Six months after abruptly leaving MSNBC, Keith Olbermann returns on Current TV.
In this undated photo released by Cuttent TV, commentator Keith Olbermann is shown. Olbermann's new show, Countdown With Keith Olbermann" on Current TV premieres on June 20, 2011.Six months after abruptly leaving his MSNBC show, Keith Olbermann returns to television tonight at 8 p.m., kicking off the new version of Countdown, this time on Current TV.
Entertainment Weekly notes that his first guests will be filmmaker Michael Moore and Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas.
Much of the discussion in the days leading up to tonight's premiere has centered around ratings. Current TV is available in 6 million homes, one-third fewer than MSNBC, according to the New York Daily News, and it's safe to say that many viewers may be uncertain if it is even included in their cable package.
In a conference call with reporters, Olbermann showed no signs of ratings anxiety. The Philadelphia Daily News quotes him as saying that his MSNBC show had “a total audience of about 200,000” as recently as 2003.
For tonight's premiere, Olbermann says a "satisfactory audience" would be the 10 people in the show's control room.
As for how much of the old show carries over to the new one, viewers will have to wait and see. For one thing, Current TV currently lacks the news gathering capabilities of MSNBC, meaning Olbermann will not have the same stable of reporters on call for appearances.
But if his conference call with reporters is any indication, Olbermann may continue his antagonistic on-air relationship with Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly. The Washington Post quotes Olbermann on the topic:
Olbermann insisted, he probably won’t have too much to say about O’Reilly on his Current TV program, because, “Bill has lost a little bit of his fastball.”[...]
“Did you ever get the feeling some people have just stopped trying?” he asked, rhetorically.
It also remains to be seen whether Olbermann's old rivals will take the bait, now that he's moved up the dial.
Despite the drawbacks of the move from MSNBC to Current TV, and whether one enjoys his program or not, the timing for Olbermann's return brings significant ratings potential. This is a time when casual political junkies will be tuning back in. The 2012 campaign cycle kicked off in earnest with last week's first GOP primary debate, and as the field of presidential contenders finalizes, overall viewership of cable news will go up. Olbermann's challenge will be to carve out a piece of that pie for himself, while fighting against more familiar network names like CNN, Fox News, and, of course, MSNBC.
Whether he can become a surprise ratings success on his first night, or even in his first month, may not ultimately matter in the big picture. The Wall Street Journal reported that Olbermann's contract with Current pays him $9 million this year, and $50 million over 5 years. That kind of commitment shows that he's not going anywhere — love him or hate him.
Countdown airs weeknights at 8 p.m. EST. The show's home page includes information to help you find your Current TV station information.
What do you think about Keith Olbermann's return? Will you be watching tonight?