If you can't beat them....join them.  

MSNBC is hoping George Zimmerman will do something that Chris Hayes and Al Sharpton have not.

Help raise the ratings for the cable news network that admits they don't like news.  

MSNBC says they will cover the Zimmerman trial in-depth, which is something they don't normally do. 

But after MSNBC watched rivals HLN and CNN racked up huge ratings with wall-to-wall coverage of trials like Casey Anthony's and Jodi Arias's they decided to join in.

MSNBC finished the May book fourth place as CNN rode the Arias wave to higer numbers. 

An MSNBC says they will offer "in-depth, continuing coverage" of the Zimmerman trial, and would "cover the criminal proceedings live as news warrants during our regularly scheduled programs."

MSNBC does have a bit of an advantage for the Zimmerman trial. Their own Al Sharpton extremely close to the Martin family and might be able to provide MSNBC with access that other networks may not be able to match.