Monday, September 25, 2006

A Modified MSNBC?

(From Broadcasting And Cable -- By J. Max Robins)

There has been speculation for months about MSNBC's future as a 24-hour cable news channel -- or, maybe more to the point, its lack thereof.

But one indication may have come last July, when the 10-year-old network launched a newsmagazine, MSNBC INVESTIGATES.

From what I've heard coming out of 30 ROCK lately, that may be a sign of things to come.

Word is that the perennial also-ran in cable news is considering the possibility of virtually dropping out of the live-news business and devoting itself entirely to taped, newsmagazine-style programming -- much of it likely repurposed from NBC NEWS.

In other words, THE DATELINE NBC CHANNEL.

That's just one option under consideration.

But that such a drastic idea is even on the table speaks volumes about the state of the cable news business.

A Modified MSNBC?

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