Changes

The MSNBC channel was started in 1996 as a joint venture between [[Microsoft]] and [[NBC]]. On December 23, 2005, ending a partnership that had soured long before, Microsoft and NBC announced that they would dissolve their joint ownership of the cable news channel, with NBC taking control. NBC completed a deal to assume majority control of the channel, with an 82% stake.<ref>[http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30610F93E540C778EDDAB0994DD404482]</ref>

The MSNBC channel was started in 1996 as a joint venture between [[Microsoft]] and [[NBC]]. On December 23, 2005, ending a partnership that had soured long before, Microsoft and NBC announced that they would dissolve their joint ownership of the cable news channel, with NBC taking control. NBC completed a deal to assume majority control of the channel, with an 82% stake.<ref>[http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30610F93E540C778EDDAB0994DD404482]</ref>

'''In 2010, parent company [[General Electric]] reached a tentative agreement with the [[France|French]] media conglomerate [[Vivendi]] that clears the way for the sale of NBC-Universal, including the flagship [[NBC]] network, to [[Comcast]], America’s largest cable operator.''' <ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/01/business/media/01deal.html New York Times; With Deal, G.E. Clears Path to Sale of NBC]</ref> <ref>[http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20101028/ARTICLE/10281045/2055/NEWS?p=2&tc=pg Sarasota Herald-Tribune; Corporate Report]</ref> Some liberals fear that Comcast would make MSNBC more conservative. They fear that Comcast would fire all their beloved liberal voices on MSNBC. <ref>http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2010/11/09/socialist-senator-wants-comcast-nbc-deal-blocked-due-olbermanns-suspe</ref> <ref>http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/11/6/145630/235</ref>

In 2010, parent company [[General Electric]] reached a tentative agreement with the [[France|French]] media conglomerate [[Vivendi]] that clears the way for the sale of NBC-Universal, including the flagship [[NBC]] network, to [[Comcast]], America’s largest cable operator.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/01/business/media/01deal.html New York Times; With Deal, G.E. Clears Path to Sale of NBC]</ref> <ref>[http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20101028/ARTICLE/10281045/2055/NEWS?p=2&tc=pg Sarasota Herald-Tribune; Corporate Report]</ref> Some liberals fear that Comcast would make MSNBC more conservative. They fear that Comcast would fire all their beloved liberal voices on MSNBC. <ref>http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2010/11/09/socialist-senator-wants-comcast-nbc-deal-blocked-due-olbermanns-suspe</ref> <ref>http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/11/6/145630/235</ref>

== Low Ratings ==

== Low Ratings ==

The MSNBC network has perennially had very low ratings. In 2002, the network was regularly beaten in the ratings by [[CNN Headline News]]. The CEO of Microsoft once even admitted that he wouldn't have started MSNBC knowing what he knew later.<ref>http://news.com.com/2100-1023-268073.html</ref> In June of 2006, [[CNN]] co-founder Reese Schoenfeld told journalist Don Kaplan that "Everybody compares MSNBC to Fox and CNN - when its real competition is Headline News". Schoenfeld pointed out that the ratings for MSNBC and Headline News are roughly the same, about 300,000 viewers on average and that "by comparison, Fox and CNN regularly average three or four times as many viewers." Kaplan even joked that "the running joke in TV news is Fox and CNN are news channels with websites, but MSNBC is a website with a cable channel".<ref>http://newsbusters.org/node/5891</ref>

The MSNBC network has perennially had very low ratings. In 2002, the network was regularly beaten in the ratings by [[CNN Headline News]]. The CEO of Microsoft once even admitted that he wouldn't have started MSNBC knowing what he knew later.<ref>http://news.com.com/2100-1023-268073.html</ref> In June of 2006, [[CNN]] co-founder Reese Schoenfeld told journalist Don Kaplan that "Everybody compares MSNBC to Fox and CNN - when its real competition is Headline News". Schoenfeld pointed out that the ratings for MSNBC and Headline News are roughly the same, about 300,000 viewers on average and that "by comparison, Fox and CNN regularly average three or four times as many viewers." Kaplan even joked that "the running joke in TV news is Fox and CNN are news channels with websites, but MSNBC is a website with a cable channel".<ref>http://newsbusters.org/node/5891</ref>

== Liberal Bias ==

== Liberal Bias ==

MSNBC has been criticized regarding the channel's [[liberal]] slant. The media watchdog group the Media Research Center<ref> [http://www.mediaresearch.org/about/aboutwelcome.asp About Media Research Center] www.mediaresearch.org</ref> has cited MSNBC shows by [[Keith Olbermann]], [[Dan Abrams]] and [[Chris Matthews]] in its criticism of the network's bias reporting.

MSNBC has been criticized regarding the channel's [[liberal]] slant. The media watchdog group the Media Research Center<ref> [http://www.mediaresearch.org/about/aboutwelcome.asp About Media Research Center] www.mediaresearch.org</ref> has cited MSNBC shows by [[Keith Olbermann]], [[Dan Abrams]] and [[Chris Matthews]] in its criticism of the network's bias reporting.