Sweeping Changes at MSNBC
Published
(Mar. 2, 3:45PM ET) -- TMZ has learned that active discussions are underway at MSNBC to kill all live, daytime programming and replace it with taped shows.
High-level sources connected with the cable network also tell TMZ that MSNBC President Rick Kaplan will be booted from the network when his contract is up -- within a year.
MSNBC's daytime, live news lineup has been anemic, compared to FOX News Channel and CNN. Since September, MSNBC has attracted an average of 267,000 viewers between 9AM. and 6PM, compared with 626,000 viewers tuning in to CNN and 1,125,000 viewers watching FNC.
Any final decision regarding programming will not affect nighttime shows, specifically 'The Abrams Report,' 'Hardball with Chris Matthews,' 'Countdown with Keith Olbermann,' 'Rita Cosby: Live and Direct,' 'Scarborough Country' and 'The Situation with Tucker Carlson.'
Update: 5:10PM ET -- MSNBC contacted TMZ and issued this statement: "This is ridiculous and is wrong on every level. MSNBC, which under Rick Kaplan has seen a real uptick in ratings of late, and is by definition a news channel, is not going to abandon live news."
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