Olbermann to Current TV?

I know many readers will be happy to get this news — assuming you’re one of the 60 million people who have access to Current TV through your cable system. (I’m pretty sure you can get it on one of Roku’s channels, though.):

Keith Olbermann, the former top-rated host of “Countdown” on the news channel MSNBC, will announce his next television home on Tuesday, and people familiar with his plans pointed Monday to a possible deal with the public affairs channel Current TV.

Neither Mr. Olbermann, his representatives, or executives from Current TV would comment on the move, but they did not deny that the channel, which counts former Vice President Al Gore as one of its founders, will become at least one partner in Mr. Olbermann’s future media plans.

One of the people with knowledge of the plans said Mr. Olbermann would have an equity stake in Current TV. The people insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized by their employers to comment in advance of the official announcement.

On Monday a public relations agency hired by Mr. Olbermann scheduled a Tuesday morning conference call for an announcement about his next job. “He and his new partners will make an exciting announcement regarding the next chapter in his remarkable career,” the agency wrote in an e-mail.

Current TV has set up a presentation with advertisers for Wednesday afternoon in Manhattan to announce its future plans. The channel may be betting on Mr. Olbermann to put it on the cable map. The low-rated five-year-old channel needs the help. Targeting young people, it originally subsisted on YouTube-style submissions and video journalists. More recently it started producing and acquiring traditional television series, like repeats of “This American Life.”

2 thoughts on “Olbermann to Current TV?

  1. Yay!
    I just checked the Comcast basic package lineup in my area near Atlanta and, indeed, Current TV is shown on channel 107. Can’t wait to see Keith back in a more independant setting. (Since Comcast actually owns 10% of Current TV, I couldn’t help but wonder if this was a done deal prior to the merger with NBC?)

  2. Current TV is on Comcast channel 107 in Baltimore and on Time-Warner Cable channel 103 in Manhattan. And, yes, it’s also on Roku.

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