MSNBC’s Phil Griffin: ‘We Have Beaten CNN, We Are A Solid No. 2….Fox Is Now In Our Vision’

by Mark Joyella | 2:08 pm, March 29th, 2011

» 42 comments

In a profile of MSNBC by Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Bob Fernandez, the president of MSNBC, Phil Griffin, describes a network that’s survived the transition to Comcast and the exit of star host Keith Olbermann–and, he tells the Philly paper, has its sights set on becoming number one in cable news. “I want to make up ground with Fox News. That’s the goal,” said Griffin.

Griffin insists MSNBC is comfortably ahead of rival network CNN–despite several weeks of third-place finishes for the network throughout its primetime lineup as CNN and Fox have seen boosts to ratings with coverage of Japan, Egypt and Libya. “We have beaten CNN, and we are a solid No. 2…Fox is now in our vision, and there are a couple of hours where it’s getting close.”

That would’ve been a far more timely argument three weeks ago. As we’ve reported, ahead of the recent flareup of international news across five continents, MSNBC was showing stability post-Olbermann and–in the case of Rachel Maddow–some growth. Whether those patterns will return once the international news cycle winds down remains unclear–though MSNBC has to a certain extent ceded second place overall to CNN on major breaking news. Griffin told Bill Carter of The New York Times, “This is where CNN excels. This is in their bull’s-eye, and they’ve done a great job. Even Fox News, which dominates them, gets beat by CNN at times like this.”

And yet after a strong February, the loss of ratings momentum at the expense of CNN and Fox has resulted in some changes in the way MSNBC programs, even choosing to staff up on weekends during the intensifying situation in Libya after receiving widespread criticism for sticking with taped programming–including the lucrative prison documentary series Lockup–on Friday nights and weekends. Griffin told the Times Lockup presented a “tricky situation,” since “this is our strategy for weekends, and it has worked well for us.” Its audience now “has an expectation” of seeing such programs on Saturday and Sunday nights, he said.

msnbc, Phil Griffin, philadelphia inquirer

Liberal Tormentor

Your vision will never be attained, Phil.
jerrybobphil

Everyone is well aware of what MSNBC tv ratings are so why lie like this?
Tribunal

As I mentioned before, for the week of 3/14-3/20 Fox was #2 in all cable, CNN #9 and msnbc #27.

Nuff said.
TangledThorns

Heh, send Phil Griffin to an optometrist.
tatboy

He must have binoculars to see Fox News that far ahead. Didn’t Morgan of CNN beat Maddow last month? I could be wrong about that. But if someone as boring as Morgan can come close to MSNBC, there is something wrong. I don’t even want to think about how close Client #9 is to MSNBC.
jacobjakeu

What kind of telescope is he using that enables him to see Fox News in his vision? Do JPL and Caltech know about this sophisticated technology?
Colorado_Conservative

Keep clicking your heels three times Phil, don’t give up. Dorothy and the little engine that could didn’t!!

However in your case, I think monkeys will fly out your hind side before PMSBC beats Fox in ratings.
Paul G

HAHAHAHAHAHA You go girl! errrr.. I mean Mr. Griffin
OxyCon

…we are a solid No. 2 – MessNBC loser Phil Griffin

For once I agree with MessNBC.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Laurence-Glavin/100000568386394 Laurence Glavin

His defense of the “Catch a Predator” and jailbird segments is untenable. The ONLY way MSNBC can be taken seriously as a NEWS network is to go ALL-NEWS and stay that way. It is interesting that CNN and the Fox Right-Wing Propaganda Network also air canned shows during the weekend, but at least they are “news oriented”, if in the case of the latter, “made-up news” for the most part .( E.G. President Obama did NOT go on vacation in South America. Even ‘W’ wasn’t on vacay when he manhandled Angela Merkel.)
Davo

He reminds me of the adolescent flee floating down the river on his back in a state of…………..male excitement……….. shouting, “raise the drawbridge!”
Chuck from Tacoma

Peyote and LSD.
At least we can understand where his visions come from.
Let’s not tell the guy about reality just yet.
That stuff is hard to come by nowadays.
OxyCon

Liberal Tormentor said:
Your vision will never be attained, Phil.

MessNBC peaked years ago. There just isn’t, and never will be, enough far left extremists in America for MessNBC to grow. They’re at “Peak Loon”.
http://gordonbloyershow.com gordonbloyershow

Send in the doctor, this guy is on something. To lie like that in front of everybody, WOW.
VoiceofReason

Puff puff pass Phil……you are obviously in possession of better shit than anyone around here has.
http://www.perceptionasreality.blogspot.com/ skoorbekim

Look out! Current TV is in your rear-view mirror…
http://www.facebook.com/people/Robert-Michael-Vincent-Yuna/822703916 Robert Michael Vincent Yuna

MSNBC cease to be #2 when Mr. Griffin made the brilliant decision to get rid of Olbermann. DUH. Bye bye to #2.
BadGenome

I’ve never really thought of MSNBC as a solid #2. They’re more like diarrhea, IMO.
felixw

Great comedy from Phil Griffin. His network has lost around half of its prime time audience in the last three years. And he is bragging about his success? He once was a challenger to Fox, but that was long, long ago.

MSNBC has zero chance of taking on Fox. Let me tell you why.

MSNBC hosts work to prevent open discussion and debate. They build their shows around hit pieces and smears. They almost never address any key issue — unemployment, the deficit, the war, the border, etc. — if it could possibly be construed as unfavorable to Democrats. A stifling political correctness permeates every minute of their programming. Every host and guest seems to adopt the same smug self-righteousness combined with a unabashed propagandizing tendency. Everyone on their shows expresses identical opinions, and the whole affair is about as interesting and surprising as a traffic jam.

