O’Reilly vs. Olbermann Through Thursday, May 15

May 16th, 2008 by Bill Gorman

Long Term Trend of O’Reilly vs. Olbermann TV Ratings:

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Jim 05/16/2008 06:12 PM 1 point
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Perhaps one cannot make too much of it, but I find it of some interest that after Wednesday Evening "Special Comment" by Keith where he definitely enjoyed a spoke in the demo audience he was not able to keep that audience on the same level. Further, it appears that the next night O'Reilly saw a considerable increase in total views while Keith's total audience declined considerably. Reason may say that we cannot conclude a cause and effect related to Keith's ranting. I don't mind Keith giving reasoned opinions so much as his "over the top" delivery. He comes across as a lunatic rather than a serious commentator. O'Reilly is also opinionated, but he comes across more reasoned plus he does at least allow differing opinions.

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Mark Trapp 05/16/2008 06:48 PM 1 point
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Sticking purely to the ratings issue and avoiding your personal politics, it's most likely due to the advertisement that there would be a special comment that night, and people tune in to see what Olbermann has to say. Since there was no special comment the next day, Olbermann's ratings went back to normal. He tends to always get a ratings bump when he does a special comment, as most programming does when they air a "special."

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Bill Gorman 05/16/2008 07:21 PM 1 point
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It's extremely difficult to narrow down cause and effect for daily variations in nightly news shows like these except when there are obvious factors like big interviews, breaking news stories, election/primary nights, etc.

The variations in the Countdown audience for the week above are pretty much on the level of random noise.

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Doug 05/16/2008 10:30 PM 1 point
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People aren't defecting from KO to BOR depending on the day or the week. Two very different shows catering to two very different audiences. My guess is that 95+% of each shows audience has never seen the other.

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Mike d 05/16/2008 11:19 PM 1 point
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I'm somebody who watches both shows occasionally. Watching Olbermann's show for the last year and O'Reilly's show for over 6 years now. In my opinion, O'Reilly's show has changed from a political talk show into something that is just his personal soapbox. It's not really about politics at all anymore ... O'Reilly is obsessed with maintaining his image as a "culture warrior". His age really shows when he talks about things related to the Internet, he seems to have no grip on reality (the amount of time he spends compaining about liberal blogs and youtube videos is getting ridiculous).

On the other hand, even if you don't agree with a word Olbermann is saying, at least he is talking about things that matter. For me, I'm interested in politics, the presidential horse race, etc. and Countdown is a much better show.

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Doug 05/17/2008 03:01 AM 1 point
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When I had cable last year, I occasionally watched both, but mostly stuck with KO. I do agree that he is much more topical and taking things on that the MSM have mostly been glossing over, while BOR is much more staid and obviously appealing to the 70 year olds who think the country's morals are going to hell and a handbasket. I admire you for being able to handle any of these shows for 6 years though - I burned out after about a month.

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rclopez 05/17/2008 03:08 AM 1 point
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OReilly has intelligent viewing, and Olberman is for laughs.

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jimbo422 05/17/2008 08:00 AM 1 point
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Olbermann is a JERK

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Doug 05/17/2008 12:21 PM 1 point
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Nice contributions!

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LarryL 05/17/2008 02:03 PM 1 point
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IF Keith "Countdown" and Bill 'The Factor" have two different missions and two different audiences, why does Keith spend an insane amount of time focusing on Bill.
Keith puts Bill on his "worse person" list just because he needs to. Why this obsession with Bill O'rielly ? . What purpose does it serve and do viewers give a damn. The ratings show Bill more interesting (doesnt mean they agree with him) and Keith too terse all the time. Watching a guy rant like Keith turns most people off
even if Keith's comments maybe on target. My friends do not care for either.

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Reggie 05/17/2008 04:16 PM 1 point
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When Keith Olbermann became unreasonably tanked for Obama, he lost his compass. O'Reilly is obnoxious but he has not lost his compass and has not sold himself to the highest bidder. I used to be a fan until Olbermann annointed Obama Jesus Christ. The whole msn network has lost its compass. Maybe because it's owner GE got legislation from Obama that deregulated govt. oversight over Excelon (nuclear waste into water in Illinois) or hoping that Obama will allow GE to continue to sell Iran nuclear parts. People are not stupid. Maybe the PHD's are falling for Obama's lies but real people are still grounded.

