MSNBC will replace anchors Joy Reid and Alex Wagner in its evening lineup, some of the first big moves from new president Rebecca Kutler
Brian Steinberg at Variety:
MSNBC‘s evening line-up may soon look quite different from what die-hard viewers have come to expect. The NBCUniversal-backed cable network is expected to move the trio of Symone Sanders-Townsend, Alicia Menendez and Michael Steele to its 7 p.m. weekday slot Tuesday through Friday, according to two people familiar with the matter, and the group on Mondays will lead two hours, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The move will have direct implications for Joy Reid, the anchor who currently fills 7 p.m. She is expected to host her last show on MSNBC this week.
What’s more, Alex Wagner, who has hosted weeknights at 9 p.m. save for a Monday night led by Rachel Maddow, is expected to be named a contributor, according to three people with knowledge of current talks. Wagner, who has been working as a correspondent across the U.S. during the first 100 days of the new Trump presidency while Rachel Maddow anchors each day at 9, is unlikely to return to her weeknight slot, these people indicated. Jen Psaki is expected to take over at least one of the hours, according to one of these people. MSNBC is also in talks with Eugene Daniels of Politico and Melissa Murray, a law professor at New York University who specializes in the regulation of sex, marriage, caregiving and reproductive rights that would have them join the network in unspecified capacities, according to one of these people. [...] The moves come quickly after Rebecca Kutler, a former senior executive at CNN who is known for her facility in developing new talent and programming concepts, was named MSNBC’s new president. [...] Kutler has described plans to build an independent newsgathering apparatus for MSNBC, which will lose its ties to NBC News after the new company is formed. She wants to launch a separate MSNBC Washington bureau, and to add a new roster of international and domestic correspondents. She also wants to hire a new head of talent, a Washington bureau chief and a head of content strategy. Yet she has articulated a plan to hew close to the network’s progressive leanings, not trying to steer it to the center.
Big changes at MSNBC regarding their weeknight lineup: Joy Reid loses her evening show and set to leave the channel completely. Reid has hosted three different shows during her MSNBC tenure: The Reid Report on weekday afternoons, AM Joy on weekend mornings, and her current project, The ReidOut.
Alex Wagner Tonight will not be coming back, but Alex Wagner will remain with MSNBC in a correspondent role.
Rachel Maddow and her show will revert to Mondays (and special occasions) only at the end of the first 100 days.
Jen Psaki and her Inside show will most likely take the vacated spot of Alex Wagner Tonight, Tuesdays-Fridays at 9PM ET/8PM CT.
The Weekend hosts Alicia Menendez, Symone Sanders-Townsend, and Michael Steele take their talents to the soon-to-be vacated ReidOut spot at 7PM ET/6PM CT slot.
See Also:
Mediaite: BREAKING: Joy Reid Out at MSNBC as Part of Stunning Network Shakeup
The Guardian: MSNBC reportedly cancels Joy Reid show in reshuffle at liberal network
Deadline: MSNBC Building Up News Operation In Advance Of Split From Comcast; Jen Psaki And ‘The Weekend’ Hosts Eyed For Expanded Roles
