MSNBC Cancels Joy Reid's Show ReidOut in Major Lineup Shuffle
Image credits: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
MSNBC has reportedly canceled longtime anchor Joy Reid's show, The ReidOut, as part of a major programming restructure at the liberal network. The cancellation comes after Rebecca Kutler, the network's new president, took the helm and announced plans to shake up the evening lineup. According to sources, Reid's final episode is scheduled to air this week, and her 7pm slot will be replaced by a new show co-led by Symone Sanders-Townsend, Alicia Menendez, and Michael Steele, who currently co-host The Weekend show.
The new show, which will air from 7pm to 9pm on Mondays and 7pm on Tuesday through Friday, marks a significant change in MSNBC's programming strategy. Sanders-Townsend, a Democratic strategist and ex-counsel to former vice-president Kamala Harris, Menendez, a television commentator, and Steele, the former lieutenant governor of Maryland and chairperson of the Republican National Committee, will bring a new perspective to the network's evening lineup. The move is seen as an effort to attract a new audience and boost ratings, which have been declining in recent months. MSNBC is facing significant business challenges, including a projected loss of 10.5% of its subscribers between 2023 and 2025, according to estimates from Kagan, a market-research firm.
The cancellation of Reid's show comes after a series of changes at the network, including the departure of former president Rashida Jones and the arrival of Kutler, who has been tasked with revitalizing the network's programming. 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 also wants to launch a separate MSNBC Washington bureau and add a new roster of international and domestic correspondents. The network has also been in talks with Eugene Daniels of Politico and Melissa Murray, a law professor at New York University, to join the network in unspecified capacities. Reid has been a weekday mainstay at MSNBC since 2020, but her show's viewership has been eroding, with overall viewership down 28% in February compared to the year-earlier period.
Other changes are also afoot at MSNBC, including the potential replacement of Alex Wagner, who has hosted weeknights at 9pm, with Jen Psaki, a former Biden White House press secretary. Psaki has been a favorite of MSNBC executives since she joined its Sunday lineup in March 2023. The network has also yet to announce a formal replacement for Andrea Mitchell, the NBC News veteran who anchored a noon program for decades and recently left. Staffers are curious whether the daytime anchors, who are affiliated with NBC News, will stay with MSNBC over the longer haul. The network's new lineup is expected to be announced in the coming weeks, and it remains to be seen how the changes will affect the network's overall viewership and reputation. Viewership has been a major concern for MSNBC, with the network facing significant competition from rivals Fox News Channel and CNN.
The following are some of the key changes happening at MSNBC:
- Reid's show, The ReidOut, will be replaced by a new program led by Symone Sanders-Townsend, Alicia Menendez, and Michael Steele
- Alex Wagner may be replaced by Jen Psaki at the 9pm slot
- Eugene Daniels of Politico and Melissa Murray may join the network in unspecified capacities
- Andrea Mitchell's replacement has not been announced
- MSNBC is projected to lose 10.5% of its subscribers between 2023 and 2025
Related Tags