- Signatures: 710
- Goal: 10,000
- Deadline: 1-17-2004
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NBC should bring back Phil Donahue to television. Donahue is one of the best and brightest voices in the media, and the cancellation of his show sends the wrong message to NBC viewers about their policies.
| Number | Date | Prefix | Name | Why do you think NBC should put Donahue back on the air? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 711 | 8:09 pm PDT, Sep 19 | Anonymous | He was awesome--a man of great wit and intelligence. The nation deserves to hear what he has to say. Also, he is a cultural icon, pre-dating Oprah--in fact were there no Phil, there would be no Oprah. | |
| 710 | 7:05 pm PDT, May 22 | Ms. | Judy Coleman | I think the time is DEFINITELY right for NBC to make this move! |
| 709 | 8:29 pm PST, Nov 14 | Ms. | mira lash | Well, since he turned about to be right about EVERTHING don't you think you should be crawling on your hands and knees begging him back? Of course you might have to offer some real reporting and free press. OF course, it might disrupt corporate big brother (which it is appearant you are apart of) from murdering more brown people. |
| 708 | 8:27 am PDT, Sep 15 | Pam Farnsworth | TRUTH IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN MONEY | |
| 707 | 6:32 am PST, Feb 27 | Mr. | Mark Mccoy | A man who refuses to compromise his ethics should be an example to us all.Truth is by far a simpler subject to master than lies. |
| 706 | 6:42 am PST, Jan 10 | Cara Vela | Absolutely. He was the best talk show host ever. I say that without exaggeration. He asked poignant questions, was quick on his feet and still knows how to dignify a guest. he is a rare breed. | |
| 705 | 5:18 pm PDT, Oct 5 | Anonymous | ||
| 704 | 9:17 am PDT, May 27 | Anonymous | Phil Donahue is a VITAL VOICE....We need him NOW more than EVER, especially with regard to Iraq, the upcoming election and ALL issues of Social Justice!!! There is no voice I value more.... | |
| 703 | 5:52 pm PDT, May 25 | Ms. | Judy Rieke | He has always been, in my opinion, a classic act. Curteous, intelligent, and a defender of Democracy. |
| 702 | 1:06 am PDT, Apr 27 | Ms. | Sheena Koshy | Long before it was fashionable to question popular policy, Phil Donahue was bringing pertinent points from both sides of the issue. We need him back, especially now! |
| 701 | 4:27 am PDT, Apr 26 | Mr. | Mike Ray | At an incredibly crucial time, Phil Donahue displayed an unvarnished and courageous commitment to truth, honesty and broadcast integrity during the run-up to this criminal war. Chris Matthews' opposition was muddled with a phony "Hallmark Card" tenderness toward George Bush which undermined his credibility, in my opinion -- and made me physically ill. Phil Donahue will always be a super hero. |
| 700 | 4:57 pm PDT, Apr 10 | Mr. | John Young | We need balance. NBC needs someone who knows what he is taking about. |
| 699 | 3:56 pm PST, Mar 3 | Ms. | barbara a. deluca | BECAUSE HE IS GREAT AND ONE OF A KIND. HE HAD GREAT SHOWS. |
| 698 | 5:24 am PST, Jan 27 | Mr. | Anonymous | I don't think that Keith Olberman is a proper news journalist. If Keith Olberman want's to crack cheesy jokes, rant about how much he hates people that have no influence on politics and even when there has been no controversy he will bring them up in discussion, and talk about how much everyone in the right hates gays and other ignorant comments like that he can do radio, HBO, or Comedy Central. The fact that he has to go so low as to get seth mcfarlen to do family guy voices to get young kids just shows how desperate he is. |
| 697 | 3:14 am PST, Dec 11 | Concerned patriot | Because he's one of the best. | |
| 696 | 5:59 pm PST, Dec 3 | Mr. | Jimmy LeDuc | Put him back on the air. It's not the same without him. We need him to argue with Bill O' Reilly |
| 695 | 11:37 am PST, Nov 30 | Bryce Ingman | NBC did democracy a disservice by pulling Donahue for his unpopular opposition to the Iraq War. He has been proved right. Bring him back. | |
| 694 | 10:28 am PDT, Sep 30 | D White | ||
| 693 | 9:45 pm PDT, Sep 22 | Anonymous | Mr. Donahue is a seasoned broadcaster who represents the people not the special interests, the government bows to | |
| 692 | 8:24 am PDT, Aug 31 | Tracey Hunter | ||
| 691 | 4:44 am PDT, Aug 19 | David Hansen | We need to hear the other side as I see it if the person doesn't go along with the staus quo they get shut up. Time the people heard the the other side | |
| 690 | 3:00 pm PDT, Aug 8 | Teri Frost | We need a liberal voice on TV! It is a shame that corporations are controlling our media, and the people are starting to realize this. Bring him back -- the people will want him and need him. | |
