• The New York Times, Wednesday, August 20, 2008 9 AM

In time for the election rush, all-news network MSNBC is shaking up its prime-time programming lineup, replacing longtime host Dan Abrams with Rachel Maddow.

MSNBC has put heavy emphasis this year on presidential election coverage and turned to Maddow frequently as a guest commentator and a substitute for its signature personality, Keith Olbermann. Liberal Olbermann is so popular that MSNBC has unofficial rebranded itself as the liberal alternative to Fox News, which is dominated by conservative hosts.

Since Abrams is not particularly partisan in his approach to the news, a program with Maddow as host will almost certainly be a closer ideological fit with Olbermann.

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