MSNBC host Rachel Maddow publicly criticized her network after the cancellation of Joy Reid’s The ReidOut, Alex Wagner’s demotion, and the promotion of Jen Psaki, prompting internal fallout. Maddow expressed strong support for Reid, calling her departure a “bad mistake,” and voiced concern over the removal of two non-white primetime hosts, labeling the move “indefensible.”
Following her remarks, Maddow was informed that much of her production staff would be laid off or reassigned, although she will retain key producers. MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler initiated the changes in an effort to boost ratings, but results have been mixed. Jen Psaki’s new 9 p.m. show has seen a significant decline in viewership—down roughly 50% from Maddow and Wagner’s numbers, especially among the key 25–54 demographic. Overall, MSNBC’s primetime ratings have dropped 24% year-over-year, lagging far behind Fox News, which continues to dominate cable news ratings with programs like The Five and Jesse Watters Primetime drawing millions of viewers.
