Keith Olbermann replaced by Eliot Spitzer at Current TV

Current TV announced this afternoon that it had fired lead anchor Keith Olbermann and former New York governor Eliot Spitzer would take over his time slot, Politico reported.

Olbermann will not be given a chance to say goodbye to viewers on his program, “Countdown,” according to the New York Times. Spitzer’s show, “Viewpoint with Eliot Spitzer,” will air tonight at 8 p.m. ET instead.

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In a letter to viewers, co-founders Al Gore and Joel Hyatt wrote, “We created Current to give voice to those Americans who refuse to rely on corporate-controlled media and are seeking an authentic progressive outlet. We are more committed to those goals today than ever before. Current was also founded on the values of respect, openness, collegiality, and loyalty to our viewers. Unfortunately these values are no longer reflected in our relationship with Keith Olbermann, and we have ended it.”

Olbermann lasted barely a year at Current, a new channel that hoped to draw the brash host’s politically progressive fans, according to Politico. He reportedly fought with channel president David Bohrman and chief executive Joel Hyatt. In January, Olbermann refused to host special hours of election coverage, the New York Times reported.

Olberman left his previous job at MSNBC 14 months ago in a similarly abrupt fashion, the New York Times reported.

Spitzer, whose show on CNN was cancelled last year, had been a frequent guest on “Countdown” since its earliest days, Politico reported.

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