Martin Bashir Leaves ABC News For MSNBC Daytime Anchor Position
by Steve Krakauer | 11:18 am, July 22nd, 2010
Martin Bashir is leaving ABC News’ Nightline and becoming an anchor with MSNBC. He will also contribute to NBC’s Dateline – just like Kate Snow, who left ABC for NBC earlier this year as well.
Good Morning America Weekend anchor Bill Weir steps in as the third Nightline anchor. Internal memo from Bashir and more below:
The MSNBC job will be a “daily afternoon program,” but there are no further details in the release. “I’ve followed Martin’s career for many years and have always admired his work,” said MSNBC President Phil Griffin. “He fits in with what MSNBC wants to be: he’s smart, original, and thoughtful. I couldn’t be happier to bring someone of his caliber to the network.”
Bashir writes, “It has been my privilege to partner with you at ABC and I shall forever be grateful for your professionalism, kindness and support,” while ABC News President David Westin writes in a note to staff: “Martin has been an important part of the successful Nightline effort. All of us owe him a debt of gratitude for his many contributions to ABC News during his six years here, and I know that all of us wish him well.”
Bashir joined ABC in 2004. There is no word yet on who takes Weir’s job at GMA.
All the details below…
Westin’s memo:
"I’m pleased to announce that Bill Weir will be joining Terry Moran and Cynthia McFadden as a Nightline anchor. Since joining us in 2004, Bill has done some of our most innovative reporting from every conceivable venue, both as co-anchor of weekend GMA and for all of our other programs and platforms. He has traveled the globe covering breaking news and uncovering global trends, including his coverage of Afghanistan last January where he came under fire with American troops, his in-depth reports on the economic rise of China and India, and the primetime hours he’s done on topics ranging from the rise and fall of General Motors to the pursuit of happiness around the world. Bill has been at the forefront of our adoption of all that new technology makes possible, often shooting his own material in the field and embracing new forms of reporting now possible in the digital world.
Under the leadership of James Goldston, Nightline has done what few imagined possible five years ago: It has combined groundbreaking and important journalism with an appeal to the audience that has led it to grow while others in its time period have declined. I’m confident that the addition of Bill to James’ extraordinary team will ensure Nightline’s success in the years to come, while at the same time the entire division continues to benefit from Bill’s contributions.
As Martin Bashir just announced to the Nightline staff, he will be leaving ABC News next month for a position at NBC News. Martin has been an important part of the successful Nightline effort. All of us owe him a debt of gratitude for his many contributions to ABC News during his six years here, and I know that all of us wish him well.
Please join me in congratulating Bill on his new job and thanking Martin for his service to ABC News. "
Bashir’s note:
"My Dear Friends,
I wanted to let you know, as my close working colleagues for a considerable period of time, that I will be joining MSNBC/NBC – to work in both daily and long-form journalism.
Before I say anything more – I must acknowledge my debt of gratitude to each of you. It has been my privilege to partner with you at ABC and I shall forever be grateful for your professionalism, kindness and support. I do believe that we have always sought to reach for the very best in all our journalistic ventures.
In the process, we have become more than colleagues – and so, even as I prepare to leave, I know that our friendship (which began six years ago) will continue into the future.
I do trust that the show will continue to enjoy success and that you will be as welcoming of Bill Weir as you have been of me.
With all good wishes,
Martin"
MSNBC’s announcement:
"MARTIN BASHIR NAMED MSNBC ANCHOR AND ‘DATELINE NBC’ CONTRIBUTOR
NEW YORK – July 22, 2010 –Martin Bashir has been named MSNBC anchor and contributor to "Dateline NBC." Bashir will anchor a daily afternoon program on MSNBC in addition to his new role with "Dateline NBC." The announcement was made today by Phil Griffin, President of MSNBC. Bashir will begin at MSNBC and NBC News in September.
"I’ve followed Martin’s career for many years and have always admired his work," said Griffin. "He fits in with what MSNBC wants to be: he’s smart, original, and thoughtful. I couldn’t be happier to bring someone of his caliber to the network."
"I am absolutely delighted to be joining MSNBC and NBC," said Bashir. "This is a rare and special opportunity – to host a daily news and current affairs show and also work on long-form journalism both at MSNBC and with "Dateline." This is an enormous privilege and I cannot wait to get started."
Bashir is best known for making landmark documentaries including "Living With Michael Jackson," which 27 million American viewers tuned in to watch in 2003 and prompted an extensive police investigation of the singer. He also conducted an exclusive interview with the Princess Diana, which remains the only television interview with her.
Most recently, Martin Bashir co-anchored ABC News' "Nightline" since October 2005. He joined ABC’s newsmagazine "20/20" in September 2004. His first work for ABC was a memorable investigation into the BALCO steroids scandal that accused former US track star Marion Jones of cheating. In May 2008, Bashir anchored a documentary on the Sistine Chapel for "20/20," which marked the 500th year since Michelangelo began painting the ceiling frescoes.
Additionally, his contributions to "Nightline" include an exclusive interview with a soldier in a prison cell in Kuwait. The soldier has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the premeditated murder of Iraqi civilians.
I bet some illuminati jerk promised him a future in American news television if he stabbed Michael in the back with that infamous documentary back in '03.