| 689 | 1:06 pm PDT, Apr 12 | John Geiger | ||
| 688 | 2:22 pm PDT, Apr 5 | Mr. | ilovekeithcuzhesthebest!! olberman | They shouldn't, Go keith, Go keith, Go keith. Oh yeah... Bill O'Riley STINKS. Go keith, Go keith... |
| 687 | 6:46 pm PDT, Apr 2 | Anonymous | ||
| 686 | 9:39 pm PST, Apr 1 | Mr. | rich orr | hes liberal |
| 685 | 7:25 pm PST, Apr 1 | Ms. | Anonymous | I adore Phil...Please bring him back and (with the exception of KO), kick all those other losers to the curb. |
| 684 | 1:54 pm PST, Apr 1 | Mrs. | margaret stabile | |
| 683 | 1:21 pm PST, Apr 1 | Ken Bechtel | In order for NBC to create a semblance of balance in programming, it must bring back Donahue & similar programs with an alternate perspective to the weekly schedule. | |
| 682 | 12:16 pm PST, Apr 1 | Dorothy Kaltz | Donahue is smart and entertaining. He will appeal to a new market and bring in new viewers. I would love to add Donahue to my TIVO. Right now, all I ever watch (thanks to TIVO) is Stewart, Maher, Colbert, County Down and Survivor. | |
| 681 | 12:06 pm PST, Apr 1 | Dorothy Ligon | I loved Phil Donahue wheen he was on MSNBC - I absolutely love Keith Olberman - Please find a place for both of them on your network and cable. | |
| 680 | 11:52 am PST, Apr 1 | Anonymous | Phil Donahue is a serious interviewer. We need people like him in the TV newsworld. Look how the progressive blogs are growing in readership, while the conservatives stagnate or decline. Same goes for news shows. What else would explain the high ratings for Olbermann and TDS? Bring back Donahue - it's time . | |
| 679 | 11:40 am PST, Apr 1 | Mr. | robert e phelps | integrity |
| 678 | 11:38 am PST, Apr 1 | Anne Griffin | Phil Donahue respected his audience. We need more of that, and we need more of the Progressive side of the argument. MSNBC, CNN, & Fox are beginning to look alike--all pale, pasty, & Republican. | |
| 677 | 11:25 am PST, Apr 1 | Ms. | Maggie Wall | Because he'll have the best show on your network |
| 676 | 10:55 am PST, Apr 1 | Mrs. | Sandy Dvorsky | So-called "watchdog" media has let the American public down in giving them important information about conduct of elected officials of the Bush administration. Jon Lieberman spoke truth about Sinclair Broadcasting and was fired for that...which reveals the bullying pressure media employees have been under. I trust Phil Donahue to exhibit the same courage in speaking truth...and America desperately NEEDS it! The GOP bullies have been exposed as a criminal, cheating PR-machine that is ruining America. We need Phil Donahue, and more like him, back in the traditional media. |
| 675 | 10:47 am PST, Apr 1 | Mrs. | Cheryl Kopp | Most of us tune out or turn off the other side of the debate. Phil Donahue has discussed and debated with intellectual honesty and courtesy for those he disagrees with. This is currently missing from political programming and the public square. |
| 674 | 10:37 am PST, Apr 1 | Anonymous | The Rita Cosby and Scarborough shows just repeat the same gossip stories that are local stories. I would like more significant national and world news with honest debate. | |
| 673 | 10:09 am PST, Apr 1 | Ms. | cathy hightower | Phil Donahue created the TV talk show. Bring him back to show how it is done with finesse. |
| 672 | 10:06 am PST, Apr 1 | Dr. | tim saukiavicus | One of the fairest, most intelligent, passionate and patriotic journalists still living. A pioneer in the genre. Bring him bach, give him a little time and Mathews, Olberman and Phil will knock fox off their perch. There is a very large, eager and loyal demographic waiting for you to do the right (and smart) thing. I WANT MY TRUTH TV. |
| 671 | 10:04 am PST, Apr 1 | Jill H. Custer | I have always liked Phil Donahue. He is calm and rational and is a good listener as well asan articulate speaker. He would be an asset to your station line-up. | |
| 670 | 10:02 am PST, Apr 1 | Dr. | Mehmed Aljazeera | No, leave the liberal infidel, Oberman, on MSNBC. He better suits our goals in terms of dividing the American Public and then watching them cannabilize each other over the definition of "Fair and Balanced" media coverage. P.S Allah Akbar. Seacrest Out! |
| 669 | 9:56 am PST, Apr 1 | Ms. | carolyn winfrey holcomb | MSNBC needs to balance the right wing (Matthews, Scarborough and Carlson) with a center left journalist. |
| 668 | 8:49 am PST, Apr 1 | Jacqueline Woodmanse | Donahue provided a rational debate when this nation needed it most. Taking Donahue off the air added to the discourse in this nation. All we have now is Fox and Fox wannabees, We need real news, real debaes, and real investigations. | |
