The exciting thing about Keith Olbermann's move to Current TV isn't just that he'll be coming back to prime time television, it's also that as the network's Chief News Officer he'll be guiding the growth of a truly independent network.
Although MSNBC PR flacks have sought to diminish the relevance of Current TV because it is available in fewer homes than MSNBC, Politico's Burgess Everett points out that Current TV today is in a similar position to MSNBC in 2003 before the launch of Countdown:
When only U.S. viewers are counted, 2003 MSNBC is quite comparable to 2011 Current, which has about 2 million more viewers than the pre-Olbermann MSNBC, which clocked in at about 58 million viewers, or 74 percent of the 78.4 million number touted by MSNBC in the L.A. Times article.
Olbermann's challenge isn't just to develop a hit new show, it's also to build Current TV into a programming powerhouse. With his creation of Countdown and nurturing of Rachel Maddow's career, he's already demonstrated that he's got the talent and skills to get the job done. It's going to be fun watching him do it.