MSNBC drifted far to the left last year. Where it was once a (mildly) respected news outlet, only partisan Democrats appreciated its reporting during and after it had sold its journalistic soul in order to help get Barack Obama elected. Chris Matthews and even Keith Olbermann whenever an important were allowed to act like reporters rather than partisan pundits. They purposefully tried to tear the Republican Party apart and ruin especially Governor Sarah Palin’s image. After the elections, far-left ideologue Rachel Maddow got her own show, turning the network into an even stauncher ally of the Democratic Party.

Now, in April 2009, MSNBC has moved even further to the left:

Veteran radio host Ed Schultz will have his own hourlong program on MSNBC, starting Monday.

Schultz has spent 30 years in talk radio and has a syndicated show that airs from noon to 3 p.m. each day.

MSNBC announced Wednesday that he’ll replace a politically oriented show currently anchored by David Shuster at 6 p.m. on weekdays.

I ask in the headline whether MSNBC is becoming the liberal equivalent of Fox News. As of yet, this is not the case. Unlike MSNBC, Fox hasn’t truly pretended to be non-ideological in the past (everybody knew “fair and balanced” was meant ironically). MSNBC has. It pretended to be ‘objective, ‘when it wasn’t. It now still doesn’t call itself ideological and partisan, and its pundits will go after all those who call them out for what they are.

Of course it should not be forgotten that there’s another reason why we can’t call MSNBC the liberal Fox News: FN’s pundits are highly popular. They can count on tremendous ratings, day in day out. MSNBC has a long way to before it can compete with Fox’ conservative and libertarian talkingheads.

Lastly, although Fox is biased, it’s never dishonest. MSNBC, however, employs people whose take pride in distorting the truth. Especially Olbermann, arrogant bloke he is, comes to mind.