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Egg-Bert 05/17/2008 04:17 PM 1 point
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Olbermanns toupee must have been on too tight when he made his psychotic comments

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truthbtold 05/17/2008 05:15 PM 1 point
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Keith Olbermann is just an angry man in a clown suit. No sober adult takes him seriously. His smallness is measured in his "special" comments. There's nothing special about ridicule and sarcasm. It reflects upon his upbringing. Shame on Mr & Mrs. Olbermann. They raised a scared child.

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Doug 05/17/2008 06:19 PM 1 point
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Seriously, does BOR pay people to troll the internet and find forums like these? Like clockwork, wherever his ratings are listed, his minions show up to trash KO.

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A Moderate 05/17/2008 07:28 PM 1 point
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I have watched both shows periodically. Olbermann never has a kind word to say for anyone really. Perhaps for Obama. Certainly never criticizes him. He is one angry man. O'Reilly is angry occassionally and is certainly funny when he pretends to be "fair and balanced" since he is so obviously a right winger. They are actually opposite sides of the same coin. Olberrmann is jealous that O'Reilly has a bigger audience and is obsessed with him. That is why he has him on his "worst person's" list every other day. O'Reilly is mad about this which is why he is going after GE. Both of them should grow up and get on with their jobs.

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Jake 05/17/2008 11:18 PM 1 point
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I don't believe a thing Bill O'Reilly says as he lies and skews the truth constantly. His rant about GI's living under bridges comments come to mind. I do however think that KO does spend too much time on BOR and as an MSNBC viewer is becoming a little tired. I usually dvr from Race to the White House on through Hardball to Countdown. I have been starting to skip through the Countdown segments since no intelligent person should believe BOR anyways so why watch KO rant about it?

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truthbtold 05/18/2008 05:19 PM 1 point
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MSNBC's show is a Countdown to KO's implosion. Keith is the multi-car pile up that you know is going to happen when the highway is foggy and wet. Keith is the idiot driving 90+ in the right hand lane and we're the freeway rubber-neckers hopping for a glimpse of the aftermath. Poor bastard probably thinks we're fans.

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Carlos 05/19/2008 02:34 AM 1 point
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When will looney Keith have a guest that will disagree with him? never I say since he can't handle the truth. There are two constants on his show, 1) Bill O' as the worst person and 2) the dyke chick, or is it the dyke rooster?. Then maybe he does have guests with different views,since I don't watch his very much.except to see him name Bill O' the worst person. What a pathetic loser

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Occam 05/19/2008 12:57 PM 1 point
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Oderman is a failed sports anchor, a failed serious news commentator, and now working at failing as comic buffoon. His whole "thing" based upon his parasitic attachment to Bill O. Without Bill O, Oderman is nothing, and has nothing.

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WRB 05/19/2008 01:10 PM 1 point
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It looks to me that Olberman has a viewing audience of 1...himself. This guy is so self absorbed in his own importance that he demonstrates his own insecurity as an honest reporter by not permitting a differing opinion or allowing for any correction of his gross overstatements for confusing fiction for facts. In reality, the management of this show is showing their ignorance by letting this twit blather on and on and on. Get the hook, not for the moron that needs a number to identify which script he needs to read, but for management that has let this buffoon continue for so long. I don't know how they can sell advertising for this show and still make a profit.

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Travis 05/19/2008 03:53 PM 1 point
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Yes, he does. Fortunately his audience are rapidly dropping dead from old age. Oh, and keep on attacking GE, Billy Liar. They're far too small to fight a giant ego like yours.

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Travis 05/19/2008 03:54 PM 1 point
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The previous comment was a response to Doug, who wrote: "Seriously, does BOR pay people to troll the internet and find forums like these? Like clockwork, wherever his ratings are listed, his minions show up to trash KO."

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Egg-Bert 05/19/2008 06:16 PM 1 point
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Olberjackass is an unstable hack. Check this out

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2008...

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Egg-Bert 05/19/2008 08:48 PM 1 point
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Whoaaa big numbers for Keith Slobbermans boy toy the ugly Rachel Maddow 416,000

O’Reilly vs. Olbermann Through Thursday, May 15

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