Cenk Uygur on Democracy Now! About Leaving MSNBC After Being Told to "Act Like An Insider"

DemocracyNow.org - After giving a nearly six-month tryout for the Internet talk show host Cenk Uygur, the cable news channel MSNBC is preparing to instead award its 6 p.m. primetime slot to the Reverend Al Sharpton. MSNBC President Phil Griffin offered Uygur a well-paid but lower-profile on-air slot, but Uygur rejected the offer, saying the decision to demote him was politically motivated. Uygur is known for aggressively interrogating leading Washington figures and challenging the political establishment, which he alleges made some MSNBC executives uneasy. He said Griffin had called him into his office in April and told him he had been talking to people in Washington, and that they did not like Uygur's tone. Democracy Now! interviews Uygur, who also blogs at several liberal websites and hosts a popular Internet and radio show, "The Young Turks." "It is corporate media... It is not just MSNBC. Do you think the CNN hosts can aggressively challenge government officials? I don't think so," says Uygur says.

Cenk Uygur is the main host and co-founder of the Internet and talk radio show The Young Turks. He was a political commentator on the cable television channel MSNBC in late 2010, and hosted an MSNBC primetime talk show from January 2011 through June 2011.

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  News & Politics

[Douglas Wright]

Guess I will be getting the REAL news online from now on. As for Cenk's tone? It never offended me. I liked the way he interviewed EVERYONE!!!!! Cenk will be missed on MSNBC as will Keith Olbermann. MSNBC is a part of a 'club' and I wouldn't want to be a member of any club that would have ME.

[Ran dy]

This is the last stand of decency in the whole US media?

Oh man the next step is to round up ppl for speaking out criticly at all.

[Frank Moscato-Scott]

Put Cenk on another network NOW! He's great!

[hustla96]

You think we should wage war on the grounds of patriotism? You think THAT would be justified?!

[MightyZarkon]

America doesn't exist, don't you people get it? The Constitution is just a piece of paper. Why do we sign up to fight wars? It isn't for patriotism. It should be, but you and me are just pawns to be used in this corporate state. The only reason they get away with it is because they have guns and schmucks that will use them if we try to change this country for the better.

[mrx0066600]

either that or the management needs to be overthrown.

[mrx0066600]

Al is such an Obama dick sucker.

It's obvious MSNBC wanted to lay off Obama. And Cenk Ugyer was not going to do that.

Fuck Fox and Fuck MSNBC Establishment BS. You're all not journalist. You're scum bags that need to be outed and done away with, you all do more harm then good for journalism.

[Solarfactor]

ABC News cropped Dennis Kucinich out of a picture in the 2007 Democratic Party debate. He was the presidential candidate the corporate owned, mainstream media did not want you to know about.

Fox, MSNBC, ABC, CNN... they're all shit on the same stick.

[peacenikkle]

If Iwas Cenk I'd be angry too. Obama is the GREAT CAPITULATOR. The Dems chose the wrong nominee. Time for HILLARY CLINTON to Run in 2012. Clinton is the Tea Party's WORST NIGHTMARE. President Hillary Clinton will be a Great President Dems need to tell Obama it's time for him to Go.

[Seán O'Nilbud]

That doesn't make any kind of sense.

[erdal0]

"empire strikes back"