The inimitable Keith Olbermann has rejoined what he once thought was a nefarious, back-stabbing gang at ESPN, some 16 years after first leaving the “Worldwide Leader…”. It’s the latest career stop for a sublime TV talent who has moved more than United Van Lines. This isn’t news in itself.
Here’s what’s news.
Once again we will now have the nightly opportunity to watch a master storyteller of the television medium in action.
After far reaching career stops at everything from MSNBC to Fox Sports to the now re-branded Current TV, Olbermann has returned to the place of, arguably, his greatest professional success. Olbermann’s reunion with the sports genre will center on his nightly ESPN2 show, Olbermann—and after just a couple of weeks—the program has already projected storytelling and sport journalism excellence.
Long known as petulant and professionally difficult to handle Olbermann has been a lightning rod just about everywhere he has gone. Indeed at times his off-air shenanigans and conflicts have been off putting. But he is a masterful sight to behold at crafting and presenting the story paradigm within the TV medium.
He leverages a style that is linear, provocative, and heavy on context and for television, surprisingly light on the visuals. But it his crisp writing—so sharp—that momentarily lifts some of his TV stories to become—dare I say it—literate.
Coupled with an anchor-style that is far more authoritative than chatty, Olbermann is a journalistic throwback who could and has flourished in the conventional print, radio and TV worlds. He is no less effective in new media but with digital divas seemingly everywhere reporting little, he treads there lightly to not limit the delicious, hard-hitting, compelling stories that have become his calling card. We are his benefactors as we enjoy his nightly illustrations of how story remains the world’s most powerful communication form and when combined with classical journalism, is all-at-once uplifting, enlightening and entertaining.
_____
John Durante is marketing services director for WordWrite Communications.
