(MSNBC)
Is Lawrence O’Donnell’s last word on MSNBC coming sooner rather than later? If the primetime host and the cable network don’t soon come to terms on his contract, which expires on June 4, 2017, The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell will effectively be cancelled. Should that come to pass, however, O’Donnell sounds confident he’ll move to another network.
A former Senate Finance Committee chief of staff, who executive produced and wrote The West Wing for NBC, O’Donnell has hosted the hour-long political news talk show for nearly seven years. The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell first premiered on MSNBC in September of 2010.
Rumors have been circulating for days, but this morning, after a fan posted that he was sorry the host was leaving MSNBC, O’Donnell finally addressed the situation, tweeting, “Contract expires June 4. I’ll let you know where you can watch me June 5 if it’s not msnbc. I’m sorry this situation has become public.”
Contract expires June 4. I'll let you know where you can watch me June 5 if it's not msnbc. I'm sorry this situation has become public. https://t.co/bS8V8GXbZ1
— Lawrence O'Donnell (@Lawrence) May 17, 2017
The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell: Ratings
Deadline reports The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, along with its lead-in, The Rachel Maddow Show, and its follow-up, The 11th Hour With Brian Williams, have been doing quite well in the ratings lately.
Two days earlier, MSNBC boasted a first-place finish among cable news networks in the weekday primetime news-demo ratings last week. It marks MSNBC’s first such win since the week of December 29, 2008. Three MSNBC programs finished No. 1 in the news demo in their time slots: The Rachel Maddow Show at 9 PM, The Last Word With Lawrence O’Donnell at 10 PM and The 11th Hour With Brian Williams at 11 PM.
Only, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, MSNBC’s ratings news got drowned out by all the noise about O’Donnell maybe about to exit the network, what with just a few weeks left on his contract and no new deal pounded out, and reports NBC News chairman Andy Lack might be mulling whether he would prefer to move The 11th Hour host Brian Williams into the 10 PM slot.
Last week on Thursday — the day NBC News aired Lester Holt’s jaw-dropping interview with President Donald Trump, to the benefit of NBC News programs across the broadcast network and MSNBC (including O’Donnell’s, which ranked No. 1 in its slot in the news demo and No. 2 in all of cable TV), the primetime show host thanked viewers for their support, adding meaningfully, “We need it”:
The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell: Conflicting Reports on Contract Talks
On May 14, freelance reporter Yashar Ali, who contributes to both The Daily Beast and New York Magazine, reported on Huffington Post that four “well-placed” sources had confirmed that MSNBC had not contacted O’Donnell’s representatives to work out a new deal.
According to Ali’s report, O’Donnell is not tight with NBC News chair Andy Lack, perhaps because he reportedly refused to move his show to 6:00pm. Per Ali, O’Donnell’s current deal guarantees a primetime slot. What’s more, Ali asserts President Donald J. Trump has, in the past, encouraged MSNBC President Phil Griffin to fire O’Donnell — more than once.
A few hours after O’Donnell revealed his potential end-date, Variety reported MSNBC issued a statement saying it is negotiating with the host. Will they be able to come to terms? Stay tuned.
What do you think? Are you still watching The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell TV show? If MSNBC cancels this TV series, will you follow O’Donnell to another network? Let us know, below.
Where is Lawrence odonnel?do no let him go.
I realize this is an old news item. I am truly glad that Lawrence O’Donnell is still with MSNBC. I can’t think of any of their programs being cancelled or changed. They are all excellent and have been crucial in promoting honest reporting and keen analyses. O’Donnell is an excellent new analyst. I respect his expertise and am grateful for what he shares of his experiences and his life. His messages, even when dealing with a difficult situation, ultimately are uplifting. The person he is goes a long way in shaping the honesty and wisdom behind his fact sharing.
Like so many others who have commented on Lawrence O’Donnell, if he leaves MSNBC I will follow him to wherever he goes.
I have looked forward to his program along with Rachel Maddow each weekday. Surely MSNBC will be losing advertisers if no agreement can be reached.
I love The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell and will follow the show if and when it goes to another channel. This will truly be MSNBC ‘s lost.
Never miss the evening line up. Stunned even that they are considering it!
Why mess with something when everything is working, Chris Matthews, Chris Hayes, rachel maddow and Lawrence Connelly shows r all great. They provide great news about what’s happening right now. Trump shouldn’t have any control on ur journalists.
They provide the dishonesty that’s happening right now
I will follow O’Donnell wherever he goes and will not tune in to his replacement on MSNBC. Every night I tune in to Rachel, Lawrence and Brian, but if Lawrence goes I will watch Rachel and tune out MSNBC for the rest of the nigh.
I am about to shut MSNBC down because it has sickened me to see how many Fox people and conservatives are taking over. This country is NOT all right thinkers, there needs a balance and that balance is not there anymore. I have fear freedom to think and say what you feel is being repressed more and more in this. Country. I am about done with this station and frankly most of what is on tv today…it STINKS!
PLEASE KEEP LAWRENCE O’DONNELL. HE IS EXCELLENT, TRUTHFUL, AND EXPERIENCED. IN DETECTING AND REPORTING REAL EVENTS. HIS GUESTS ARE ALL REPUTABLE AND BELIEVABLE.
I watch The Last Word nearly every night. Please don’t cancel or move to the 6 PM time slot.
I have watched every night for the past 5 years or more. I look forward to Lawrence coming on each evening because I know that I will get the truth and also something different than was broadcast all dsy long. please do not cancel “The Last Word”.
There is too little intellect in this country. Why would MSNBC wish to extinguish the small flame of what remains. I will follow Larry wherever he goes. Bye MSNBC, at least for that time slot. I refuse to listen to any more refugees from FOX.
Don’t cancel The Last Word! It’s the most intelligent political analysis program on television, including TRMS which is good but so repetitive that I frequently fast forward through Rachel’s second and third rehashing of the same story on the same show. I’ll follow O’Donnell to whatever network hires him and probably won’t bother watching TRMS or The Eleventh Hour in the future.
Definitely will follow Lawrence O’Donnell. He has a great show and I’ve been watching him since he started.
Yes, I’ll definitely will follow him to another station. The only reason why I watch MSNBC is to see The Last Word and Rachael . It appears that MSNBC is turning into another Fox 5. SAD