MSNBC Plans New Prime Time Show with Lawrence O’Donnell

Posted Jun 16, 2010 by Walt Belcher

Updated Jun 16, 2010 at 09:50 AM

  Former Washington political operative Lawrence O’Donnell is getting a 10 p.m. week night show on MSNBC, replacing reruns of “Countdown.”

The format is being developed for a possible fall launch, according to reports in the trade papers.

Reruns of “Countdown” would continue at 11 p.m.

O’Donnell has been a political analyst for MSNBC since the network launched in 1996. He is also the principal guest host for Keith Olbermann on “Countdown.”

In a statement, Phil Griffin, president of MSNBC, called O’Donnell “an incredible talent, who our audience has gotten to know throughout the years.”

“I’ve had a part-time job at MSNBC for 14 years,” said O’Donnell in a statement. “Now that the network and I have gotten to know each other, I’m thrilled to be going full time.”

MSNBC has gained audience in primetime over the past two years, finishing 2009 ahead of CNN in for the first time in network history. From 1989 through 1992, O’Donnell served as Senior Advisor to Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan. In 1992, he was Chief of Staff to the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works.  From 1993 through 1995 he was the Chief of Staff of the Senate Finance Committee.  He first began working with Sen. Moynihan as Director of Communications in the Senator’s 1988 re-election campaign.