Keith Olbermann Is Looking for a Job

When liberal firebrand Keith Olbermann was acrimoniously dismissed from Current TV seven months ago, we pondered the remaining networks he could jump to that didn't already have sour relations with him. Turns out, he's approaching some rather unorthodox venues: Viacom, AMC Networks and at least one broadcast network, according to Forbes' Jeff Bercovici.

When liberal firebrand Keith Olbermann was acrimoniously dismissed from Current TV seven months ago, we pondered the remaining networks he could jump to that didn't already have sour relations with him. Turns out, he's approaching some rather unorthodox venues: Viacom, AMC Networks and at least one broadcast network, according to Forbes' Jeff Bercovici.

He has expressed interest in taking over as anchor of existing shows and in starting a new show. Indeed, several of the networks he’s approached don’t have any news programming per se on their schedules. His frustration at not having a real platform during the height of election season has been evident.

For a former politics commentator and sports anchor, AMC and Viacom don't seem the most natural fits for either a news show or a sports show, which Bercovici says Olbermann is interested in doing. Bercovici doesn't say which networks within the two conglomerates he's approached but their holdings don't seem particularly hospitable to Olbermann's strengths. AMC Networks, for instance, owns quirky indie cinema channel IFC, the Sundance Channel,  premium-lite cable channel AMC and women's network We.

Viacom's massive holdings include everything from MTV, BET, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, Spike and VHI. We suppose that networks at either empire could launch some sort of opinionated politics or sports show but none of them are an obvious home for the veteran broadcaster. Then again, with burnt bridges at Fox, MSNBC, NBC, and ESPN (which, like ABC, is owned by Disney), it's probably time to explore some unconventional options.