Flailing MSNBC is frantically trying to beef up its on-air talent team to win back viewers – but it already has a big swing-and-a-miss with recently sacked late-night icon Stephen Colbert .

RadarOnline.com can reveal the spiraling cable news network made a desperate effort to woo the liberal laugh-maker but was flatly rejected by the soon-to-be jobless Late Show host.

"Stephen is flattered, but it's a hard no," confirmed a source close to the former Comedy Central star. Article continues below advertisement

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"He spent a decade skewering the news – he's not interested in delivering the news."

The rejection was particularly bad luck for the news channel, which seemingl

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