Rashida Jones Steps Down As MSNBC President; Rebecca Kutler To Serve As Interim Leader

deadline.com:

Rashida Jones is stepping down as president of MSNBC, as the network prepares to be spun off from Comcast along with other cable channels. “After four incredible years at the helm of MSNBC and 11 years at NBCU, I have made the decision to pursue new opportunities,” Jones said in a memo to employees today.

She said that Mark Lazarus, who is leading the spun off cable assets, asked her to stay on during a transition period. “I came to this decision over the holidays while reflecting on our remarkable journey and the many successes we’ve achieved together as a team,” Jones wrote. “This has been the most rewarding chapter of my professional career and I am immensely proud of what we have accomplished, which has been made possible only by you.” Rebecca Kutler, senior VP of content strategy, will serve as the network’s interim president.

At a staff meeting, Lazarus said that MSNBC would retain its name after the spinoff. Kutler also will be hiring a head of newsgathering and a head of talent.

In a separate memo, Lazarus wrote, “Rashida has expertly navigated MSNBC through a years-long, unrelenting and unprecedented news cycle, all while driving the network to record viewership and making investments in nonlinear businesses.