David Shuster Off MSNBC As His Fate With Network Looms

by Steve Krakauer | 3:41 pm, April 5th, 2010

» 21 comments

In the wake of a report Friday MSNBC’s David Shuster had filmed a pilot for CNN – for which MSNBC said he would be “punished appropriately” – the anchor was off the air today.

We hear he met with MSNBC President Phil Griffin this afternoon, and are awaiting the results of the meeting.

Monica Novotny served as anchor of the 10amET hour this morning while Ed Schultz anchored at 3pmET. An MSNBC spokesperson had no comment about Shuster’s absence of his future with the network.

Mediaite hears a meeting between Griffin and Shuster took place this afternoon, while TVNewser columnist Gail Shister reported this morning that “Griffin, vacationing in Florida, ripped Shuster a new one over the phone [Friday], network sources say. A repeat performance is expected today in the office.”

Shuster’s contract is up at the end of this year – so the idea he might be looking at other opportunities isn’t exactly surprising. He’s hopped around the MSNBC line-up in various capacities – from anchor of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. after David Gregory left, to co-anchor from 3-5pmET to his current incarnation – but nothing that feels particularly permanent. He often filled in on big political weekend events as well. Trying out for a CNN show, even if it was more talent testing and less actual pilot, isn’t particularly shocking. The question becomes, what did MSNBC know?

Rachel Sklar noticed his bio was briefly removed from msnbc.com around 7:30pmET Friday night.

We’ll have more as we get it…

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David Shuster, ed schultz, Monica Novotny, msnbc

The Real Royal King

Good job covering this interesting story, all.
TylerDurdin

maybe he can spew his hate on HP or the DailyKos.
blueblogger

@ TylerDurdin you are one of the one’s that spew the most hate around here!!! Grow up.
Olby Sucks

Seems to me that cnn would have held off even considering a show full well knowing the terms of his existing contract, let alone actually filming a pilot. Either party involved seems too bright.
m

He’s been shoved around and slapped too many time by MSNBC executives. I can understand why he wants to go somewhere else and try something new. He could’ve at least gotten his own show at the 5PM Hardball run or something like that.
Moderate

I dislike Ed Schultz even more than David Shuster.
Olby Sucks

Ed who?
Webber933

Shuster’s website http://shuster.msnbc.com was up Friday morning & was down on Friday afternoon.
Florafolia

I agree with M–David Shuster deserves better from MSNBC. He engages his guest–no softballs!
MarkStr82Hell

He’s a flaming liberal. Good for him. Cover your ass and lord knows CNN needs to stockpile their lefties. Problem is that America is center-right and 70 percent of us watch FOX News, according to the cable news rating every week.
Puter Boi

Are we missing the point here?

No matter how he was treated at MSNBC, he had a contract. If the contract stated that he can’t do pilots without notifying his high ups, then he broke the contract by going behind their backs. If he did that then he was being dishonest…..no matter how bad they had hurt his feelings.

I used to watch Shuster confront guests about their own perceived short comings…..seems that it would be difficult to do it there…now.

Just asking…
Moderate

The MSNBC President seems to give employees free reign to walk all over him, why choose Shuster to make an example of when you want to show that you are the boss.
MarkStr82Hell

Ed sucks. The man has a face for radio. He and Matthews need to retire in the age of HD. Their faces have more lines than a road map
TylerDurdin

blueblogger says:

@ TylerDurdin you are one of the one’s that spew the most hate around here!!!”

Prove it!
mintjulip13

Let’s face it, there isn’t much to like on MSNBC. Liberalism runs rampant with no signs of letting up. Who or what is doing the hiring and scheduling for the pathetic line up of ranting left wing idiots? Yea and I dislike Ed more than Shuster too but neither should get a pass.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Chris-Jones/1384303476 Chris Jones

Schuster is a left-wing d-bag posing as a news anchor.
Phocus

This article about Shuster is a tryout for the Onion…right? And throwing in Shutlz ‘news’ is a great touch. Funny stuff…funny. Maybe Frum could hook up with MSNBC…if this is a real news story about Shuster. Naw…
Ted

Chris Jones – Scintillating, just scintillating.
StewartIII

ChickaBOOMer: Will He Stay Or Will He Go?
http://chickaboomer.blogspot.com/2010/04/will-he-stay-or-will-he-go.html
Sunnyr

Poor Sap. He was fired by Fox News several years ago and now he’s getting the Ax from PMSNBC? I guess even the lowest rated cable news station has a little class left, at times.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Tony-Westover/1496648721 Tony Westover

David Shuster is going to be fired and that’ll be the end of his career.

… not that anyone actually cares.

… that that he actually had much a career in the first place.