Olbermann to Current TV as Primetime Host and Chief News Officer

From AlterNet:

In a conference call, Keith Olbermann and Vice President Al Gore announced Tuesday that Olbermann will host a new, hour-long primetime news show on Current TV beginning in spring. He will also act as Executive Producer of the show and Chief News Officer of the Network.

“Nothing is more vital to a free America than a free media, and nothing is more vital to my concept of a free media than news produced independently of corporate interference,” Olbermann said. “In Current Media, Al Gore and Joel Hyatt have created the model truth-seeking entity.”

According to EW, Olbermann also noted, “None of this should be directed at my nine full-time previous employers — there is nothing wrong with people making money and corporations being involved in covering information – provided there is an avenue in which those marketing forces are not the deciding factor in what we are doing. Current is not only the leading independent network, it’s the only one. To underscore and support that is my great privilege.”

In the call, Gore described Olbermann as “a gifted thinker, an amazing talent and a powerful communicator,” as well as “truly one of the unfettered voices on TV” and “one of our society’s most courageous talents.”

More here.

Well, that didn't take long.

The only problem I have with this is that I'm not included in the 60 million homes that get Current TV as part of their cable package. Maybe Olbermann's shows will be available online, you know, like they were at MSNBC. Indeed, most of my Olbermann watching was, in fact, online, at off hours. And Current TV does appear to have a lot of video on its website. Keeping my fingers crossed.

At any rate, I'm glad this guy's back quickly. I totally dig Olbermann. Also, it is interesting to note that Comcast, the right-leaning mega media corporate giant that seemingly ran Olbermann off from MSNBC, owns a ten percent stake in Current TV according to Wikipedia. This probably means nothing in terms of content. I mean, after all, the channel is apparently some kind of Al Gore vehicle, and, even though the former Vice President isn't exactly what I'd call liberal, I wouldn't really go so far as to say that Prince Albert is much of a conservative, either--you know, he is Mister Inconvenient Truth these days. Guess we'll see.

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