The newly appointed President of MSNBC, Rebecca Kutler, is not wasting any time in steering the progressive-leaning network towards her envisioned direction. This comes as the network prepares to be independently spun off from NBCUniversal and Comcast, its parent company.
Kutler, who assumed the role of president earlier in February, is contemplating the expansion of the screen presence of Jen Psaki, currently anchoring on Sunday afternoons and Monday evenings. She is also considering boosting the visibility of the trio leading “The Weekend”, a roundtable show airing on Saturday and Sunday mornings. This trio consists of Symone Sanders-Townsend, Alicia Menendez, and Michael Steele, as stated by individuals privy to the discussions.
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MSNBC declined to comment on the matter, with previous discussions regarding the proposed personnel changes reported by Puck.
The unannounced changes reflect Kutler’s swift action in directing MSNBC during an intricate phase. With Comcast divesting most of its cable assets into a separate publicly traded company, MSNBC may need to navigate its future without the resources of NBC News. Currently, a team of traditional news anchors, including Katy Tur and Chris Jansing, command MSNBC’s weekday hours, offering journalism and reporting that isn’t as heavily influenced by the liberal bias as the outlet’s primetime opinion programs. Long-standing anchor Andrea Mitchell recently left the noon hour she anchored for decades, with no official replacement announced yet.
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Kutler might need to devise new strategies to fill these daytime hours. She is already on the hunt for new Washington correspondents and a Washington bureau chief, as disclosed by one of the sources. Recent discussions have revolved around hiring journalists from outlets like The Washington Post and Politico, bringing in names from other networks, and promoting current MSNBC contributors to anchor roles.
Like its peers, MSNBC is grappling with significant business challenges. Many viewers who tune in each evening for a few hours of commentary on MSNBC are moving elsewhere. According to estimates from Kagan, a part of S&P Global Intelligence, MSNBC is expected to lose approximately 10.5% of its subscribers between the end of 2023 and the end of 2025. Rival channels like Fox News and CNN are anticipated to face similar declines during this period. By the end of 2025, MSNBC might have an average of 61.3 million viewers, down from 68.5 million in 2023, despite a typically viewer-attracting event – an election year, lying between the two years.
Post the 2024 presidential election results, MSNBC has been striving to regain its viewership. Both MSNBC and CNN witnessed significant viewer erosion following Donald Trump’s return to the White House and the national conversation. Both networks have introduced programming shake-ups in recent weeks. At MSNBC, Rachel Maddow returned to host the 9 p.m. hour from Monday to Friday, as opposed to her previous Monday-only schedule, with occasional special appearances. However, Maddow is expected to revert to a Mondays-only schedule after Trump’s first 100 days in office, a shift that would also accommodate the return of Alex Wagner, who has been hosting from Tuesdays to Fridays.
Both Psaki and “The Weekend” are special to Kutler. She was instrumental in developing both “Inside With Jen Psaki” and the trio leading “The Weekend”. “The Weekend” has seen a surge in viewership in its slot since its launch in January 2024. MSNBC executives have been clearly impressed with Psaki, a former Biden White House press secretary, since she launched a Sunday hour in March 2003.
The consideration to give both programs more room indicates MSNBC’s eagerness to maintain its progressive stance, rather than shifting towards the middle ground. These moves would also contribute to diversifying the network’s weekday lineup.
However, for these two programs to gain more space, others might need to make room. Kutler is undoubtedly weighing her options carefully.
FAQs
1. What changes is Rebecca Kutler planning for MSNBC?
Kutler is considering expanding the screen presence of Jen Psaki and the trio leading “The Weekend”. She is also looking at hiring more journalists and promoting current MSNBC contributors to anchor roles.
2. How is MSNBC performing compared to other networks?
Like other cable networks, MSNBC is facing significant business challenges. It is expected to lose approximately 10.5% of its subscribers between the end of 2023 and the end of 2025. Rivals like Fox News and CNN are anticipated to face similar declines during this period.
3. How is MSNBC trying to regain its viewership?
Post the 2024 presidential election, MSNBC has been working to bring viewers back. This includes programming shake-ups and the return of Rachel Maddow to host the 9 p.m. hour from Monday to Friday.
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