Katie Phang: Last News

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Keith Olbermann, who dominated MSNBC as the host of “Countdown” from 2003 to 2011, railed against the network (via The Daily Beast) after it cut ties with hosts Joy Reid, Alex Wagner, Katie Phang, Jonathan Capehart and Ayman Mohyeldin. He posted on X: “An MSNBC purge so brutally racist it makes you think it was done by Musk.” “They didn’t even try to hide the racism by firing an unnecessary white anchor like [Katy] Tur or [Stephanie] Ruhle as cover,” he added.

Rachel Maddow criticized MSNBC for its cancellation of Joy Reid‘s show, telling viewers that it was a “bad mistake” that her network bosses let her go.

Jack Dunn Longtime MSNBC host Rachel Maddow sounded off during a Monday night broadcast of “The Rachel Maddow Show” on the network’s major line-up changes, which saw the exit of anchor Joy Reid. “Joy Reid’s show, ‘The ReidOut,’ ended tonight. And Joy is not taking a different job in the network.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor MSNBC is shaking up its weekend schedule as CNN’s Saturday and Sunday offerings continue to provide competition. The NBCUniversal cable-news outlet plans to a launch a new panel show, “The Weekend,” co-moderated by Alicia Menendez, Symone Sanders-Townsend and Michael Steele that will air Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Hallie Jackson’s MSNBC show will end next month as she expands her daily NBC News Now program by an hour.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorOne of the news industry’s worst-kept secrets is finally seeing the light of day.Jen Psaki, the White House Press Secretary who resigned from the role a few weeks ago, is slated to join MSNBC in the fall, where she will host a new streaming program that is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2023. She will also appear on NBC and during MSNBC’s special programming related to the 2022 midterm elections and the 2024 presidential election.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorOne of cable’s biggest news outlets has started to fill more of its schedule with something other than traditional news coverage.MSNBC has defined itself for the past few years by using the bulk of its daytime schedule to air breaking reports from NBC News personnel on the news of the moment, then amping up analysis and progressive opinion-making in the early afternoon and evening. Now, as media companies intensify their efforts to attract audiences via streaming video, the business behind the TV home of Joe Scarborough and Nicolle Wallace is in flux.Three different people familiar with the relationship between NBC News and MSNBC  — each outlet is supervised by a different top manager — say that some NBC News correspondents have been directed to bring breaking-news coverage first to NBC News Now, the company’s ad-supported streaming news service, or other digital NBC News properties before any appearance on MSNBC is considered.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorSymone D. Sanders will take over the 4 p.m. weekend slot on MSNBC as the NBCUniversal-owned network continues to bolster opinion programming over hours devoted to straight news reportage.The former media strategist, who has helped two prominent Democrats in presidential campaigns, will kick off her first show on Saturday, May 7, at 4 p.m.

MSNBC is planning to offer on-demand episodes of shows like Morning Joe and The ReidOut to new hub for Peacock’s premium subscribers.

Katie Phang, longtime legal analyst for MSNBC and NBC News, will host a weekend show on MSNBC as well as a program for the network’s streaming channel.