http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/olbermanns%20audience%20expanding%20at%20msnbc_1010584
10/10/2006
OLBERMANN'S AUDIENCE EXPANDING AT MSNBC
In just over a month, since MSNBC's Keith Olbermann began a blistering
attack on the Bush administration, his ratings have soared 69 percent,
the Associated Press observed Monday, citing figures from Nielsen
Media Research.
According to A.P., the sudden rise in Olbermann's audience -- it now
exceeds CNN's Paula Zahn in the time period but amounts for less than
half of FNC's Bill O'Reilly -- can be traced to his Countdown
commentary following Donald Rumsfeld's speech equating Iraq War
opponents to pre-World War II appeasers.
"As a critic of the administration, I will be damned if you can get
away with calling me the equivalent of a Nazi appeaser," Olbermann
told the wire service.
"No one has the right to say that about any free-speaking American in
this country."
Olbermann insists that no one in management at the channel has asked
him to tone down his commentaries -- a far cry from the experience of
his predecessor, Phil Donohue, who complained that MSNBC execs had
asked him to add more conservatives to his guest list.
The liberal commentator credits his rising ratings profile for keeping
the channel's management at bay.
"As dangerous as it can sometimes be for news, it is also our great
protector," Olbermann said.
"Because as long as you make them money, they don't care."
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Nice
Harry
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