The NY Times on the Dylan Ratigan Movement

The New York Times‘ Brian Stelter profiles MSNBC host Dylan Ratigan in Monday’s media section.

The focus of the profile is Ratigan’s transformation from straight-arrow financial journalist turned opinion host, or as the Times describes him:

“A financial news apostate who has transformed himself into an outspoken opponent of too-big-to-fail banks and the politicians whom he calls their servants.”

Stelter also speaks to MSNBC chief Phil Griffin, bringing up the case of Lou Dobbs, who was pushed out at CNN because he expressed his personal opinions.

What has changed, perhaps, is that, while an anchorman like Mr. Dobbs fought to express his opinions on CNN, Mr. Ratigan is being emboldened by his bosses. Mr. Griffin likened Mr. Ratigan to a “wild mustang,” and said, “I don’t want to change him. I want to tame him a little bit,” so that the audience can keep up.

His advice to Mr. Ratigan: “If you want to create a movement, take it a little slower,” he said.

And despite the rumored bad-blood surrounding his departure from CNBC, Ratigan still speaks highly of his old network:

In a nod to his old network, Mr. Ratigan said that CNBC “does more good than bad,” because it “still shines the light on the debate about ideas in the financial markets.” But MSNBC seems to be a better platform than CNBC for a political crusade against corruption, said Mr. Ratigan, 38, whose one-year anniversary at MSNBC will come on Tuesday.

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