lpara
02-27-2003, 01:56 AM
<span style='font-family:comic sans ms'><span style='color:6633CC' >Phil Donahue strikes back at MSNBC
DAVID BAUDER
Associated Press
NEW YORK - Phil Donahue struck back at MSNBC on Wednesday for his firing, suggesting the network was too quick to pull the trigger and that it might be trying to "out-fox Fox" with conservative voices.
Donahue's political talk show, a distant third in the cable news ratings in his time slot, was abruptly pulled from the air after Monday's show. The show premiered last July 15.
The legendary talk show host noted that "Donahue's" ratings were better than anything else in struggling MSNBC's prime-time lineup.
"It took almost three years for Fox (News Channel) to overtake CNN," Donahue said in a statement Wednesday. "We had six months."
"My wish for the people who replace us is a longer time in the ring and a more patient management team loudly cheering on from the corner," he said. "This is the only way for a cable host on MSNBC to have any chance of being a contender."
MSNBC spokesman Alan Winikoff wouldn't comment on Donahue's assertions. "Phil has a right to issue a statement and we respect that," he said.
He noted that the network recently hired conservative commentator Mike Savage as host of a weekend show, and retired GOP politicians Dick Armey and Joe Scarborough as contributors. (http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/entertainment/5263274.htm)
Pretty funny, pretty soon all the networks will be conservative. http://gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mdr11.gif</span></span>
DAVID BAUDER
Associated Press
NEW YORK - Phil Donahue struck back at MSNBC on Wednesday for his firing, suggesting the network was too quick to pull the trigger and that it might be trying to "out-fox Fox" with conservative voices.
Donahue's political talk show, a distant third in the cable news ratings in his time slot, was abruptly pulled from the air after Monday's show. The show premiered last July 15.
The legendary talk show host noted that "Donahue's" ratings were better than anything else in struggling MSNBC's prime-time lineup.
"It took almost three years for Fox (News Channel) to overtake CNN," Donahue said in a statement Wednesday. "We had six months."
"My wish for the people who replace us is a longer time in the ring and a more patient management team loudly cheering on from the corner," he said. "This is the only way for a cable host on MSNBC to have any chance of being a contender."
MSNBC spokesman Alan Winikoff wouldn't comment on Donahue's assertions. "Phil has a right to issue a statement and we respect that," he said.
He noted that the network recently hired conservative commentator Mike Savage as host of a weekend show, and retired GOP politicians Dick Armey and Joe Scarborough as contributors. (http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/entertainment/5263274.htm)
Pretty funny, pretty soon all the networks will be conservative. http://gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mdr11.gif</span></span>