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Has MSNBC killed its golden goose?

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Why would a cable network ditch the host of its most popular show?

“Countdown” host Keith Olbermann’s on-air announcement Friday that the show was his last has triggered a barrage of speculation – among fans and critics alike – about what led MSNBC to do it.

Neither Mr. Olbermann nor MSNBC, which had built its left-leaning lineup around “Countdown,” gave a reason. The network said only “MSNBC and Keith Olbermann have ended their contract” and thanked him for “his integral role in MSNBC’s success.”

That would indicate the departure was mutual. But the timing may have come as a surprise to Olbermann, who indicated Friday he had “been told” that the show would be his last. Olbermann was about halfway through a four-year, $30 million contract.

Full story: Keith Olbermann last show: Has MSNBC killed its golden goose?