MSNBC Officially Taps Scarborough As Imus Replacement
Move Solidifies Abrams In Primetime; Griffin To Assume Daily Network Responsibilities
By Multi Channel News Staff -- Multichannel News, 9/24/2007 3:40:00 AM MT
It’s official now: Joe Scarborough is the permanent on-air replacement for Don Imus on MSNBC, while Dan Abrams will step back as general manager and expand his primetime hosting role.
Morning Joe has joined the new network’s weekday morning schedule from 6-9 a.m. Scarborough has been hosting the early morning time slot since May 28. The former Florida Congressman moved into the slow previously occupied by the simulcast of shock jock Imus’s radio shows. Imus was dropped by MSNBC and CBS Radio after directly disparaging and racist remarks at the Rutgers University women’s basketball team.
Scarborough joined MSNBC in 2003 as host of the primetime program Scarborough Country, which Abrams filled in at the 9 p.m. hour in the wake of the Imus exit.
Abrams will continue to anchor that hour Monday through Thursdays as host of Live with Dan Abrams. In addition, Abrams will increase his on-air presence throughout NBC News programs as NBC News chief legal correspondent.
However, with his expanded on-air duties, Abrams will cede his role as the network’s general manager and day-to-day responsibilities for the network to NBC News senior vice president Phil Griffin, who will continue to oversee Today.
The management change becomes effective upon MSNBC's move to 30 Rockefeller Plaza in mid-October.
Additionally, MSNBC said that starting in October Shannon High-Bassalik will serve as managing editor, overseeing live news programming and breaking news coverage, and assisting Griffin, to whom she will report, with the network’s administration. She previously spent eight years at WFOR/WBFS in Miami, most recently as vice president of news.
“We are fortunate at NBC News to have a wealth of great talent in every area of the business -- on the air and off,” said NBC News president Steve Capus in a statement. “With this announcement, we solidify our on-air strengths with two incredibly talented people in two critical timeslots. Under the leadership of Dan and his team, MSNBC has never been stronger and is well positioned to capitalize on the momentum that has been building over the last year."
Through Sept. 16, MSNBC this year has averaged 542,000 viewers weeknights in primetime, up 35% from 401,000 over the corresponding period in the previous year, according to Nielsen Media Research data. Among the news target demo of adults 25 to 54, MSNBC has lifted its base 31% to 209,000 of those watchers from 160,000 over the span in 2006.
As for Live with Dan Abrams, the show has been building in the aforementioned time slot on Mondays through Thursdays. Thus far in September, the program has averaged 542,000 viewers and 221,000 among the news demo. That compares with 471,000 viewers and 155,000 of that set during July and 479,000 watchers and 221,000 of the target group during August.
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