I have just lost interest in the 7-11 time slot. After Big Ed was gone it just didn't have the punch it used to. Sometimes I just ramble over to Shep Smith or even the Wolfman. And the weather channel runs some good tornado stuff (Simon, Reed Timmer, Mike Bettis et al). I'm just one person but I'm sure there are more out there like me.

And that's why he had to go.

Hayes is a smart guy but he's really boring and lacks the passion Schultz had. We need more of his ilk. We need passionate fighters for the working class and exposure of the corporate scum that are actively ruining this country.

They should have kept Schultz in that spot because his style is "hot" rather than "cool" and offers a nice contrast to all that wonkiness, while at the same time having better manners and more sense than Chris Matthews.

Of course, between the two, I'd much rather listen to Rachel for her insight & content. She can be bold when interviewing, too.

Ed relates best to the common people's concerns, & he's passionate.

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They want "personalities" that will play everything safe and not cause any ripples, and at the same time they want the progressive-minded to pay attention.

You cannot put the most hard-hitting stuff off-limits and still expect people to tune in.

I realize Olbermann had an ego. So what? You think Scarborough or O'Reilly don't have egos?

If they really wanted to have a solid progressive audience, they would have found a way to keep Cenk, Olbermann, Shultz, and Maddow in the line-up together.

It can be done. I've managed difficult personalities all my life. It requires some give and take.

Amen!

It is dreadful to have all these programs back-to-back, each covering exactly the same 4 issues, often with the same video clips, and sometimes even the same talking heads joining them.

BUT ...

(There is a big but here)

Chris Hayes is the exception to that rule and he's dying. Personally I stopped watching MSNBC much before they made that switch, and I just don't get around to turning it on, just for Hayes. My view is that his type of program was perfect for a quiet Saturday morning where you could sit down and think a little. I didn't watch it on teevee on Saturdays but I get it on Sirius radio, and it seemed just the right level of depth and the right pace for a weekend. That kind of treatment just doesn't work for me in the evening. At the end of the the day, I guess I'm not looking to be stimulated intellectually that much. I am more interested in the immediate facts of the day, and that isn't really what Chris does.

... or Phil Griffin's choice? Ed's wife was sick and then he had those back problems. Both are better now, of course. If it was Griffin's choosing, then he really screwed up. Why fix something if it's not broken? I miss Ed so much in that 8PM slot. It did make me stick around for the other shows. Now? I go away to John Fugelsang (sp?) over on Current at 8PM and most times start surfing around an don't come back. If it was not Ed's choice, then I think they need to bring him back!

That's at least why I think he went to weekends, but we'll probably never know. As others have mentioned, Ed's a
"little guy" champion who's not afraid to discuss labor issues, so that's why I believe he was relegated to Sat/Sun. Just MHO, and would love to see him come back.

Actually, I also loved Chris Hayes on weekend mornings because his energetic style would wake me up!

To my knowledge he never said so, and never complained publicly. But there were a number of people on his radio show who made comments like "I'm sorry you won't be on in the evenings. That seems like a really crazy decision." And Ed was always careful to say nothing but "thank you".

If it were his choice he would have said so.

It was a giant blunder. Ed was getting good ratings for that hour. It is ridiculous to think that Hayes would come in and get better ratings. They took a situation that was working pretty well in the evenings and the weekends and screwed up both slots.

...but I don't find myself watching his show. After awhile, all the political opinion shows get really redundant. I didn't watch Ed either, although I recorded him. I think MSNBC would be well advised to put on a general newscast, covering all the top stories--political and non-political--from a non-partisan way, like old-fashioned journalism.

I love Rachel, and record her, but don't always watch her. I like Martin Bashir, and Alex Wagner's show is good, but I kind of reach a burn out point. I think a "headline news" type show would add a bit of variety, so to speak, to their line-up.

to his thoughtful conversation; but that doesn't work in the evenings because there's too much happening to pay attention.

... it's apparent that "ratings" have nothing to do with the booting of Big Ed. Is this politics over profit? Looks like it, but not so fast. I say MSNBC is paid more from dumping Ed, than they were being paid for the high ratings with him. Remember,. MSNBC is the one who dumped the only liberal voice on any cable station, Phil Donnahue, back in the lead up to our 21st century nightmare: The GWB cabal wars and trashing of our country.

Lean Forward, my ass, MSNBC. Lean backwards and bring Ed and Donahue back. Brink Amy Goodman to TV. Bring Cenk back. Bring Jennifer Granholm in. You have so much choice at this point in the "game". The demographics are changing, and it's best to get a jump onto the wagon of the soon to be new majority. Wake up, MSNBC!