- MSNBC’s shake-up drew sharp criticism from Rachel Maddow, who condemned the network’s decision to cancel the shows of Joy Reid and Alex Wagner. Maddow highlighted concerns over diversity, noting that both non-white prime-time hosts were cut.
- Joy Reid reacted emotionally to her show’s cancellation, expressing feelings of disappointment and guilt over her team losing their jobs.
- The network overhaul, led by new president Rebecca Kutler, aims to reshape MSNBC’s prime-time lineup amid ratings challenges and the return of Donald Trump to the White House.
Full Story
MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow openly criticized her network for canceling the shows of two non-white prime-time hosts, including Joy Reid. Reid’s final broadcast of “The ReidOut” aired earlier in the evening, marking an emotional farewell joined by Maddow.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn more
Left 44%
Center 17%
Right 39%
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“There is no colleague for whom I have had more affection and more respect than Joy Reid. I love everything about her. I have learned so much from her. I have so much more to learn from her,” Maddow said.
Point phone camera here
Reid responds to cancellation
Reid, visibly emotional during her sign-off, expressed deep disappointment in a Zoom call shared on X.
“I’ve been through every emotion, from anger, rage, disappointment, hurt … feeling guilt that I let my team lose their jobs. My show had value. What I was doing had value.”
Joy Reid
Despite the cancellation, Reid hinted at a new venture on Substack but stopped short of confirming future plans. She emphasized she was “not sorry” for her critical stance on former President Donald Trump and her support for Gaza.
Maddow condemns network’s decisions
Maddow did not hold back in her critique of MSNBC’s leadership, calling out the network’s decision to remove both of its non-white prime-time hosts.
“I will tell you it is also unnerving to see that on a network where we’ve got two—count them, two—non-white hosts in prime time, both of our non-white hosts in prime time are losing their shows, as is Katie Phang on the weekend. And that feels worse than bad, no matter who replaces them. That feels indefensible, and I do not defend it.”
MSNBC’s programming overhaul
The network’s shake-up comes under new MSNBC President Kutler, who took the helm earlier this month.
Alex Wagner, who previously hosted weeknights at 9 p.m., will lose her slot. Jen Psaki, former White House press secretary under President Joe Biden, will take over Wagner’s time slot.
Katie Phang is losing her weekend show and will transition into a legal correspondent role. Other anchors, such as Jonathan Capehart, are also shifting schedules as part of the network’s broader restructuring.
Maddow’s program is currently airing five days a week but will return to its original one-day-a-week slot on Mondays after Trump’s first 100 days.
Ratings and Leadership Challenges
Ratings challenges partly fueled the shake-up. Nielsen Media Research reported that “The ReidOut” lost nearly half its viewership following Trump’s re-election, contributing to a 53% decline in MSNBC’s prime-time audience a month after Election Day.
MSNBC is also preparing to be spun off by Comcast, which will require the network to expand its independent reporting operations, separating more content from NBC News, which Comcast plans to retain.
Industry-wide media layoffs
MSNBC isn’t the only media company facing upheaval. The broader industry is experiencing mass layoffs and prime-time anchor changes amid declining ratings and revenue. Cost-cutting efforts are widespread.
The Washington Post laid off 4% of its staff, Forbes cut 5% and HuffPost reduced its workforce by 22%. Reports indicate that 15,000 media jobs were eliminated last year, with the trend continuing into 2025.
Media trust in decline
Polls suggest one reason for shrinking audiences is declining public trust in media. A recent YouGov survey found that two out of every three people (67%) don’t trust the media to report facts fairly and accurately while covering the Trump administration.
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This growing distrust reflects a significant portion of Americans seeking news sources that present facts without opinion or bias.
MSNBC’S JOY REID HELD HER LAST SHOW ON THE NETWORK MONDAY –
AND A FEW HOURS LATER – MSNBC HOST RACHEL MADDOW USED HER OWN SHOW AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMEND REID, WISH HER WELL –
[Rachel Maddow]
“Personally i think its a bad mistake letting her walk out the door. It is not my call and i understand that but that’s what i think.”
“Finding good people, good colleagues, doing good work with them and then having their back – that we could do a lot better on. A lot better.”
[Karah]
MADDOW – DIDN’T HOLD BACK.
AS SHE CALLED THE NETWORK’S DECISION TO CANCEL THE SHOWS OF “TWO OF ITS NON-WHITE PRIMETIME HOSTS” – “INDEFENSIBLE.”
[Rachel Maddow]
“I will tell you it is also unnerving to see that on a network where we have two non-white hosts in primetime, both are losing their shows as is katie phang on the weekends. That feels worse than bad. That feels indefensible and i do not defend it.”
[Karah]
JOY REID WAS EMOTIONAL DURING HER SIGN OFF –
AND THEN LATER ON A PODCAST WITH A GROUP CALLED “WIN FOR BLACK WOMEN.”
