Fire Dan Abrams

I don’t even know why someone has to say this.

Dan Abrams, who took over about a year ago as news director at MSNBC, needs to be fired. Canned. Shown his walking papers.

His reign at the top of the network has been a complete disaster. He’s transformed NBC’s cable presence into the Paris Hilton Network. All Paris, all the time. Or any other white woman who may be in trouble. Or any conservative whackjob Fox won’t hire.

His ratings are abysmal. Beyond Keith Olbermann’s Countdown, which continues advancing only because Olbermann knows how to write and has reasonable autonomy, everything else has gone to hell in a handbasket. (And even Olbermann couldn't get away from doing a one-hour Pariscast last Friday, despite his obvious discomfort. The order from this came directly from Abrams, who followed with a one-hour Paris special of his own. What an embarrassment.)

You know what MSNBC’s top-rated show was? Imus. That’s gone. Outside Olbermann, which is run entirely by Olbermann, absolutely everything else is a disaster. Chris Matthews, Joe Scarborough, Tucker Carlson. No one is watching any of it. They're not missing anything either.

And the day-time. God what bullshit. Studio crap or live car chase feeds. Fox with Cops.

You can say some of it is not Abrams’ fault. You can partly blame the evisceration of the budget. MSNBC has no independent news gathering budget, period. Absolutely nothing, bupkis, the null set. The only “news” it can use consists of the reports NBC grants it, and whatever NBC affiliates may decide to run with live. Thus car chases or fires-in-progress and courtroom scenes. It’s boring.

As I said none of that is Abrams’ fault. That’s GE’s fault. They decided a year ago not to invest any more money into the network, because it’s losing money, so Abrams has had to make do.

But the fact is he hasn’t made do. Most of his anchors can barely read or write, they seem to be there strictly for their looks, and for sidekicks you’ve got a bunch of weather bimbos and himbos standing in front of maps making jokes about the “worst weather in America,” by which they mean wherever there’s rain. I live in Atlanta. I’d like some “worst weather,” please.

MSNBC’s studio “shows” consist of either people yelling at one another or right-wing hacks expressing “expertise” on things they know nothing about. Every single one of Abrams’ military “analysts” is vetted by the Department of Defense, which is selling war. Every one of his “business” analysts is vetted by Wall Street, which is selling stocks. Any other analysts on his air? I don’t see any. That’s Dan Abrams’ fault.

There is no one at MSNBC, either on-air or off-air, with any sound, impartial news judgment. That’s also Dan Abrams’ fault. He doesn’t exercise any, and he doesn’t force anyone else to, either.

At least with Fox I know I’m getting right-wing crap I shouldn’t believe. With MSNBC I’m just getting crap.

Oh, and before you note that MSNBC does have the best-rated news Web site around, please know this. Dan Abrams has nothing to do with the Web site.

NBC should either buy out Microsoft’s interest in the network and invest in it, make Olbermann (or someone like him) the full-time news director so at least we’d have a contrast to Fox, or close the thing down.

But it all starts with firing Dan Abrams.

Comments

[Diane M. Grassi]

Dear Dana:

Thank you for this. Dan Abrams (son of famous attorney Floyd Abrams)was nothing but a legal reporter for Court TV before he was given his own legal show on MSNBC about the time of the Scott Peterson case. For NBC to hand the GM position over to him, to me, was absurd. I agree. Since Imus was booted there is little that is watchable and Chris Matthews has even gotten unbearable!

Dan's latest hijinks this week, included in his filling in for Joe Scsrborough, who has at least temporarily replaced Imus, Abrams is now attacking the production of programs over on CNN.

Anyone good news person, and I have faith that they still exist, would do a better job than Abrams who has single handedly turned MSNBC into the Most Silly News Broadcasting Company.

[Danielle]

DAN ABRAMS IS A JERK, AND HE HAS NO IDEA WHAT HE'S DOING. HE HAS NO MGMT. EXPERIENCE, AND HE'S RUNNING MSNBC FURTHER INTO THE GROUND. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, HE'S ILLOGICAL. NO COMMON SENSE WHAT SO EVER!

[Andie]

Your suppliers must be big in order to give you all such an intense quality weed you MUST be smoking. Please: Dan's smart, witty AND hot. Stop hatin. (SMILE)

[jon gadel]

i absolutely AGREE

FIRE dan abrams!

a few minutes ago i watched his show with tiki barber, guest.

re vick's guilty plea, tiki says to dan:

"what this is really about is FRIENDSHIP"

"it's about CULTURE"

abrams says... NOTHING

thanks tiki for being on his show!!!!!!

instead abrams SHOULD HAVE SAID:

tiki you're full of s***...
this is about EVIL... this is about BARBARISM... etc etc...

