Print - Microsoft Abandons MSNBC Cable Channel

As the year waned in the days before the Christmas holiday, Microsoft officially severed its MSNBC partnership with NBC, but the two companies will retain joint control of the MSNBC.com Web site. What's interesting about this story isn't that it happened--the Microsoft/NBC partnership soured long ago--but the way it happened.

Last Friday, both the Microsoft and NBC offices were closed for the holiday. The announcement that the MSNBC partnership was dissolving came at 8:00 A.M. on that day, when executives from both companies were unavailable for comment. On Saturday, "The New York Times" reported that it attempted to reach representatives from both companies to get comments about the event, but the NBC representative listed in the announcement wouldn't be available until Tuesday and the Microsoft representative was "at an airport with two toddlers ready to fly home for the holiday." The result was a largely successful attempt to bury bad news during a time when most consumers aren't very interested in the news.

MSNBC began in 1995 with much fanfare, but the 24-hour cable news channel has struggled in the face of competition from the likes of CNN and FOX News, though MSNBC.com has since emerged as the most popular news destination on the Web. The year 1995 was a completely different era for Microsoft, which was trying to get into the Web content business. Since then, Microsoft has publicly stated that if it had known what a poor business decision starting MSNBC was going to be, it would never have started the news channel. The problem, of course, is money. After Microsoft foolishly agreed to a 99-year contract with NBC for MSNBC, the software giant was shocked to discover how much cash was required to keep the struggling station going. Microsoft pays NBC over $30 million a year in licensing fees alone.

Despite its antipathy about MSNBC, Microsoft continues its co-ownership of the Web site because it generates a lot of network traffic and advertising revenue. NBC also owns CNBC and is excited at the prospect of owning and running MSNBC in the coming years. And no, NBC isn't talking about changing the MSNBC name, which is a combination of the Microsoft (MS) and NBC brands. At least not yet.

All right Paul - you jerk. Right wing mouthpiece? Why isn't CNN called the left wing mouthpiece? 'In the waning days...' ooooo -you're such a journalist. moron

I wonder if NBC offering its stuff on rival Apple's iTunes had anything to do with this split. Oh, and as for the right-wing mouthpiece comment, I have yet to really hear an example of this claim from anyone. A recent joint UCLA/Stanford study showed that the majority of the media is actually biased left. Not that I care either way, just sayin'. It bugs me the way commentators on tech sites always refer to Fox News as right-wing without actually giving any reasons or examples why.

CNN is more nuetral then left/right leaning, but Paul is right, FOX News is extrmely right leaning.

"CNN is more nuetral then left/right leaning, but Paul is right, FOX News is extrmely right leaning." They are? CNN's head guy Eason Jordan had to resign after claiming without proof that the American military was purposely targeting journalists in Iraq. You probably never heard about it...since the rest of the media was mysteriously mum about it. If Fox News' head guy had to resign over a public comment, it'd be front page on the New York Times.

Regarding the newsworthy portion of the article ... I think the dissolution of the MSNBC cable channel partnerhship would go unnoticed by the average consumer. In fact, the announcement is more trivial than impactful. As for the intermingled editorial in Paul Thurrott's articles ... The root criticism is fair, but the delivery is immature. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, and bias is almost impossible to escape. Depending on one's viewpoint, that bias can be perceived positively, benignly, or negatively. Paul Thurrott adds commentary with news quite often, but that is his style. If you find you don't like it, you can certainly get your news elsewhere. Lurking around to post immature and hateful comments only advertises what a miserable person you like to be.

Is Fox unlike the rest? If so, then you can specify why it's unlike the rest. Did he say anything that was factually incorrect? Do any of you deny Fox News is a right-wing mouth piece? Do any of you deny that the rest aren't right-wing mouth pieces? Whether you think all other stations are neutral or left-wing mouth pieces, specifying Fox News as not being like the rest if perfectly acceptable.

CNN - CLINTON NEWS NETWORK "keep the struggling station going" Maybe Microsoft is getting out of it because NO ONE watches MSNBC!!

At least Fox News tries to be 'fair and balanced', although it definitely leans to the right. CNN, ABC, CBS, et al., don't even try to hide the fact that they are Democratic mouthpieces. As stated above, this isn't really 'news' to a majority of people, as most don't care that Microsoft is pulling out of MSNBC. Truthfully, most people probably don't even know that Microsoft was a part of MSNBC.

Mr. Thurott: "Microsoft was shocked to discover how much cash it had to put up each year to keep the struggling station going. Microsoft currently pays NBC over $30 million a year in licensing fees alone." Nice to know they have their limits. "...right-wing mouthpiece Fox News." Please, don't waste my time and yours with comments like these. I read your magazine to get information on IT; this comment is very off-topic. How did it get past your editors? Thanks for bringing this piece of news to my attention. Can't say I'm sorry that their partnership is being severed. Never liked the thought of MS partnering with a news organization. That would be like GM owning newspapers (maybe they already do); I would wonder if they would try to put their own spin on bad things about their company (product defects and such). I was suspicious of conflict of interest when I first heard of the MS and NBC partnership. Thanks!

"Did he say anything that was factually incorrect? Do any of you deny Fox News is a right-wing mouth piece?" Well, a UCLA/Stanford study denies it. But what's annoying is the way lots of people always say Fox News is biased but never present any example. The rest of the media is skewed way left, so I think what happens is a centrist news channel comes out that dares air right-wing viewpoints on the same level as left-wing viewpoints--unlike the other channels which usually air right-wing viewpoints with derision--and so people used to the left bias freak out that people with opposing views are on TV.

Buncha liberal weenies and Mac users! It isn't that Fox leans right, it is that they, more often than not, are right. All hail Hannity!

"Well, a UCLA/Stanford study denies it." That study found little right-wing bias in the NEWS broadcasting of FOX, but did not include the talk/opinion shows, which constitute most of the programming on FOX. Those are undeniably right-leaning. That doesn't take Paul off the hook for editorializing in a news story, though.