Ed Schultz Pleads With Radio Listeners Not To Abandon MSNBC

LONG-TERM DAMAGE?

Big Eddie: 'No Sense In Torching The Place'







Though it may appear MSNBC has already moved on from the Keith Olbermann debacle, where cable talk's ultimate oddball was temporarily suspended (it WASN'T A STUNT, we swear), it's possible that long-term damage has in fact been done.

That prospect has fellow blabber Ed Schultz worried, especially after apparently receiving emails from viewers who've sworn off the network for good. With Keith back, have they already returned, or is the fallout more severe?


After Olbermann's reinstatement had just been announced, we caught Schultz pleading with radio listeners to return to loyal MSNBC viewership. Note the strange, sinister laugh at the end of this clip:

ED SCHULTZ (53:04 Hour One) (Monday 08 November 2010) : I know very little. I'm in charge of the Ed Show at six o'clock and that's all I want to know. But I have to tell you that I'm somewhat dismayed at some listeners out there and viewers out there who sent me emails saying that you're never going to watch me again because of what they did to Keith. Keith is coming back! Everything's fine.

But I don't understand that logic. What did anybody do, I mean, I'm playing by the rules, I'm doing what I'm supposed to do. It was probably an honest mistake on his part. He probably didn't even know it was in the rules.

It was, you know, they'll work it out, everything's going to be fine. There's no sense in torching the place. [laughs]

We've seen this in talk radio many times: management mistakenly believe listeners will quickly forget about an ill-advised talent suspension / termination. The truth is quite different, however: a damaging loss of trust carries forward for years to come. Schultz has worked at the local station level and understands this well.