| Countdown with Keith Olbermann | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Presented by | Keith Olbermann |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 1,400+[1] |
| Production | |
| Production locations | Secaucus, New Jersey (April 3, 2003 – October 19, 2007) New York City (October 22, 2007 – January 21, 2011; June 20, 2011 – March 29, 2012) |
| Running time | 60 minutes (March 2003 – January 2011; June 2011 – March 2012) 63 minutes (some episodes in June 2011) |
| Original release | |
| Network | MSNBC (2003–2011) Current TV (2011–2012) |
| Release | March 31, 2003 – January 21, 2011; June 20, 2011 – March 29, 2012 |
| Infobox instructions (only shown in preview) | |
Countdown with Keith Olbermann is a weekday podcast that originated as an hour-long weeknight news and political commentary program[2] hosted by Keith Olbermann that aired on MSNBC from 2003 to 2011 and on Current TV from 2011 to 2012. The show presented five selected news stories of the day, with commentary by Olbermann and interviews of guests. At the start of Countdown, Olbermann told television columnist Lisa de Moraes:
Our charge for the immediate future is to stay out of the way of the news. ... News is the news. We will not be screwing around with it. ... As times improve and the war [in Iraq] ends we will begin to introduce more and more elements familiar to my style.
The show was known for Olbermann's fast-paced rhetoric, historical and pop culture references, and liberal commentary. Olbermann melded news stories, both serious and light, with commentary, much of it critical of Republicans and conservative politics. The show has been the source of controversy owing to these criticisms, as well as the host's ongoing commentary against Fox News and his feud with its leading primetime personality Bill O'Reilly.[3]
During the January 21, 2011, edition of Countdown, Olbermann announced that it would be his last appearance on the show, but he gave no explanation why.[4] The New York Times reported the following day that Olbermann had negotiated his exit from MSNBC with a secret deal.[5] After being hired by Current TV, Olbermann announced on April 26, 2011, that his nightly news program on the new network would begin June 20, 2011, and would also be called Countdown with Keith Olbermann. On March 30, 2012, Current TV abruptly terminated its relationship with Olbermann and replaced his show with a program hosted by Eliot Spitzer.[6]
On August 1, 2022, Olbermann began producing and hosting a weekday podcast also titled "Countdown with Keith Olbermann", for iHeart Media.[7]
- ^ "Countdown with Keith Olbermann for April 3, 2008". Countdown with Keith Olbermann. NBC News. 2008-04-03. Archived from the original on 2016-09-23. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
- ^ Barnhart, Aaron (2008-01-06). "Keith Olbermann enjoys big success and very little wisdom". Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on 2008-05-27. Retrieved 2008-07-10.
'Is this a straight newscast at this point?' Olbermann said. 'Probably not. It is, however, entirely news-driven. If there is no daily controversy about the Iraq war, we're not going to start the show with one.'
- ^ Shafer, Jack (2006-04-18). "The Olbermann-O'Reilly feud". Slate. Archived from the original on 2010-05-26. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
- ^ Carter, Bill (January 21, 2011). "Olbermann Leaves 'Countdown' on MSNBC". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 25, 2011. Retrieved January 22, 2011.
- ^ Carter, Bill (January 22, 2011). "Olbermann's MSNBC Exit Was Weeks in the Making". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 25, 2011. Retrieved January 22, 2011.
- ^ "Olbermann out, Spitzer in on Current TV". Politico. 30 March 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
- ^ "Keith Olbermann to Host New Podcast on iHeartMedia". The Hollywood Reporter. 25 July 2022. Archived from the original on 7 September 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2022.