Even the tsunami in Japan, with 15,000 dead was ignored until they could find some partisan political angle in which to frame it.

Viewers may be dumb. But they aren’t THAT dumb. This network will never be respected for its journalism and it won’t ever draw an audience any larger than it has now. At least not under Mr. Griffin’s watch.
fanofamerica

felixw: “MSNBC hosts work to prevent open discussion and debate. They build their shows around hit pieces and smears. They almost never address any key issue — unemployment, the deficit, the war, the border, etc. — if it could possibly be construed as unfavorable to Democrats. A stifling political correctness permeates every minute of their programming. Every host and guest seems to adopt the same smug self-righteousness combined with a unabashed propagandizing tendency. Everyone on their shows expresses identical opinions, and the whole affair is about as interesting and surprising as a traffic jam.”

That’s the best synopsis of exactly what’s wrong with MSNBC that I’ve ever read.
Chuck from Tacoma

I am waiting for Phil to refer to Chris Mathews as a “trusted journalist”.
As long as he is deluded, why not?
http://www.facebook.com/people/Ellen-Carey-Rowe/683757018 miraclelurker

The ethically challenged fright-wing are at it again. Why do they hate honesty and integrity so much?

http://tinyurl.com/4e9e2d4
Davo

BadGenome said:
I’ve never really thought of MSNBC as a solid #2. They’re more like diarrhea, IMO.

It’s hard (oops) to argue with that logic.
AntiHyperbole

fanofamerica said:
That’s the best synopsis of exactly what’s wrong with MSNBC that I’ve ever read.

Agreed. Felixw consistently posts the best comments on mediaite. Keep it up dude. They should give you a job. Too bad you’re a conservative.
felixw

AntiHyperbole said:
Agreed. Felixw consistently posts the best comments on mediaite. Keep it up dude. They should give you a job. Too bad you’re a conservative.

Yeah, I think I would excluded by definition from contributing anything more than comments. Thanks for the kind words.
http://www.sarainitalyblog.blogspot.com/ sarainitaly

well, we know the hosts are insane at msnbc, it’s only fitting that their president is, too.
slickerwick

Says Griffin as he floats on a barge down a river called DeNile.
slickerwick

Odd, that he’s come out with this statement at this moment. He sounds desperate. Who wants to bet he’s about to get the axe?
BatBoy

That Phil Griffin he is a funny man!

I would suspect you will see this guy on the chopping block by summer.
NeoKong

Compared to Fox News MSNBC is like a guy with a Weber grill going up against Burger King.
slickerwick

And a new story up on Mediaite (see top of page) says the opposite. MSNBC is third in ratings. So Griffin is basically a liar. Like I said, he’s desperate, probably about to get the axe.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Chris-Jones/1384303476 Chris Jones

It may feel good to Phil Griffin to say that, but it’s laughable. The idea that MSNBC would ever beat Fox News is a freaking joke. It’s not gonna happen in this lifetime or the next. The fact that they’re beating CNN sounds like a big deal, but it’s not. CNN’s ratings are in the toilet. Beating CNN doesn’t mean much. Fox is so far ahead of both networks it’s not even a competition anymore.
Cancon2

BS’ing HACK. A simple as that
Liberty_Hound

One of the job requirements to be President of MSNBC in it’s current format is being delusional. So I guess Phil just proved he’s the right man for the job. By the way keep that FNC advertising going who cares about MediaMatters when FNC has MSNBC working for them. You’re doing a great job Phil. I hope you never quit or get fired.
Dem4Ever

This moron is delusional and needs to be put away.
Probably NOT wrong

Griffin will be gone within a year as will about half
of the MSNBC Anchors. Giffin was dumb enough
to put a group like that together, COMCAST has got to
start unloading those losers if they EVER hope to
gain viewers.
Barack Must Go

He’s got a better chance of having a threeway with Lady Ga Ga and Elton John.
KirbbDogg2000

He’s hyping He know’s he droped the ball Keith Keeping Joe and Mika on the air by not coving Japan. He’s made a mess and for him to come out and try and talk hiself up and MSNBC like this. It reminds me how Jeff Zucker used to go on Morning Joe and and Kiss Joes ass and talk about how he put NBC on map. well Zucker gone now Phil the next one to go.
BatBoy

Fox News Tops Cablers During President Obama’s Libya Speech

Last night at 7:30 PM ET, President Obama gave a prepared speech addressing the U.S. involvement in Libya.

All three of the major cable news channels carried the address, as did the top four broadcast networks.

Broadcast network ratings will be available later, but for now, here is how the cablers stacked up from 7:30-8 PM:

•FNC: 2,849,000 total viewers / 801,000 A25-54
•CNN: 1,654,000 total viewers / 514,000 A25-54
•MSNBC: 1,255,000 total viewers / 354,000 A25-54
•HLN: 236,000 total viewers / 70,000 A25-54

Phil really tore it up last night. Just a hair over 20%.
Alz

MSNBC – MOST Trusted, by the fewest people.
KirbbDogg2000

They have good reporters the probem with them is there format being the place for politcs tagline is played out. They lost Keith the face on MSNBC. That hurt them and over a out of date rule. It was none of Phil’s bussnes if him or Joe gave money to whoever. The only resion he got the job was he took credit for things Tim Rusert did and put in place before he died. Dan Abums I think had a hand MSNBC’s rise too. I saw there slowly started to go down a bit when Tim died and Dan left as GM and lost his show. When Phil took over. That when i think the back stage politcs started, If I was running MSNBC.
X-3

“We Are A Solid No. 2″

A rather juvenile description, but accurate none the less.