Only days after the Comcast/NBC merger went through, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, one of the few left-of-center voices in cable news, was suddenly canceled. 

Host Olbermann made a short announcement of the final show, which began a ratings renaissance for cable news network MS-NBC, which overtook one-time leader CNN in the cable news ratings race behind right-wing Fox News.

The reasons for the cancellation are unclear at this time, although Olbermann had recently been suspended for making political donations to democratic house and senatorial candidates, including Arizona representative Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot through the brain in Tucson.

The merger with Comcast Corporation, which is taking over the NBC-Universal channels and content, was approved by the Department of Justice and the FCC only days ago.