| 667 | 2:26 pm PST, Mar 30 | Penny Lynn Dunn | ||
| 666 | 8:41 am PST, Mar 16 | Toni Sokoloski | ||
| 665 | 2:34 pm PST, Feb 28 | Dr. | Dirty Liberal | 1. We need to support Bill O'Reilly in his quest to "get" anyone that publicly stands up to him. 2. MSNBC would be well served to take the advice of its competetors. 3. MSNBC couldn't possibly have BOTH Donahue and Oberman on. Together, they would tip the media "balance." It wouldn't be "fair" to the likes of O'Reilly, Hannity and Scarborough. |
| 664 | 6:43 pm PST, Feb 27 | Wendy Mason | ||
| 663 | 3:08 pm PST, Feb 26 | Frances O'Brien | ||
| 662 | 3:43 pm PST, Feb 25 | Honeysucklebarb Liebowitz | ||
| 661 | 7:07 am PST, Feb 25 | Royce McCutcheon | Keith Olbermann not only covers stories that actually matter to Americans (not Aruba, sorry Bill) but is funnier and more informative than anyone on primetime news. O'Reilly caters to the paranoid, self-righteous aging white man who feels like he's losing control of the world around him (much like Bill and Bush). And Mr. O'Reilly, don't try to claim how many people signed your pathetic petition- you should discount all the petitioners who SUPPORT Mr. Olbermann and his efforts, and see how measly that number becomes. | |
| 660 | 6:57 am PST, Feb 25 | concerned citizen | ||
| 659 | 1:46 am PST, Feb 25 | Jorg Brown | I first started watching Phil Donahue back in 1980 because my mom loved watching him, and I wish he was still doing that show because it was so much more intelligent than the crap that took over - Geraldo and Sally Jesse Raphael and Jerry Springer. Please bring him back! But, umm, don't dare touch Keith Olberman's countdown show - it's my favorite news show by far. | |
| 658 | 10:11 pm PST, Feb 24 | Ms. | Chrissy Spotts | Leave Keith Olbermann on right where he is. I watch his show religiously EVERY night. There is no replacement for Keith - he is one of "my men" that I watch regularly and would be very disappointed if he were fired :( |
| 657 | 9:54 pm PST, Feb 24 | Ms. | Anonymous | Donahue asks the tough questions many reporters are too wimpy to ask, his show covers a wide variety of topics that are often swept under the rug by other reporters, and he brings to television people from both or even several sides of issues. I recall when his show was on years ago, yet had no idea it had even been brought back, or I'd have set my recorder to watch it later (assuming it was even shown in my area, which I doubt.) To take Phil Donanhue off the air is to show that others are simply scared that their "reporting" is substandard! He ought to be put on prime-time, as although I don't always agree with Mr. Donahue, he definitely gets a viewer thinking about current events of the day. There are few reporters that ask questions that really matter to the public, or that really give us the tools that get us as Americans thinking about issues that affect ever one of us. I'm sorry I missed his comeback, and if he is brought back, I guarantee that I'll be a loyal viewer, and that I'll spread the word to the many others I know who miss his show from years ago. I'm curious what time slot his show was put on, as I hadn't even heard he was back until the ruckus about cancelling his show. Mr. Donahue is one of the very few reporters out there who gives an audience information that one can really think on, who asks those questions & follow-up questions that need to be asked, and who can do it in an entertaining, yet extremely informative style! PLease bring Mr. Donahue back! Funny, I'd just thought in the last several months watching other news shows that I wished there was someone like Mr. Donahue back on the air, as most reporters today are so biased, so unwilling to really report the truth and the whole truth (no matter where it leads - but the truth none the less), and I strongly feel that Mr. Donahue will again bring that back to television. Please email me when Mr. Donahue is back on the air with his airtimes and I WILL watch his show! It will be a refreashing breath of air from most of the garbage I see on the news these days, which BTW I rarely even bother watching anymore due to those who don't bother getting the facts straight. He is one that does his job and shame on those who are too biased or too lazy to do theirs! I know Mr. Donahue has a track record of doing his job in keeping up with & reporting what is - the truth & the WHOLE truth (as opposed to the half truths and dropped stories that affect everyone that we see on TV a lot more these days that are simply substandard!) |
