Alright, folks, MSNBC is making some “big” moves, and let’s just say—it’s looking like a primetime bloodbath over there. The network’s brand-new boss, Rebecca Kutler, is wasting no time shaking things up, and at the center of it all? None other than “former White House press secretary” Jen Psaki, who’s just been handed a primetime slot, Tuesdays through Fridays at 9 p.m.
That means Alex Wagner—who’s been holding down that hour since 2022—is out of her seat, but not out of the network. She’ll stick around as a senior political analyst.
Meanwhile, Rachel Maddow gets to keep her “once-a-week” Monday night gig at 9 p.m., at least after the first 100 days of the Trump administration. But the real shocker? Joy Reid is “gone”.
Yep, “The ReidOut”—a staple since 2020—is officially “canceled”. And Reid? She’s out of MSNBC entirely. Kutler dropped the news in a Monday memo, giving a polite “thank you for your service” before cutting her loose.
Fans of the show are already up in arms, arguing that Reid’s coverage brought marginalized voices to the forefront. Reid herself admitted she’s been through “every emotion” since getting the news but ultimately landed on “gratitude”. Though, let’s be real—gratitude probably wasn’t her “first” reaction.
And it doesn’t stop there. Other familiar faces—Katie Phang, Jonathan Capehart, and Ayman Mohyeldin—are also getting booted from their time slots. MSNBC is shutting down its Miami operations, which means Phang’s show is “done”. She’ll stay on as a legal correspondent, but her primetime hosting days? Over.
Now, let’s talk about “why” all of this is happening. Kutler, who just “officially” took over as MSNBC’s president on February 12, inherited a network with some serious post-election “ratings problems”. And if there’s one thing we know about media execs, it’s that they don’t play nice when the numbers start slipping. So far, she’s managed to “stabilize” things, and this lineup overhaul? It’s her way of making sure MSNBC doesn’t slip any further.
There’s also the bigger picture—MSNBC is in the middle of a corporate shakeup, splitting off from NBC News later this year. That means the network needs to stand “on its own” financially. Translation? No room for dead weight. If a show isn’t pulling in the numbers, it’s getting the axe.
And speaking of shakeups—NBC veteran “Lester Holt” is also stepping down from “Nightly News” later this year. He’ll be shifting his focus to “Dateline”, marking yet another big-name transition.
So, what does all of this mean? MSNBC is clearly betting “big” on Psaki, shifting its lineup to solidify its post-election strategy, and making sure every hour of programming is “delivering”. Whether that gamble pays off? Well, that’s the million-dollar question. But one thing’s for sure—Kutler is making it “very” clear: no one’s job is safe.
