MSNBC’s New Chief Plots First Moves, Poised to Expand Screen Time for Jen Psaki, ‘Weekend’ Trio

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The newly appointed leader of MSNBC is swiftly mapping out her vision for the forward-thinking channel, as it gears up for its separation from NBCUniversal and its overarching company, Comcast.

MSNBC’s newly appointed president, Rebecca Kutler, is contemplating an increase in the on-screen roles for Jen Psaki and the team from “The Weekend” roundtable show. Jen Psaki currently hosts hours on Sundays afternoons and Monday evenings, while Symone Sanders-Townsend, Alicia Menendez, and Michael Steele lead the Saturday and Sunday morning program. This information comes from two sources privy to the internal discussions.

MSNBC chose not to provide Kutler for a response, as earlier reported by Puck regarding potential staff changes.

Unannounced alterations suggest Kutler is swiftly maneuvering MSNBC through a challenging phase, as Comcast plans to detach most of its cable properties into a distinct publicly-traded entity. This could potentially isolate MSNBC from NBC News’ newsgathering resources in the future. Currently, mainstream news anchors like Katy Tur and Chris Jansing are occupying weekdays on MSNBC, providing neutral news coverage that contrasts with the network’s more liberal primetime opinion shows. Andrea Mitchell, a seasoned anchor, has recently stepped down from her long-held noon slot, and a successor has yet to be revealed.

It could be that Kutler might need to explore fresh methods to utilize his daytime hours. Reportedly, this executive is actively seeking new Washington correspondents and a bureau chief for the position, and recent talks suggest potential strategies like recruiting journalists from The Washington Post and Politico; bringing in talent from other networks; and promoting current MSNBC contributors to anchor positions.

Similar to other cable networks, MSNBC is experiencing tough business conditions. Instead of tuning into MSNBC for evening commentary, a growing number of viewers are choosing alternative platforms. As per projections from Kagan, a market research firm associated with S&P Global Intelligence, MSNBC might lose approximately 10.5% of its subscribers between the end of 2023 and the end of 2025. This is expected to happen concurrently for rivals Fox News Channel and CNN. By the end of 2025, MSNBC’s viewership could drop to an average of 61.3 million viewers compared to 68.5 million in 2023, even with a election year that usually draws more news viewers.

After the outcome of the 2024 presidential election, MSNBC is making efforts to regain its viewers, similar to CNN. Following Donald Trump’s second term in the White House, both networks experienced a decline and have recently made changes to their programming. At MSNBC, Rachel Maddow has resumed hosting the 9 p.m. hour from Monday through Friday, contrasting with her previous Monday-only schedule with occasional special appearances. However, after Trump’s initial 100 days in office, Maddow is expected to return to her Mondays-only schedule, which would also allow Alex Wagner, currently hosting Tuesdays through Fridays, to return as well.

1) Not only is “Inside With Jen Psaki” and “The Weekend” dear to Kutler, but she also played a significant role in creating both shows. The latter, “The Weekend,” has seen an increase in audience since it debuted in January 2024. MSNBC executives have been impressed with Jen Psaki, who served as Biden’s White House press secretary, ever since she started her Sunday hour in March 2003.

As a devoted cinephile, I’d say that expanding their programming roster showcases MSNBC’s commitment to preserving its progressive identity, rather than veering towards a more centrist approach. This strategic move also enriches the network’s weekday schedule with fresh perspectives and diversity.

However, to accommodate these two shows, it might be necessary to reduce the space for others. Kutler is certainly grappling with her decisions on this matter.

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2025-02-22 05:16