MSNBC may cut the airtime of its nightly Internet-oriented show The Site from one hour to 30 minutes to make room for a new show hosted by former ESPN announcer Keith Olberman.
"They simply raised the question of how we would feel if the show is a half hour," said Richard Fisher, CEO of Ziff-Davis Television, which produces The Site. The network and ZDTV are in talks to renew the show's contract.
Fisher said the sides are discussing possibly cutting airtime in half for the weekday broadcasts and airing a full hour on weekends. MSNBC needs to open up an hour a day of programming time for a sports show to be hosted by Olberman, whom the network recently snagged from ESPN.
Fisher said no layoffs would result if the show is cut, as ZDTV is expanding and will soon launch a 24-hour all-technology cable channel of its own called ZDTV: Your Computer Channel.
When MSNBC was launched a year ago, the marketing thrust behind the network was that it would be heavily technology driven. Since that time, the network has abandoned many of the interactive elements that tied its TV programming to its Internet content.
MSNBC spokeswoman Cameron Blanchard wouldn't comment on the talks except to say that the network is "considering various programming changes."
Earlier this week, the network announced that it will cancel Edgewise, an eclectic weekly talk show hosted by NBC's John Hockenberry.