| 656 | 9:49 pm PST, Feb 24 | Mr. | Jim Tressel | Because I pay my players and want this to be exposed by him. |
| 655 | 9:46 pm PST, Feb 24 | Mr. | Coonass Dh | I have a fetish for very old men. |
| 654 | 9:30 pm PST, Feb 24 | Mr. | Fred Olbermann | I think Fox should put there money where their mouth is...put Donahue on your news network. Then MSNBC can say they dominate yet another primetime news slot. MSNBC>Faux News. |
| 653 | 8:38 pm PST, Feb 24 | Mr. | V Smith | FOX should put him on to replace the dunderhead whose ratings are really slipping -- the clown from Long Island, the most-fired newsperson ever on TV...O'Reilly! |
| 652 | 8:11 pm PST, Feb 24 | Ms. | Ginnene Branch | Donahue would give a more balanced flavor to your station. There would be less of a party line than what you have now. Donahue is also more civil. I am tired of all of the old ranting that I see. I really stopped watching. |
| 651 | 7:18 pm PST, Feb 24 | Mao Tse Toung | Because Braindead Bill said so. |
Tell NBC to Bring Back Phil Donahue!
Phil Donahue has led a distinguished career on NBC where he helped invent and define the daytime talk show. When he returned to television as the host of a prime time news talk show on MSNBC, it was much like the return of a trusted friend. His show was intended to be a democratic counter the conservative O'Reilly on Fox News. Though his ratings were lower than O'Reilly's, his show was the highest rated on MSNBC, and higher than Chris Mathews. Donahue always treated his guests with respect, and he featured guests from a wide range of political views.
Unfortunately, the show didn't last very long on MSNBC. Before the Second Gulf War started, Donahue's show was quickly dropped and replaced with an expanded "Countdown: Iraq." A leaked internal memo claimed that Donahue would present “a difficult public face for NBC in a time of war. He seems to delight in presenting guests who are anti-war, anti-Bush and skeptical of the administration’s motives.” The report warned the Donahue show could be “a home for the liberal anti-war agenda at the same time as our competitors are waving the flag at every opportunity.” More disconcerting still, MSNBC went on to hire trash talk radio host Michael Savage. (Read FAIR's report on Mr. Savage.) This has led many NBC and MSNBC viewers to feel uncomfortable with their network's integrity.
Phil Donahue is one of the best and brightest voices in our media, and there is definately viewer demand for a show hosted by him. We think that NBC should bring back Donahue for at least a weekly hour show. We think that NBC should look to "NOW With Bill Moyers" on PBS as an example of quality current events programming that serves the public good. Now that a difficult time in our nation has passed, it's time for NBC to bring Phil Donahue back to our TV sets.
Unfortunately, the show didn't last very long on MSNBC. Before the Second Gulf War started, Donahue's show was quickly dropped and replaced with an expanded "Countdown: Iraq." A leaked internal memo claimed that Donahue would present “a difficult public face for NBC in a time of war. He seems to delight in presenting guests who are anti-war, anti-Bush and skeptical of the administration’s motives.” The report warned the Donahue show could be “a home for the liberal anti-war agenda at the same time as our competitors are waving the flag at every opportunity.” More disconcerting still, MSNBC went on to hire trash talk radio host Michael Savage. (Read FAIR's report on Mr. Savage.) This has led many NBC and MSNBC viewers to feel uncomfortable with their network's integrity.
Phil Donahue is one of the best and brightest voices in our media, and there is definately viewer demand for a show hosted by him. We think that NBC should bring back Donahue for at least a weekly hour show. We think that NBC should look to "NOW With Bill Moyers" on PBS as an example of quality current events programming that serves the public good. Now that a difficult time in our nation has passed, it's time for NBC to bring Phil Donahue back to our TV sets.
Note: This Tell NBC to Bring Back Phil Donahue! petition was submitted by Brian Sussman. ThePetitionSite.com is a free service provided to help concerned citizens rally support for issues they believe in. The opinions expressed by this petition do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of ThePetitionSite.com or Care2.com. There is no express or implied endorsement of this petition nor any newsletter offers (except those from Care2.com) by Care2.com, Inc, ThePetitionSite.com, or our sponsors. If you believe this system is being abused, please contact customer support.
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