Keith Olbermann repeats stay; no new MSNBC shows planned

By GottaLaff

No Ed Schultz. No Young Turks. No Sam Seder. No nobody... well, except Keith:

MSNBC will continue airing Keith Olbermann's talk show twice each weeknight in prime time, putting on indefinite hold a search for a new 10 p.m. program.

That time slot has attracted attention ever since MSNBC chief executive Phil Griffin suggested earlier this year he was on the lookout for a new show. Fans of the Internet show "The Young Turks" and of Air America's Sam Seder have openly campaigned for their favorites.

MSNBC currently reruns Olbermann's "Countdown" show only an hour after its original airing ends. It trails Fox News Channel's Greta Van Susteren and CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360" in the ratings, but MSNBC executives have been surprised at its showing. [...]

MSNBC may give up entirely on the idea of putting a new live show in that time slot, Griffin said. [...]

NBC News has a big financial incentive to keep things the way they are. It costs the network nothing to show the rerun, while a new program would cost millions of dollars for on-air talent and production costs.

I'm a little relieved. My erratic DVR is a little relieved. And with money being as tight as it is, I'm sure MSNBC is a little relieved.