[Hans Hencke]

I agree in general about Dan Abrams and some of your comments about the programming on MSNBC. If, on the one hand, you (meaning Abrams) attempt to promote your channel as the new kid on the block of news and commentary,then do it. Don't, on the other hand, insert endless law enforcement and corrections institutions as some sort of inexpensive connection to the demographic you are targeting. Who does Abrams want watching his channel? Convicts, friends of convicts, persons involved in courts, law enforcement and corrections? That's a pretty dismal audience compared to what CNN and Fox can muster.

Give Matthews and Scarborough another look. Scarborough, perhaps tries too hard where Tucker doesn't try at all. But Matthews, there's an intriguing set of mental gears that is fun to follow.

Thank you for this opportunity to post. I post to MSNBC with no idea it goes anywhere or is read by anyone.

[AnnieD]

Glad that someone is complaining about the sleaze factor on MSNBC. Disgusted by the wall-to-wall coverage of the Anna Nicole Smith non-story in May, I emailed Abrams that MSNBC must stand for "Mostly Stories with Nothing But Crap." Seems like it's a little better now, perhaps after blowback from its over-coverage of Paris Hilton and the kudos for Mika's shredding that stupid lead story.

[AnnieD]

Glad that someone is complaining about the sleaze factor on MSNBC. Disgusted by the wall-to-wall coverage of the Anna Nicole Smith non-story in May, I emailed Abrams that MSNBC must stand for "Mostly Stories with Nothing But Crap." Seems like it's a little better now, perhaps after blowback from its over-coverage of Paris Hilton and the kudos for Mika's shredding that stupid lead story.

[Natasha Moran]

Thank UUUUU!!!!! After watching Dan's emotional commentary on the Today Show this morning about whether or not Mary Winkler should get custody of her children, I thought I was going to ram my fist through the television..... DAN ABRAMS----U R A JERK! I wish I was your wife so I could beat the shit out of you when you get home tonight, then maybe you'd get a clue. Idiot.

[Marilyn Jean]

I couldn't believe my ears and eyes watching Dan Abrams twisting the words of Bill O'Reilly about the great crowd that was watching the Anita Baker show..........Bill said people shouldn't judge by rappers but should see the refined crowd that black people are!.........Dan twisted the whole thing around,,,,I couldn't believe it,,,,that's all for MSNBC for me,,,,thank you.

[janie]

Just who at Fox paid you to write this crap???
Man you sound bitter that you don't have Dans gig. THE ONLY REASON I'M ON THIS SITE IS BECAUSE I GOOGLED HIS NAME. I CAN HARDLY GO A DAY WITHOUT WATCHING HIS SHOW.
DAN RULES AND SO DOES MSNBC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Vee]

I have heard recently that Dan Abrams is no longer GM at MSNBC right about the time of their move to 30 Rock. He is now just doing his hour show. Frankly, since he has stepped down, it has gotten WORSE at MSNBC IMO, now, they switch anchors all day long after about an hour each, none of the day anchors really are any good, pretty, but horrible newsreaders. And, they repeat stories about every 10 minutes, it is like watching Headline News on CNN rather than a complete news agency! Since CNN does it best with HN, we don't need another thank you! I did like Imus but I kind of do like Morning Joe, altho there is more fluff there and "banter" than news or interviews, and the interviews are definately softball. Getting tired of the "sweet, innocent, teen-age acting" Mika B, she is at least 40--act your age! Matthews has to be in love with Hillary, he can't go 30 seconds without saying her name. Not much to recommend MSNBC other than Abrams new program IMO. And, you are correct, that 'lock up' series HAS to appeal only to the great trailer dwellers, for a supposed news channel, their programming sucks. But I suppose it is better than endless repeats of their 'Mary Kay LeTournneau' program!

[John Smithe]

Dan Abrams is a complete tool. Everything he reports on is rubbish. Fox news this, Fox news that, O'Rielly this, O'Rielly that. I'm so sick of hearing it. (From both sides) Just report the damn news and stop trying to ****ing make it. Opinion shows are lame and who really gives a crap about these people anyway? It's not like they are some high ranked official or celebrity, so why would their opinions even matter? Just.....Report.....the....news!

[howaboutafact?]

I have lived in Japan for 15 years. I moved here to "stay a year", but stayed because I fell in love, got married, and had kids here - and my wife and I both have jobs we like...

In those fifteen years I have watched the American political pundits and commentators devolve to the point that they became Bill-O, and Bill-O copies, and that is about (I hope) as low as a human can go. Bill doesn't even have the decency to have a fact at hand - in many cases - when he slanders someone (like the recent Edwards/Homeless Vets thing). Most commentators have at least something factual upon which they base their twisted or out-of-context argument...

Assholes like Bill-O deserve to get slammed hard and often, until they get run out of town. And I like watching that, because it makes me feel some hope for the future (so keep on it, Keith-O!).

It is the quality of socio-political commentary that matters; and I don't care how much a commentator has to cover pop crap to make the rent each month.

