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Current TV Could Get Kicked Off Time Warner Over Ratings: Reuters

Current TV Could Get Kicked Off Time Warner
By 

Senior Media Editor, The Huffington Post

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Al Gore's Current TV could get kicked off of one of the country's biggest cable operators, according to Reuters.

Current has been in the news recently for its firing of, and subsequent public feuding with, Keith Olbermann. But sources told Reuters' Peter Lauria that the network could be facing serious consequences with Time Warner Cable -- which operates in 29 states and serves millions of people, including many in the all-important New York media market -- if its ratings dip.

If the numbers fall below an unspecified threshold for two consecutive quarters, Time Warner is allowed to drop the network. More troubling for Gore, a source told Lauria that Olbermann's ratings were the key factor in keeping Current above that line.

Current has struggled to gain traction since it revamped its programming strategy and set off on a news and information path. Besides the failed Olbermann show, it has added programs with Cenk Uygur, Jennifer Granholm and radio hosts Bill Press and Stephanie Miller. It has also put former New York governor and CNN host Eliot Spitzer in the prime 8 PM slot formerly occupied by Olbermann.

But the network has found itself hampered by a lack of distribution across the country, as well as a relatively obscure place on the dial. Its lower profile has meant that it has been unable to do things like post podcasts of its programming online, or air in HD.

Olbermann's ratings were just a fraction of his numbers at MSNBC. The Spitzer show attracted a paltry 47,000 viewers in its debut.

Olbermann greeted the Reuters story with a tweet on Wednesday night:

He also responded to a viewer who asked about his ratings, saying that he was operating on "the world's first camouflaged secret hidden TV channel."

Current representatives told Reuters that they fully expected to meet their obligations with Time Warner.

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Before You Go

Al Gore(01 of19)
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NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 05: Al Gore attends the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights 2011 Ripple of Hope Awards dinner at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers on December 5, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images for RFK Center) (credit:Getty)
Former US vice president and Nobel Peace(02 of19)
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Former US vice president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore walks off stage after delivering a lecture during the 'First Business Forum on Sustainability and Environment' in Heredia at the outskirts of San Jose, on March 16, 2011. AFP PHOTO / Yuri CORTEZ (Photo credit should read YURI CORTEZ/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Robert F. Kennedy Center For Justice And Human Rights 2011 Ripple Of Hope Awards Dinner Honors Former Vice President Al Gore And Dennis Mathisen, Chairman, K2 Capital Group(03 of19)
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NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 05: Former Vice President Al Gore is honored at the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights 2011 Ripple of Hope Awards dinner at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers on December 5, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Getty Images for RFK Center) (credit:Getty)
Former US vice president and Nobel Peace(04 of19)
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Former US vice president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore delivers a lecture during the 'First Business Forum on Sustainability and Environment' in Heredia at the outskirts of San Jose, on March 16, 2011. AFP PHOTO / Yuri CORTEZ (Photo credit should read YURI CORTEZ/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Current TV Upfront(05 of19)
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NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 09: Al Gore, chairman and co-founder of Current TV, and Joel Hyatt, executive vice chairman and co-founder of Current TV, speak during the Current TV Upfront at the Paley Center For Media on February 9, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Joe Kohen/Getty Images for Current TV) (credit:Getty)
Current TV Upfront(06 of19)
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NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 09: Al Gore, chairman and co-founder of Current TV, and Joel Hyatt, executive vice chairman and co-founder of Current TV, attend the Current TV Upfront at the Paley Center For Media on February 9, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Joe Kohen/Getty Images for Current TV) (credit:Getty)
Current TV Upfront(07 of19)
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NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 09: Ocean MacAdams, SVP of Programming of Current TV, Mark Rosenthal, CEO of Current TV, Al Gore, chairman and co-founder of Current TV, Brian Graden, Senior Programming Consultant of Current TV, Coach Lara, and Joel Hyatt, executive vice chairman and co-founder of Current TV attend the Current TV Upfront at the Paley Center For Media on February 9, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Joe Kohen/Getty Images for Current TV) (credit:Getty)
Former US vice-president Al Gore deliver(08 of19)
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Former US vice-president Al Gore delivers a speech during the 2011 Global Urban Development Forum in Beijing on January 6, 2011. Population pressure, drought and climate change have made China the world's biggest victim of desertification and it could take 300 years to reclaim just one-fifth of desert land, state media said. AFP PHOTO/LIU Jin (Photo credit should read LIU JIN/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Former US Vice President Al Gore address(09 of19)
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Former US Vice President Al Gore addresses the Tijuana Innovate festival in Tijuana, Baja California State, on October 14, 2010. AFP PHOTO / Francisco Vega (Photo credit should read FRANCISCO VEGA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Robert F. Kennedy Center For Justice And Human Rights 2011 Ripple Of Hope Awards Dinner Honors Former Vice President Al Gore And Dennis Mathisen, Chairman, K2 Capital Group(10 of19)
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NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 05: (L-R) Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and former Vice President Al Gore attend the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights 2011 Ripple of Hope Awards dinner at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers on December 5, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Getty Images for RFK Center) (credit:Getty)
Robert F. Kennedy Center For Justice And Human Rights 2011 Ripple Of Hope Awards Dinner Honors Former Vice President Al Gore And Dennis Mathisen, Chairman, K2 Capital Group(11 of19)
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NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 05: Former Vice President Al Gore attends the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights 2011 Ripple of Hope Awards dinner at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers on December 5, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Getty Images for RFK Center) (credit:Getty)
Former US Vice-President and environment(12 of19)
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Former US Vice-President and environmental activist Al Gore speaks during an environmental summit in Guayaquil, Ecuador on March 17, 2011. AFP PHOTO / RODRIGO BUENDIA (Photo credit should read RODRIGO BUENDIA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Former US vice-president Al Gore (R) and(13 of19)
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Former US vice-president Al Gore (R) and former Costa Rican president Oscar Arias (L), both of them Nobel Peace Prize winners, shake hands before a meeting at the Aria's house in San Jose, on March 17, 2011. Al Gore was in Costa Rica to deliver a lecture during the 'First Business Forum on Sustainability and Environment' last March 16. AFP PHOTO/ Yuri CORTEZ (Photo credit should read YURI CORTEZ/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Current TV Upfront(14 of19)
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NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 09: Al Gore, chairman and co-founder of Current TV, and Joel Hyatt, executive vice chairman and co-founder of Current TV, speak during the Current TV Upfront at the Paley Center For Media on February 9, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Joe Kohen/Getty Images for Current TV) (credit:Getty)
(15 of19)
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Description AlGore, en 2007 | Source http://www. flickr. com/photos/wricontest/392303367/ AlGore 0107 | Date | Author http://www. ... (credit:MediaWiki)
(16 of19)
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Description AlGore recieving the Nobel Peace Price 2007 | Source | Date 2007-12-10 | Author Kjetil Bj (credit:MediaWiki)
(17 of19)
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Description 1 AlGore's speech on Global Warming at the University of Miami BankUnited Center, Feb 28th, 2007 | Source http://www. ... (credit:MediaWiki)
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Bill Clinton Walking with Vice President AlGore on the South Lawn, August 10, 1993. Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United ... (credit:MediaWiki)
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Description AlGore at The World Economic Forum, 2008 | Source alteration of http://www. flickr. 2216445692/ Bono makes AlGore Laugh | Date ... (credit:MediaWiki)
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