Forbes‘ Jeff Bercovici writes about former MSNBC and Current TV host Keith Olbermann, who is out there looking for work after Current TV cut him loose earlier this year. Bercovici cites people familiar with the matter as saying that Olbermann “has expressed interest in taking over as anchor of existing shows and in starting a new show.”
He is somewhat vague about what networks Olbermann’s people have reached out to, but you can read between the lines.
You might suspect that Olbermann would be steering clear of NBC Universal in his job hunt, given his acrimonious history with that company, and you’d be right, at least as far as I’ve heard. Among the networks he’s approached are ones owned by Viacom and AMC Networks, two conglomerates he has yet to quarrel with.
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The AMC network is likely IFC, which has re-branded of late as a home for quirky, liberal comedy. As for Viacom, the safest bets are Comedy Central, which is home to “The Daily Show and “Colbert Report” and which has been considering adding a midnight program for years, and Spike TV, which has also been looking into late night shows. I would add Showtime to that mix, which is looking to build out its sports programming, and does not have a topical political show like HBO does in “Real Time with Bill Maher.”
Olbermann was fired by Current TV in March, having been in the job less than a year. He left MSNBC in January 2011.