MSNBC Chief Plans Evening Shake-Up, Replacing Joy Reid, Alex Wagner

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MSNBC's evening schedule may undergo significant changes, departing from the familiar format that loyal viewers have grown accustomed to.

A cable network backed by NBCUniversal is reportedly planning to move Symone Sanders-Townsend, Alicia Melendez, and Michael Steele to the 7 p.m. weekday time slot on Tuesday through Friday. According to sources, the trio will anchor the 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. slot on Mondays. This change will impact Joy Reid, the current 7 p.m. anchor, who is expected to host her final show on MSNBC this week.

It's unlikely that the person in question will return to their weeknight time slot, according to sources. Jen Psaki is expected to take over at least one of the hours, one source said. MSNBC is also in talks with Eugene Daniels of Politico and Melissa Murray, a law professor at New York University who specializes in sex regulation, marriage, caregiving, and reproductive rights, to join the network in some capacity, according to a source.

MSNBC refused to make executives available for comment on some of the previously mentioned plans.

She takes over at the helm as the network faces tough challenges, including dealing with the Trump White House and being spun off into a new publicly-traded company with other NBCU cable networks. "Our jobs are tough on a normal day, and these are definitely not normal times," she told employees when her new role was announced by Mark Lazarus, the NBCU executive in charge of the spin-off.

Many people who habitually tune in to watch MSNBC's evening commentary are switching to other networks. According to estimates from Kagan, a market research firm that is part of S&P Global Intelligence, MSNBC is expected to lose around 10.5% of its subscribers between the end of 2023 and the end of 2025. Similar declines are anticipated for Fox News Channel and CNN during this period. By the end of 2025, MSNBC is projected to have an average of 61.3 million viewers, down from 68.5 million in 2023, and this is despite an election year, which typically draws viewers back to news, between the two milestones.

Kutler has outlined plans to establish an independent news-gathering operation for MSNBC, which will sever ties with NBC News once the new company is formed. She aims to establish a standalone MSNBC Washington bureau and add a new team of international and domestic correspondents. Her plan also includes hiring a new head of talent, Washington bureau chief, and head of content strategy. However, she has stated that she intends to maintain MSNBC's progressive leanings, rather than shifting the network to a more centrist position.

Compared to the Monday-only schedule (with various special appearances) she has enjoyed in recent years, MSNBC has seen a significant increase in viewership since her inauguration, particularly in primetime and throughout the day. However, its overall audience levels still lag behind those of Fox News Channel.

It joined its Sunday lineup in March of 2023.

Employees are wondering whether the daytime anchors, who are affiliated with NBC News, will remain with MSNBC in the long term.

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