Olbermann: Perceived Culture War at ESPN ‘Baloney’ — ‘The Politics Is the Business of Cable’

During a Friday appearance on Tony Kornheiser’s podcast, ESPN contributor Keith Olbermann discussed Pablo Torre’s upcoming ESPN show with Bomani Jones and the network’s battles with a drop in ratings, shrugging off the notion that the increased coverage of politics is the reason.

Olbermann argued the loss in ratings is not just ESPN, but rather “the business of cable.”

Partial transcript as follows: 

TORRE: The point you guys both raised about laughter — because ESPN is in the middle of a culture war [said sarcastically]. I don’t know if you guys noticed, but we are in a culture war. One of the things that I think people —

OLBERMANN: Baloney, by the way.

TORRE: Well, yes. At risk of further culture warring, I will not comment further on the culture war that may or may not be a culture war.

OLBERMANN: The subscribers of the Golf Channel, they’ve lost more in the last month than ESPN. So what’s the politics of this? The politics is called “the business of cable.” OK, end of story, thank you for tuning in.

TORRE: Yes, I don’t think people are canceling all of their cable because they don’t like ESPN. That’s my general hypothesis.

(h/t Awful Announcing)

Follow Trent Baker on Twitter @MagnifiTrent