I have been watching Dan Abrams on the MSNBC web, and his spots are absolutely superb. He is the ONLY "pundit" I have ever seen that consistantly strives to check facts, put context back into media mis-quotes, and apply solid critical thinking and classical logic to decide the right and wrong of the issues of the day, while maintaining the most objective stance that he possibly can.

Since none of those things he does is popular anymore - and telling the truth has never been popular anywhere in human history - I'm not surprised to see an article like this one. Well, thank god the author doesn't have Dan Abrams' job, and Dan, keep up the great work!

[Mel Rasmussen]

I just watched Abram's new show, Verdict it looked like a frenetic version of Bill O'Riley's show on Fox. I fully expected him to say "The spin stops here". His enthusiasim for the comic book graphics that are displayed there is baffeling. His disecting of the Obama speech clearly indicated he is clueless of the content and intent of that speech. Rachel Madows earlier statments on Keith Obermans' show was certainly discriptive of this individual. Finally, I could not agree more with your assesment of his capabilities. As MSNBC slowly sinks in the sunset,Dan Abrams will dissapear as an afterthought.

[lisa ashby]

Please...when will someone get the message! Dan Abrams should feel right at home with his programs' new background graphics since he is nothing more than a cartoon character! I liken him to the Joker.....but just as in Batman he is simply NOT FUNNY! Abrams is an an arrogant ego maniac who is ridiculously dangerous since actors --oh excuse me I meant news anchors-- can be very influential to weak minded/uninformed/ uneducated followers. Since he spews nothing but hate and mockery he absolutely needs to be fired or perhaps relegated to the Cartoon network and given a script on how to play fair and get along with others. I have yet to see a guest on his show that has the balls to have an independant opinion or excercise diplomatic or impartial views. I am sick and tired of the Clintons being constantly belittled. Abrams only allows followers with pea brains on his show and the minute anyone begins to have a slightly different opinion he cuts them off. The other night he had a Republican on that was defending Obama! What is wrong with this picture!

[bleu]

Wow, I have read the insults against people who like Dan Abrahms, on this board. What is it with you people, if someone likes someone you don't like they are weak minded/ uninformed?

I like Abrahms, he is not an overbearing OReiley who knows everything and is getting old asnd boring, not a Hannity who talks so much garbage that it's hard to listen to him more then 5 minutes. Abrahms has just the right sense of humor and can actually laugh with us when the comments are funny.

So this pea brain Abrahms follower will enjoy his show and I hope he stays on for a very long time.

[moeursalen]

Abrams is really out of his element at MSNBC. He's descended further into the inferno of cheap headlines by adding cheesy comic book graphics around the edges of his broadcasts. Pow! Bam! Whackem, sockem! Such vacuousness has made MSNBC a magnet for nutcases and fruitloops who seem to be the only ones emailing the show with commentary. Even with this low opinion, I would rank him higher than Olbermann and Matthews, however...

[Paula]

Dan Abrams is great!! MSNBC is great! No one is forced to watch anything, SO change the channel. As for this article, it sounds like Fox News is your channel so lay back and listen while Hannity and O'Reilly have guests and cut them off when they have opinions they don't agree with. To each his own!

[Brandy]

You know...the lot of you (with the exception of a few sound posters here) are complete morons. Dan Abrams is the best anchor out there. He's impartial, he's intelligent, he tells it like it is...with a bit of snark - an added bonus. Dan Abrams is most definitely my top choice, and anyone with half a mind would agree. And the person that made the you guys being high comment is right on the money. Dan Abrams is the best!

[ENNYL]

I have watched Verdict with Dan Abrams for several months now. Last night watching was the final straw re: Reverand Wright/Obama drama. This should have been laid to rest long ago but the media does not seem to want to cover legitimate election issues. Once again, it was Rev. Wright and how is he affecting Obama's campaign. When one of the panel had the intelligence to comment that the media is to blame in not dropping the issue in favor of focusing on important concerns (ecomony, war, environment), he was shot down. When another panelist tried to bring up the fact that Clinton has not been scrutinized the same way Obama has been (Peter Paul, anyone?) Abrams put his hands in the air and basically said "I'm not going there". Uh, does this sound like a legitimate, unbiased news program? It is just a soap opera. BTW - to the panelist who stated that the Rev. Wright soap opera is what Americans want to hear about - hey, the American public is not stupid. All of the people that I know care about the the relevant issues of today and are fed up with the stupidity and irrelevancy of the media.

Dan Abrams is a sorry excuse for a newscaster! Report objectively and stop being so pathetically obvious about your support for Hillary Clinton. She is toast---accept it and move on.

And, by the way, stop interrupting participants in your program just because you don’t agree with them! MSNBC will continue to be an also ran---by orders of magnitude---as long as you have people like Dan Abrams on prime (or at any) time.

Please get some professionals on board!

Regretfully,

Carlos A. Munoz

[Collier Mariano]

I can see WHY they kept Dan Abrams, and why Dana Blankenhorn is jealous enough to start a blog to have him fired.

How utterly PATHETIC!