[Joy Reid]
“My show had value – i’m sorry – what i was doing had value.”
[Karah]
ALEX WAGNER – WHO PREVIOUSLY HOSTED WEEKNIGHTS AT 9 PM WILL ALSO LOSE HER SHOW.
JEN PSAKI – FORMER PRESIDENT BIDEN’S WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY – WILL TAKE WAGNER’S TIME SLOT.
KATIE PHANG IS LOOSING HER WEEKEND SHOW AND WILL MOVE INTO A LEGAL CORRESPONDENT ROLE.
MADDOW’S PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY 5 DAYS A WEEK FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP’S FIRST 100 DAYS IN OFFICE –
BUT THEN WILL RETURN TO ONE DAY A WEEK ON MONDAYS.
OTHER ANCHORS – LIKE JONATHAN CAPEHART – ARE ALSO SHIFTING SCHEDULES IN THE NETWORK’S SHAKEUP
THE NEW MOVES COME UNDER NEW MSNBC PRESIDENT REBECCA KUTLER – WHO TOOK THE HELM EARLIER THIS MONTH.
RATINGS FOR THE NETWORK HAVE BEEN SUBPAR –
WITH JOY REID’S SHOW LOSING HALF OF ITS VIEWERSHIP SINCE TRUMP’S RE-ELECTION.
AND THE NETWORK AS A WHOLE SAW 53 PERCENT OF ITS VIEWERSHIP DROP A MONTH AFTER ELECTION DAY.
MSNBC IS ALSO PREPARING TO BE SPUN OFF BY COMCAST –
WHICH WILL FORCE THE NETWORK TO BUILD UP MORE OF ITS OWN REPORTING SEPARATE FROM NBC NEWS – WHICH COMCAST IN HOLDING ON TO.
MSNBC ISN’T THE ONLY MEDIA COMPANY EXPERIENCING A SHAKE UP. THE INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE IS SEEING MASS LAYOFFS, PRIMETIME ANCHOR CHANGES, AMID A DROP IN RATINGS AND REVENUE.
COST-CUTTING EFFORTS ARE IN FULL FORCE.
THE WASHINGTON POST LAID OFF 4 PERCENT OF ITS STAFF.
FORBES LAID OF 5 PERCENT.
HUFF POST LAID OFF 22 PERCENT OF ITS EMPLOYEES.
SOME REPORTS OF DATA SHOW 15 THOUSAND MEDIA JOBS WERE ELIMINATED LAST YEAR – AND THE TREND IS SEEMINGLY CONTINUING IN 2025.
POLLS CONTINUE TO SUGGEST ONE OF THE REASONS NETWORKS AND NEWS OUTLETS ARE SEEING SMALLER AUDIENCES IS THE DISTRUST AMERICANS HAVE IN THE MEDIA.
A NEW YOUGOV SURVEY FOUND TWO OUT OF EVERY THREE PEOPLE DON’T TRUST THE MEDIA TO REPORT THE FACTS FAIRLY AND ACCURATELY WHILE COVERING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
THAT’S A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING FOR A NEWS SOURCE WHERE FACTS ARE PRESENTED WITHOUT OPINION OR A BIAS SPIN.
WE HOPE YOU’LL GIVE S-A-N A CHANCE TO FILL THAT SPACE FOR YOU AS WE’RE RATED AS A CENTER NEWS OUTLET.
IF YOU’RE SOMEONE TIRED OF MEDIA BIAS –
THERE’S A NEW PODCAST THAT I’VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT MAY BE A GOOD FIT FOR YOU.
ITS CALLED “BIAS BREAKDOWN.”
WE TAKE TOP STORIES THAT MATTER TO YOU –
AND SHOW HOW THE NARRATIVE SHIFTS BASED ON A NEWS OUTLET’S LEFT OR RIGHT POLITICAL BIAS.
WE EXPOSE MEDIA BIASES WHILE LEAVING YOU WITH JUST THE FACTS – FILTERING OUT THE OPINION.
I HOPE YOU’LL TRY US OUT – SEARCH “BIAS BREAKDOWN” WHEREEVER YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn more
Left 44%
Center 17%
Right 39%
Bias Summary
Bias Comparison
Media outlets on the left
highlight Rachel Maddow’s criticism of MSNBC for the cancellation of Joy Reid’s show, labeling it a “bad mistake” and “indefensible” in relation to the network’s treatment of non-white hosts during prime time.
Media outlets on the right
emphasize Maddow’s strong emotional response to the cancellation, illustrating the significant impact it had on her.
Report an issue with this comparison
Bias Distribution
30 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
30
Leaning Left
8
Center
3
Leaning Right
7
Last Updated
6 hours ago
Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™
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