MSNBC shows like Chris Matthews' "Hardball" have edged upward in recent months to between 400,000 and 500,000 viewers



MSNBC shows like Chris Matthews' "Hardball" have edged upward in recent months to between 400,000 and 500,000 viewers

Norville Done at MSNBC
(Monday, December 20 09:04 AM)
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) After a year of splitting time between two daily TV shows -- and getting badly beaten in the ratings on one of them -- Deborah Norville is leaving her prime-time show on MSNBC.

"Deborah Norville Tonight" will shut down sometime next month, according to several news reports. She'll continue her role as anchor of the syndicated news show "Inside Edition," a job she's held since 1995.

Norville informed staff members of her show about her decision in a letter released Friday (Dec. 17). "With my pre-existing commitments to King World's 'Inside Edition' and to my husband and three children, there simply are not enough hours in the day to do justice to my colleagues at MSNBC and the program we aspire to do," she wrote.
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The show, which airs at 9 p.m. ET weeknights, is also getting hammered in the ratings. While other MSNBC shows like Chris Matthews's "Hardball" and Keith Olbermann's "Countdown" have edged upward in recent months to between 400,000 and 500,000 viewers, Norville's show is averaging only 267,000 viewers this year.

Its cable-news competition, Fox News Channel's "Hannity and Colmes" and CNN's "Larry King Live," draw an average of 1.8 million and 1.3 million viewers per night.

MSNBC says it's developing a new show to replace "Deborah Norville Tonight" but is keeping details under wraps.

When this story was posted in December 2004, this was on the front page of PCOL:

Changing of the Guard With Lloyd Pierson's departure, Marie Wheat has been named acting Chief of Staff and Chief of Operations responsible for the day-to-day management of the Peace Corps. Although Wheat is not an RPCV and has limited overseas experience, in her two years at the agency she has come to be respected as someone with good political skills who listens and delegates authority and we wish her the best in her new position.

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December 18, 2004: This Week's Top Stories RPCV remembers Deborah Gardner's murder in Tonga 17 Dec Maoist insurgents in Nepal release Swiss aid worker 17 Dec RPCV Alison Williams exhibits portraits of Malian people 16 Dec Former Brazil Medical Director convicted of drug charges 16 Dec RPCV Joseph Opala researched slave trade in RI 15 Dec Vasquez sees resurgent interest in PC 14 Dec Senator who wanted duel with RPCV joins Fox 14 Dec NPCA planning National Day of Action for PC funding 13 Dec RPCV "Harry" Chandler votes in Electoral College 13 Dec Critic says Moyers delivered neo-Marxist propaganda 13 Dec Micronesia RPCV Walter Cavanagh has 1,496 credit cards 13 Dec PC "Survivor" Julie Berry headed for California 11 Dec more top stories...

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Our debt to Bill Moyers Former Peace Corps Deputy Director Bill Moyers leaves PBS next week to begin writing his memoir of Lyndon Baines Johnson. Read what Moyers says about journalism under fire, the value of a free press, and the yearning for democracy. "We have got to nurture the spirit of independent journalism in this country," he warns, "or we'll not save capitalism from its own excesses, and we'll not save democracy from its own inertia."

RPCV safe after Terrorist Attack RPCV Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, the U.S. consul general in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia survived Monday's attack on the consulate without injury. Five consular employees and four others were killed. Abercrombie-Winstanley, the first woman to hold the position, has been an outspoken advocate of rights for Arab women and has met with Saudi reformers despite efforts by Saudi leaders to block the discussions.

Is Gaddi Leaving? Rumors are swirling that Peace Corps Director Vasquez may be leaving the administration. We think Director Vasquez has been doing a good job and if he decides to stay to the end of the administration, he could possibly have the same sort of impact as a Loret Ruppe Miller. If Vasquez has decided to leave, then Bob Taft, Peter McPherson, Chris Shays, or Jody Olsen would be good candidates to run the agency. Latest: For the record, Peace Corps has no comment on the rumors.

The Birth of the Peace Corps UMBC's Shriver Center and the Maryland Returned Volunteers hosted Scott Stossel, biographer of Sargent Shriver, who spoke on the Birth of the Peace Corps. This is the second annual Peace Corps History series - last year's speaker was Peace Corps Director Jack Vaughn.

Vote "Yes" on NPCA's bylaw changes Take our new poll. NPCA members begin voting this week on bylaw changes to streamline NPCA's Board of Directors. NPCA Chair Ken Hill, the President's Forum and other RPCVs endorse the changes. Mail in your ballot or vote online (after Dec 1), then see on how RPCVs are voting.

Charges possible in 1976 PCV slaying Congressman Norm Dicks has asked the U.S. attorney in Seattle to consider pursuing charges against Dennis Priven, the man accused of killing Peace Corps Volunteer Deborah Gardner on the South Pacific island of Tonga 28 years ago. Background on this story here and here.

Your vote makes a difference Make a difference on November 2 - Vote. Then take our RPCV exit poll. See how RPCV's are voting and take a look at the RPCV voter demographic. Finally leave a message on why you voted for John Kerry or for George Bush. Previous poll results here.

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