There’s something fishy about Rashida Jones stepping down as president of MSNBC on the eve of Trump’s inauguration

Something suspicious looms over the media landscape as Rashida Jones, the president of MSNBC, announced her resignation just one night before Donald Trump’s inauguration. This unexpected decision has raised eyebrows and sparked speculation among political analysts and viewers alike. Many are questioned the timing of her departure, especially given the tense political climate and the significant role MSNBC plays in shaping public discourse.

In a heartfelt statement, Jones cited personal reasons for her resignation, but insiders suggest that the pressure of navigating the network’s editorial stance in the wake of a Trump presidency may have played a pivotal role. As the nation braced for a dramatic shift in leadership, Jones’s exit left a void that many believe could impact the network’s direction during a crucial time in American politics.

Adding to the intrigue, rumors have surfaced about internal conflicts within the network regarding its approach to covering the new administration. Some speculate that Jones’s resignation may be linked to dissents over how aggressively MSNBC should challenge Trump’s policies and rhetoric. The day before her announcement, she was reported in heated discussions with senior staff about the network’s strategy moving forward, emphasizing the need for a balanced yet critical perspective.

As viewers digest this shocking news, the question remains: what does Rashida Jones’s resignation mean for MSNBC and its future coverage of the Trump administration? Will her departure lead to a shift in the network’s tone, or will it empower a new leader to take a bold stance in the face of unprecedented challenges? The political world is watching closely, eager to see how this dramatic turn of events will unfold in the coming future.

MSNBC President Rashida Jones says she is stepping down after four years leading the liberal news network, her move coming on the eve of a second Trump administration and after changes in corporate ownership.

Jones, in a memo to staff on Tuesday, said that she is leaving to “pursue new opportunities.” She’ll be replaced on an interim basis by Rebecca Kutler, a former CNN executive who joined MSNBC in 2022.

In Jones’ tenure, MSNBC has generally displaced CNN as the second-rated cable news-focused network behind Fox News Channel. Its ratings are sharply down since Donald Trump’s election.

MSNBC’s lineup has remained fairly consistent since Jones, the first Black executive to lead a cable news network, moved from NBC News to take over there in 2021. Former Biden administration press secretary Jen Psaki is her highest-profile addition.

In November, Comcast announced it was breaking MSNBC and CNBC away from NBC News into its own company, led by executive Mark Lazarus, meaning Jones was answering to new corporate leadership.

At a morning meeting on Tuesday, Jones said she was “excited about what we’ve done. I’m excited about what comes next.” She shed little light on the timing, although corporate changes and political transitions often trigger changes in the news business.

FILE – MSNBC President Rashida Jones attends the premiere of “Loudmouth” during the 2022 Tribeca Festival in New York, June 18, 2022. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP, File)

“When Rashida shared this with me at the end of last week, I was surprised,” Lazarus said in the meeting, according to MSNBC. “I was a little saddened for the company but very happy for her to be able to come to grips with a hard decision – a very personal decision.”

Lazarus also told employees Tuesday that MSNBC will keep its name. There had been some talk that it would be changed under new corporate leadership; the name was a result of a partnership with Microsoft when the network started in 1996. There have been few other indications of visible change for viewers yet due to the uncoupling from NBC News.

Jones generally kept a low public profile as MSNBC leader. She made considerable changes to the network’s weekend lineup and, during the weekday, extended the length of two of MSNBC’s more popular shows: “Morning Joe” and Nicolle Wallace in the afternoon.

She had to deal with the internal fallout over NBC News’ decision last year to hire former Republican National Committee head Ronna McDaniel as a paid contributor, which was reversed after an open mutiny among many MSNBC personalities.

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MSNBC President Rashida Jones has left the company following a tough election season where the network struggled for viewership.

Jones announced her departure to staffers on Tuesday, saying she was leaving the network after four years at the helm.

‘I shared this decision with Mark (Lazarus), who has been incredibly supportive and has asked me to stay on for the next few months to help guide the network during this transitional period,’ she wrote.

Lazarus is set to become the CEO of NBCUniversal’s new ‘SpinCo’ venture, where Comcast will separate its TV channel business from the rest of the NBC umbrella.

The move comes as MSNBC braces for Donald Trump‘s second term in the White House, with his election victory marking a period where the network lost significant traction with viewers.

Insiders told Variety that Jones decided to leave after ‘an intense cycle’, with star anchor Rachel Maddow set to return to a five-night hosting schedule after viewership returns saw MSNBC lose ground to rivals CNN and Fox News.

Lazarus said following Jones’ announcement that Rebecca Kutler will step in as interim president of MSNBC, effective immediately.

‘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,’ Lazarus wrote.

MSNBC President Rashida Jones (pictured) has left the company following a tough election season where the network struggled for viewership

Jones reportedly decided to leave after ‘an intense cycle’, with star anchor Rachel Maddow set to return to a five-night hosting schedule after viewership returns saw MSNBC lose ground to rivals CNN and Fox News

 Jones took over the channel in 2021 after longtime president Phil Griffin stepped aside to run Maddow’s own production company.

Her tenure was marked by efforts to expand MSNBC past its network coverage, including launching an array of podcasts and live events to diversify the brand.

But while MSNBC enjoyed a period of higher ratings during this time, the network suffered a dire post-election viewership slump that saw audience numbers slump 47 percent in November.

CNN likewise saw a 33 percent drop at the same time, while Fox News Channel solidified its lead with a 62 percent daily viewership hold, according to the network.

Maddow had previously reduced her hosting duties to one night per week, but is set to now resume her five-nightly schedule at 9pm for the first 100 days of Trump’s presidency in hopes of drawing in lost viewers.

The move comes months after the CEO is said to have slashed Maddow’s pay by some $5million, after she agreed to stay with the network for another five years.

She had reportedly been earning a $30million salary for her weekly show – the second highest paid anchor in television news after Sean Hannity at Fox News who pulls in $45million.

SpinCo CEO Mark Lazarus has expressed his desire for the new direction several times last year as he looks to shed the perception of liberal bias at MSNBC

 The move comes as MSNBC braces for Donald Trump’s second term in the White House, with his election victory marking a period where the network lost significant traction with viewers

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Much of MSNBC’s recent struggles have been blamed on an apparent liberal bias that set in over recent years.

In December, Lazarus, who oversees MSNBC, said that he wanted more Republican voices on the network – and to move more opinion content out of primetime along with cuts to some high-profile presenters’ pay.

Lazarus has promised ‘a new growth trajectory’ for not only MSNBC, but all the channels in his stable – with MSNBC in the midst of a post-elections ratings slump.

From the day after the 2024 election, MSNBC has averaged around 603,000 total viewers in primetime – compared to 3.2 million for Fox News.

Issues at MSNBC made headlines again last month after Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, the hosts of its flagship morning show Morning Joe, sparked backlash from liberals by visiting Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate after the election.

The Morning Joe hosts revealed that they had traveled ‘personally’ to meet Trump after openly criticizing him in the weeks, months, and years prior.

The reason for the visit, they said, was to ‘restart communications’ with the Trump administration before the president-elect retakes office, with Scarborough later adding that the backlash he faced shows there is a ‘massive disconnect’ between ‘social media and the real world.’