was a good opportunity to be George Dawes again because I haven’t been George for eight years!” commented Lucas.

The comedian and actor is renowned for his work on the shows Little Britain and Dr. Who, and is the first of several comedians around the globe starring in short films to promote the #5for5 campaign of Theirworld.

Sarah Brown, president of Theirworld, explained the need for the #5for5 campaign. “By the time a child reaches the age of five, 90% of their brain has already developed… Despite the evidence world leaders are not committing funding for programs to make sure all children – particularly the poorest and most marginalized – are given the best start in life.”

The Theirworld campaign is calling on world leaders at the upcoming G20 conference in Hamburg, Germany to commit to a dramatic increase in pre-primary educational funding.

You can watch Lucas drumming up support for infants and toddlers with #5for5 here: http://www.theirworld.org/5for5/