MSNBC Taps Washington Post’s Jackie Alemany as ‘Weekend’ Co-Host

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MSNBC is, like other cable-news mainstays, giving roundtable shows a harder spin.

Jackie Alemany, with experience in politics coverage at both CBS News and The Washington Post, is transitioning to MSNBC. There, she will take on dual roles: co-host of one of their weekend panel programs called “The Weekend” and a senior correspondent based in Washington D.C. Alemany will team up with Jonathan Capehart for the morning version of “The Weekend,” who has been working weekends at MSNBC for several years now. Additionally, Eugene Daniels from Politico, whose move to MSNBC was announced on Monday, will also be part of this team.

The new host unveiled her new role Tuesday on “Morning Joe.”

Rebecca Kutler, president of MSNBC, stated that Jackie has earned a reputation for accountable journalism, reporting on the nation’s capital from both sides of Pennsylvania Avenue. By joining as a co-host of ‘The Weekend’ in the mornings alongside Eugene Daniels and Jonathan Capehart, she reinforces this team as a reliable group of experts and insiders that viewers eagerly await waking up with on Saturdays and Sundays.”

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“Rebecca Kutler, MSNBC’s president, commented on Jackie being recognized for her accountable journalism in the nation’s capital from both sides of Pennsylvania Avenue. With Jackie now a co-host of ‘The Weekend’ in the mornings alongside Eugene Daniels and Jonathan Capehart, this team of experts and insiders is further established as one that viewers look forward to starting their weekends with.

Alemany’s recruitment is the most recent personnel change initiated by Kutler, who has swiftly restructured the network amidst its struggle to maintain a progressive perspective during an era dominated by conservative politics. With MSNBC, along with other cable networks, set to be rebranded and traded publicly, severing decades-long ties with NBC News, the network, like CNN, has experienced a decrease in viewership post-2024 election. Consequently, both networks have revamped their television programs to adapt.

The executive, making changes in the MSNBC lineup, has chosen to replace Joy Reid at 7 p.m. with Symone Sanders-Townsend, Michael Steele, Alicia Menendez, and Alex Wagner, while Jen Psaki will take over at 9 p.m. A new division for news gathering is being established by the executive within MSNBC, with a focus on fact-finding under the leadership of Rashida Alemany. In a statement, she expressed her excitement to join the talented team of reporters and journalists at MSNBC during this crucial time for truthful and relentless journalism. She emphasized that MSNBC continues to offer valuable context and insight on significant stories, and its increased investment in original reporting and expanding Washington bureau demonstrates its ambition and commitment to both viewers and high-quality, agenda-setting journalism as a whole.

MSNBC is matching its rivals Fox News Channel and CNN by increasing its reliance on talk shows, featuring popular programs like “The Five” at Fox, which often tops their schedule, as well as “The Big Weekend Show,” “Outnumbered,” and the 10 p.m. panel show “NewsNight” on CNN, hosted by Abby Phillip.

News leaders appreciate this format as it doesn’t rely solely on one individual’s popularity and offers an opportunity to feature numerous reporters. If these reporters gain enough recognition, they could potentially be assigned their very own show.

In a sense, MSNBC is returning to its original format for roundtable discussions. Towards the mid-2000s, MSNBC debuted a program in the late afternoon called “The Cycle,” which featured hosts like Ari Melber, S.E. Cupp, Steve Kornacki, Touré, Krystal Ball and Abby Huntsman – many of whom were not well-known at the time. Several members from this group moved on to larger roles in cable news.

As a passionate movie buff, I’m excited to share that I’ve learned MSNBC is launching an evening edition of “The Weekend.” This new segment will be helmed by the talented Ayman Mohyeldin, who has been gracing our screens during weekend primetime hours. The supporting cast for this show is still being finalized. Stay tuned!

Recently, Alemany was placed at the White House by The Washington Post, and has been instrumental in reporting on the attempts made by the second Trump administration to reorganize the federal government. She has also reported extensively on the U.S. Capitol assault that occurred on January 6th, and serves as the founder and editor of the Early Brief newsletter, which is published early in the morning. Notably, Alemany was part of a Washington Post team that won the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for their coverage of the January 6 attack.

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2025-03-04 17:51