MSNBC is an M-E-S-S, and Rachel Maddow is again to attempt to clear it up. For the primary time in 4 years, Rashida Jones, the information community’s president for the final 4 years, is not going to be proper beside her. Jones’ exit was reported Tuesday, January 14.
Maddow although might be again to nightly at 9 p.m. beginning Monday, January 20, however solely operating by way of April 30, MSNBC introduced on Monday. That marks the primary 100 days of Donald Trump’s second presidency, which are sometimes probably the most lively for a brand new administration. For MSNBC, probably the most liberal of the foremost cable information networks, the return to a MAGA White Home is a chance to show some issues round.
5 nights of “Rachel Maddow Present” means Alex Wagner is out… into the sector, reporting beneath some “Trumpland” banner for a similar period. Wagner’s work will concentrate on “the impacts of Trump’s early insurance policies and guarantees on the citizens,” per MSNBC. Come Might, Wagner will return to the time slot she (principally) took over from Maddow again in 2022.
“It is a consequential subsequent chapter in American politics. The second we’re in requires us to cowl the early days of the brand new administration from everywhere in the nation — from the nation’s capital, the place coverage is being carried out, to speaking to these in key communities and constituencies impacted by these insurance policies,” Jones, the MSNBC president since 2021, stated as a part of the announcement. “Nobody is best outfitted to carry these tales from the sector to MSNBC viewers than our intrepid Alex Wagner.”
Ah sure, that segues completely to our subsequent level. The very subsequent day, on Tuesday, January 14, Jones resigned as community president. Rebecca Kutler, MSNBC’s SVP of content material technique, is interim president. The choice to step down is alleged to have been completely Jones’ selection. The timing right here is solely to align with our new/outdated POTUS’ second and (hopefully, Constitutionally) ultimate four-year time period.
The 9 p.m. rewind was amongst Jones’ ultimate strikes, an effort to drag MSNBC’s TV scores out of the bathroom. MSNBC’s primetime viewership has dropped 57 p.c since Trump defeated Kamala Harris in November 2024, in response to Nielsen, with even worse declines amongst adults beneath 55. Fellow left-leaning cable information community CNN has seen severe losses too — down 45 p.c total — however to not MSNBC’s diploma. Viewer declines post-election are to be anticipated, particularly for the channels primarily serving the dropping get together, however these drops are fairly excessive. The conservative-leaning Fox Information Channel’s viewership is principally flat for the reason that election.
Maddow is MSNBC’s greatest star, and this one-night-a-week factor she’s been doing for the previous two-and-a-half years simply isn’t slicing it. (Maddow decreased her TV-anchoring workload to concentrate on documentaries and podcasts.) “Alex Wagner Tonight” scores have been already manner down from “Maddow,” and for the reason that election, Wagner has drawn fewer than half the viewers of Maddow Mondays.
Clearly, MSNBC might use the kickstart. Kutler has her arms full.
However it’s not only a new president MSNBC will quickly be getting — it’s additionally getting a brand new father or mother firm.
MSNBC will quickly be banished to “SpinCo,” a brand new impartial entity additionally consisting of CNBC, USA Community, Oxygen, E!, Syfy, Golf Channel, Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes, GolfNow, and Sports activities Engine. NBC, Peacock and Bravo will stay at NBCUniversal, a Comcast firm, together with the studios and theme parks.
If Interim President Kutler is MSNBC’s biggest hope, the incoming president president could also be SpinCo’s greatest roadblock. On Tuesday, after catching an unflattering (for him) “Late Night time with Seth Meyers” phase, Trump made a semi-veiled risk to Comcast.
“How unhealthy is Seth Meyers on NBC, a ‘community’ run by a really unhealthy group of individuals — Keep in mind, in addition they run MSDNC,” Trump posted on his Fact Social platform. “I bought caught watching Marble Mouth Meyers the opposite evening, the primary time in months, and each time I watch this moron I really feel an obligation to say how dumb and untalented he’s, merely a slot filler for the Scum that runs Comcast.”
(There’s a degree coming, we swear. Oh, and that “scum” can be Chairman Brian L. Roberts.)
“These guys ought to be paying some huge cash for the appropriate to provide these ‘in sort’ contributions to the Radical Left Democrat Celebration,” Trump continued. “These usually are not exhibits or leisure, they’re merely political hits, 100% of the time, to me and the Republican Celebration. Comcast ought to pay a BIG worth for this!”
Comcast will want the Trump administration’s appointed regulatory leaders to approve its SpinCo spinoff.
Jones was named president of MSNBC in 2021, turning into the primary Black government to steer a significant tv information community. Learn her farewell electronic mail to workers (obtained by IndieWire) right here:
Crew,
After 4 unbelievable years on the helm of MSNBC and 11 years at NBCU, I’ve made the choice to pursue new alternatives.
I shared this choice with Mark, who has been extremely supportive and has requested me to remain on for the subsequent few months to assist information the community throughout this transitional interval.
I got here to this choice over the vacations whereas reflecting on our exceptional journey and the various successes we’ve achieved collectively as a workforce. This has been probably the most rewarding chapter of my skilled profession and I’m immensely happy with what we have now completed, which has been made doable solely by you.
This workforce is the perfect within the enterprise, and I’ll miss being within the trenches (and management rooms!) with you. The folks right here at MSNBC are what make this place actually particular, and our shared mission is what has all the time united us: to maintain our viewers, readers and listeners well-informed, present essential context, ask powerful questions, converse onerous truths, say the quiet half out loud, and all the time adhere to the information, with out concern or favor.
I’m perpetually grateful for the shared experiences, the various mentors and mentees from through the years, coffee-fueled late nights and early mornings, and the teachings realized alongside the best way.
Most significantly, I’m extra assured than ever that MSNBC is well-positioned for the longer term.
Rashida Jones