Zucker To Olbermann On O'Reilly Attacks: "I wish it weren't so personal."

NEWSWEEK: Viewers couldn't get enough of political, financial and economic news last year. All of cable news soared, including MSNBC. Are you satisfied with the network's progress thus far?

ZUCKER: I don't think you realize how strong MSNBC is. MSNBC used to be an also-ran; it changed the entire game last year. It's attracted an entirely new audience. For 10 years, we couldn't get arrested with MSNBC. It used to be that if you asked about MSNBC, the question would be, "When are you going to close it down?"

NEWSWEEK: For the eight years of the Bush administration, Fox News was accused of right-wing bias. Now MSNBC has a reputation for leaning left, largely because of Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow. Are you concerned about the bias rap? Might the perception spill over onto and damage the NBC News brand?

ZUCKER: First, there is absolutely no evidence, and probably evidence to the contrary, that it's had any adverse impact on NBC News. "NBC Nightly News," "Today" show and "Meet the Press" all now enjoy wider margins of victory over their competition than they did 18 months ago before that perception was widely held. Secondly, what do I think about that perception of MSNBC? It's driven by a couple of programs in primetime that have a very strong point of view, a real voice and a real audience. The rest of MSNBC programming is what it has always been—traditional reporting. I believe that the audience that comes to MSNBC and NBC is fully capable of distinguishing between the two.

NEWSWEEK: The animosity—name-calling and insults—between Olbermann and rival Bill O'Reilly of Fox News sometimes borders on the buffoonish. Are you inclined to halt it on your side?

ZUCKER: [Long pause.] It's become part of the fabric of both of those shows, and it probably would be better if it weren't personal. And I wish it weren't so personal.

NEWSWEEK: But my question is, are you inclined to dial it down, at least on your side?

ZUCKER: I trust Keith's instincts to know what's right. He knows that I wish it weren't so personal.

Jeff, where are your balls? If Olbermann knows it why is he ignoring you - the Big Boss? Don't tell me you're scared of him...

Re: David Gregory & "Meet The Press": his ratings reside in Rahm Emanuel's bargain basement.