MSNBC Ties Anchors to First Amendment in New Promo Campaign

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MSNBC’s latest guest may not be renowned for delivering captivating prime-time speeches or intricate analysis, but they might play a significant role in ensuring such content continues to air on the network.

MSNBC’s upcoming spin-off news channel showcases a recital of the First Amendment, with commentators Rachel Maddow, Ari Melber, Jen Psaki, and Lawrence O’Donnell lending their voices. The First Amendment is a fundamental principle in the United States Constitution, ensuring freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petitioning the government. In light of mounting anxiety within some American circles about a potential Trump Administration overreach that could undermine these rights in the near future, MSNBC is emphasizing this key constitutional right.

MSNBC, known for its longstanding tagline “This Is Who We Are,” emphasizes the importance of freedom of speech in their work. Maritza Berta, vice president of marketing at MSNBC, states that the First Amendment is a vital foundation of their democracy and a continuous motivator for their journalistic efforts. By incorporating the language of the First Amendment, she explains, they can strengthen their reputation as a reliable source for comprehensive news analysis, ensuring that viewers have all the necessary context to fully comprehend the day’s events. This mirrors the daily commitment of MSNBC anchors to deliver news with unwavering integrity, accuracy, and honesty.

As a movie reviewer,

“I recently caught a sneak peek at the upcoming schedule for this progressive network’s weekday lineup, due to hit our screens in the coming weeks. The promo showcases a variety of familiar faces that will grace our screens daily, including Rachel Maddow, Jen Psaki, Ari Melber, Brian Williams, Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, Willie Geist, Jonathan Lemire, Symone Sanders Townsend, Michael Steele, Alicia Menendez, Ali Vitali, Stephanie Ruhle, Chris Hayes, and Nicolle Wallace. Notably absent from the promo are anchors Ana Cabrera, Katy Tur, and Chris Jansing, but more versions featuring different personnel will be released in the coming days.

The vignette ends with graphics telling viewers “This Is What We Do” and “This Is Who We Are.”

This marks the initial promotional effort under Rebecca Kutler’s leadership at MSNBC, who swiftly adjusted talent rosters for both weekdays and weekends following a decline in viewership post the 2024 presidential election results. Rachel Maddow, who resumed her five-day-a-week schedule during Trump’s first 100 days in office, has played a significant role in regaining viewer interest after Trump’s inauguration in January. Fox News Channel remains dominant in attracting cable news viewers, as more and more people turn to new technology platforms for their information needs, such as Substack, TikTok, and YouTube.

Kutler is now recruiting new team members who have experience in traditional journalism from places like The Washington Post and Politico. His plan is to expand his Washington bureau with around 100 journalists, producers, and other staff. These types of projects would gain significant advantage from the First Amendment, which asserts that Congress cannot enact laws that interfere with religious freedom, freedom of speech or press, the right to assemble peacefully, or petitioning the government for redress of grievances.

MSNBC could be perceived as adopting a stance similar to CNN’s during Donald Trump’s first term in office. In 2017, CNN introduced a series of ads that emphasized the phrase “Facts First,” as Trump and his key officials frequently disseminated false information about mainstream media outlets and critics.

One advertisement displayed a clear image of an apple on the screen, with a voiceover stating, “Here we have an apple.” Some individuals may insist it’s a banana and repeatedly shout ‘Banana! Banana! Banana!’ or write it in capital letters. Despite these assertions, you might find yourself doubting, but remember, this is not a banana; it’s an apple.

For over a decade, Kutler served at CNN, initiating multiple shows headed by figures such as John King and Van Jones, ultimately ascending to the position of senior vice president in charge of programming for the discontinued streaming platform, CNN+.

During Trump’s first term, well-known news organizations like The Washington Post and The New York Times publicly championed press freedom with slogans such as “Democracy Dies in Darkness” and “The Truth is Hard.” However, these kinds of advocacies have been less frequent during the current period. Notably, Disney’s ABC News has agreed to a $15 million settlement to resolve a defamation lawsuit brought by President Trump, while CBS News, which is owned by Paramount Global, is engaged in a legal dispute with Trump over a “60 Minutes” broadcast from last year. Throughout his tenure, President Trump has frequently criticized news outlets such as NBC News, CNN, and MSNBC, among others, through various statements and social media posts.

Viewers of MSNBC might expect the network to take a firmer stance, given their apparent dissatisfaction. Senator Chuck Schumer, who serves as the Senate Minority Leader, has been under scrutiny since he voted to maintain government operations instead of triggering a shutdown. This drew criticism from viewers in November, following reports that MSNBC morning hosts Scarborough and Brzezinski visited Trump after having disagreements with him for years post-2024 election.

Kutler’s actions occur amidst MSNBC’s struggle to serve as a progressive voice in an era dominated by conservative politics, and while NBCUniversal parent Comcast is preparing to separate the majority of its cable networks into a new publicly-traded company, thus severing longstanding ties with NBC News.

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2025-03-21 17:17