Good News! Bashit Has Left Television All Together!!! NOw that would be a cool title for this thread <!-- s;) -->;)<!-- s;) --> and...I wish it would happen.
It doesn't matter at all. MSNBC shows come on late in the evening. Only night owls will be up to watch him anyway. He'll get what's coming to him. As I have said on many occasions. Unjust never prospers! Keep the Faith!
I truly hope you're right sweet 1. I couldn't stand to watch him after his shameful documentary and I changed the channel the second he came on the TV. I haven't seen him on anything here in Canada lately and thought he had been sacked - wishful thinking.
I truly hope you're right sweet 1. I couldn't stand to watch him after his shameful documentary and I changed the channel the second he came on the TV. I haven't seen him on anything here in Canada lately and thought he had been sacked - wishful thinking.
Honestly, you would have thought he would have woken up and stopped bashing people and trying to make them look bad on T.V. after his brain cancer episode? Nope, he keeps on pushing the button. Some people just don't get it. I don't wish anything bad on him. I just know the wrath of God when he pours it out on the wicked. Keep the Faith!
I HAVE GOOD REASONS TO DISLIKE BASHIT <!-- s:roll: -->:roll:<!-- s:roll: --> <!-- s:roll: -->:roll:<!-- s:roll: --> HE DID THE SHOWON MICHAEL TO PUT HIM OUT THERE A WIERD PERSON. I DO NOT LIKE HIM AT ALL. I FELT SO BAD WHEN I REVISTED THAT SHOW, IT WAS AWFUL. I WAS SO ANGRY AT BASHIT <!-- s:x -->:x<!-- s:x --> <!-- s:x -->:x<!-- s:x -->
I HAVE GOOD REASONS TO DISLIKE BASHIT <!-- s:roll: -->:roll:<!-- s:roll: --> <!-- s:roll: -->:roll:<!-- s:roll: --> HE DID THE SHOWON MICHAEL TO PUT HIM OUT THERE A WIERD PERSON. I DO NOT LIKE HIM AT ALL. I FELT SO BAD WHEN I REVISTED THAT SHOW, IT WAS AWFUL. I WAS SO ANGRY AT BASHIT <!-- s:x -->:x<!-- s:x --> <!-- s:x -->:x<!-- s:x -->
IMHO! Bashir was only trying to solidify what the tabloids/media had been calling Michael all along Wacko Jacko. I thought that documentary was so wrong on Bashir's part. Michael wanted the world to see him as a normal person/father and Bashir portrayed him as some kind of oddity. Some people in the world will sacrafice anything to get where they want to be in life.This man clearly is one of those people. Keep the Faith!
I wonder how he wakes up and looks at himself in the mirror everyday he must see a terrible human being staring right back at him for what he did to Mike
The only thing in which i believe is God's justice, i believe that one day he will be punished for everything that he has done to Mj, i think the punishment has already started, and i really hate to say it-i will enjoy it cause he was too cruel to MJ, he "killed" him. Michael was not the same MJ any more and i do hate him so strongly that whatever happens i will not be sorry.
THANK GOD now the next one to leave is DIANE DIOMONDshit <!-- s --><!-- s --> <!-- s --><!-- s --> <!-- s --><!-- s --> <!-- s --><!-- s --> <!-- s --><!-- s -->
I am totally surprised that no one in the family has sued Bashir for defamation, which led to false allegations, to extreme emotional trauma, to drug use, to "death". Michael must have lost 100's of millions of dollars in income as a result of Bashir, Sneddon and media. But with ongoing twists and turns, maybe it's still coming.
This disgraceful character of a so called Journalist,his day of true reckoning is coming .The day will come, that he will pay in full for the Falsity he intentionally perpetrated about Michael, who trusted him enough to open his home and life to him.
Once a liar , always a liar.His own lying ways will catch up with him soon enough where he will taste the disgrace he tried to snowball on Sweet Mike.
Thank God ..the truth is always one and the same..
Michael was, is and will always remain in a league way above this poor excuse of a human being.
Comments
http://www.mediaite.com/online/martin-bashir-leaves-abc-news-for-msnbc-daytime-anchor-position/
Who was the fool who wrote this? ... that disgusting! <!-- s:evil: -->:evil:<!-- s:evil: -->
It doesn't matter at all. MSNBC shows come on late in the evening. Only night owls will be up to watch him anyway. He'll get what's coming to him. As I have said on many occasions. Unjust never prospers! Keep the Faith!
Honestly, you would have thought he would have woken up and stopped bashing people and trying to make them look bad on T.V. after his brain cancer episode? Nope, he keeps on pushing the button. Some people just don't get it. I don't wish anything bad on him. I just know the wrath of God when he pours it out on the wicked. Keep the Faith!
IMHO! Bashir was only trying to solidify what the tabloids/media had been calling Michael all along Wacko Jacko. I thought that documentary was so wrong on Bashir's part. Michael wanted the world to see him as a normal person/father and Bashir portrayed him as some kind of oddity. Some people in the world will sacrafice anything to get where they want to be in life.This man clearly is one of those people. Keep the Faith!
Once a liar , always a liar.His own lying ways will catch up with him soon enough where he will taste the disgrace he tried to snowball on Sweet Mike.
Thank God ..the truth is always one and the same..
Michael was, is and will always remain in a league way above this poor excuse of a human being.