Quote:President of MSNBC Suddenly Resigns

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Rashida Jones, the president of MSNBC, has announced her immediate resignation. This comes as the network faces the most significant ratings dip in its history, and a forthcoming corporate restructure will separate the channel from NBCUniversal.
“After four incredible years at the helm of MSNBC and 11 years at NBCU, I have made the decision to pursue new opportunities,” Jones penned in a memo to staff. 
The network has been experiencing a remarkable loss of viewers. MSNBC’s primetime programming, which attracted an average of 1.8 million viewers in October 2024, has seen its audience numbers fall to just 808,000 viewers since election night. This represents a 54% decline. The network’s daytime performance is also struggling, with a 16% fall in total day viewers and a significant 57% decline in the important 25-54 age demographic that is highly sought after by advertisers. 
Several major programs on the network have reached record-low viewership. “Alex Wagner Tonight,” “Andrea Mitchell Reports,” “Chris Jansing Reports,” “Deadline: White House” with Nicolle Wallace, “José Díaz-Balart Reports,” Joy Reid’s “The ReidOut” and “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell” all reported their smallest audiences of the year. “All In with Chris Hayes” marked its lowest viewership since May 10, 2016. 
As Comcast gets ready to split its cable assets into a new publicly traded company known as “SpinCo,” this leadership transition is crucial. The restructuring might compel MSNBC to leave its longtime home at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. Rebecca Kutler, a former CNN executive and present senior vice president of content strategy, will take over as interim president. 
Mark Lazarus, who is slated to head the newly separated company, commended Jones’ tenure in a staff memo, stating that she had “expertly navigated MSNBC through a years-long, unrelenting and unprecedented news cycle.” 
In an attempt to address the ratings issue, the network has unveiled significant programming changes. Rachel Maddow, whose show averaged 2.5 million viewers in 2024, will temporarily return to a five-day-per-week schedule during the first 100 days of the incoming administration. Alex Wagner, whose show recently recorded its lowest ratings since its 2022 debut, will switch to special assignments during this time.
The comparison with competitor Fox News is striking. While MSNBC’s total audience has shrunk by 46% compared to early 2024, Fox News has claimed 70% of the cable news audience and experienced a 58% rise in primetime viewership compared to 2024 averages. The network’s viewership increased by 61% following election night, while MSNBC lost 26% of its year-to-date totals. 
Increasing viewer discontent has become more evident. Sharon Waxman, founder and CEO of TheWrap and a longtime MSNBC viewer, expressed her disappointment with the network’s declining appeal candidly.
The drop mirrors a similar decline after Trump’s 2016 victory but is now intensified by growing consumer distrust in traditional news outlets and an ongoing move away from cable TV subscriptions. 
During Jones’ tenure, MSNBC had its moments of victory. Under her guidance, MSNBC surpassed CNN to become the second-most-watched news channel and scored its first-ever election night ratings triumph over CNN. However, industry analysts suggest the election night success might have been an anomaly, with viewers tuning in specifically for the network’s event coverage. 
Multiple factors contribute to MSNBC’s losses. Johanna Dunaway, a political science professor at Syracuse University, said that partisan viewers tend to disengage when the opposing side experiences postelection euphoria.
This trend isn’t unique to MSNBC. CNN, another left-leaning network, reported a 46.7% drop in primetime viewers, while Fox News saw its audience expand.
This decline also underlines a broader shift in how Americans access news. Streaming platforms, on-demand podcasts, and digital-first outlets are becoming more popular. MSNBC is not only struggling to keep its core audience but also competing with these newer platforms. This shift highlights what Jones termed an “existential crisis” for traditional cable news.
MSNBC’s future is fraught with challenges. Besides the falling cable subscriptions impacting all networks, MSNBC must navigate its new corporate structure while trying to rebuild its audience. Despite Lazarus confirming that the network will retain its name after the spin-off, its previous average of 1.22 million viewers in primetime during 2024 has significantly dwindled.