Because this story might qualify as “breaking news,” MSNBC staffers probably won’t learn about what the president of their channel said by watching their own station. Fortunately Twitchy is on it:
When news breaks, MSNBC…hides in the corner, because it doesn't do news. http://t.co/dt6wxJd7Cc
— Byron York (@ByronYork) June 3, 2013
From the New York Times:
At a time of intensely high interest in news, MSNBC’s ratings declined from the same period a year ago by about 20 percent. The explanation, in the network’s own analysis, comes down to this: breaking news is not really what MSNBC does.
“We’re not the place for that,” said Phil Griffin, the channel’s president, in reference to covering breaking events as CNN does. “Our brand is not that.”
Meaning President Obama will have to switch to CNN or, gulp, Fox News to watch breaking updates about what’s going on in his administration.
Old MSNBC: “I felt this thrill going up my leg.” New MSNBC: “I felt this thrill going up my leg … about a week ago.”
So this means MSNBC’s ads aren’t entirely accurate?
One of those places the breaking stories can hide is in MSNBC’s news room, according to MSNBC’s president.
Twitter responded to the news with snark and a definite lack of shock:
https://twitter.com/JeffreyGoldberg/status/341536382151442432
https://twitter.com/Rschrim/status/341587547467694080
https://twitter.com/Mr_Snarky_Pants/status/341565829546127361
https://twitter.com/Timinator257/status/341559278731153409
So is @EricBoehlert still pounding drum that @MSNBC is a "real news network?" Cuz they're not even claiming it now. http://t.co/OOFTJ61gEc
— David Henry (@imau2fan) June 3, 2013
just biased "news" RT @jtLOL: .@MSNBC Prez: ‘We’re not the place for’ breaking news http://t.co/3uxz8IiDDi No, just broken news.
— BarbaraMcMahon((?)) (@southsalem) June 3, 2013
.@MSNBC Prez: ‘We’re not the place for’ breaking news http://t.co/Hesc1WjEly No, just broken news.
— China is lying (@jtLOL) June 3, 2013
MSNBC Chief Phil Griffin: Our Network Is ‘Not The Place’ For Breaking News
It's the place for @Morningmika to sell her books.
— Susan (@CriticSusan) June 3, 2013
You know it’s getting bad for MSNBC when even a talking head from the cable net running a distant second at best is rubbing it in.
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