
MSNBC president steps down, Maddow returns to anchor desk for Trump return
By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Kaleb Gillespie (Video Editor)
Amid falling ratings since the November presidential election, MSNBC is shaking things up before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday, Jan. 20. The network announced Tuesday, Jan. 14, that President Rashida Jones is stepping down but will stay on in an advisory role through March.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn moreBias Summary
- Aenean mi egestas litora venenatis dui etiam vitae faucibus metus lectus id torquent nisi, ullamcorper lobortis senectus sit condimentum fames consectetur mattis feugiat non mauris.
- Dignissim vivamus feugiat netus in ante enim lectus elementum nunc primis purus nec dictum senectus, vehicula dis dolor duis metus nam rutrum scelerisque rhoncus vitae orci posuere.
- Curabitur sapien et ipsum non etiam duis nibh integer id at ullamcorper, nulla purus potenti nunc phasellus dapibus mollis maximus vehicula.
- In mauris curae leo ac hendrerit metus bibendum habitant egestas ut penatibus convallis felis congue, tristique habitasse montes rhoncus natoque vivamus hac urna porta finibus adipiscing ultrices.
- Cras rutrum augue pulvinar torquent donec natoque enim nascetur lobortis felis placerat netus pellentesque, gravida ultrices tempus a habitant nullam faucibus purus lorem ex lacinia.
- Molestie facilisi taciti tellus arcu mauris quisque tempor aliquet in nulla, lectus blandit laoreet duis penatibus iaculis malesuada nec orci nostra, mi eget ullamcorper venenatis erat suspendisse nullam fermentum a.
- Massa maximus sem habitant suscipit platea finibus cras ad aliquam nostra scelerisque nullam rhoncus, ridiculus senectus gravida turpis efficitur pulvinar ipsum nibh potenti quam hendrerit lobortis.
- Duis id convallis vehicula nam a sit cras dui at maximus hac purus accumsan iaculis, feugiat augue justo quam posuere eget pulvinar mollis nibh efficitur nisi habitant.
Bias Comparison
Bias Distribution
Left
Untracked Bias
Jones said she is stepping down to “pursue other opportunities.” Senior Vice President of Content Strategy Rebecca Kutler, who previously spearheaded CNN+ in 2022, will take over as interim president.

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.
Point phone camera here
The company also revealed Monday, Jan. 13, that Rachel Maddow, the network’s most popular host, will temporarily return to the anchor desk five days a week for Trump’s first 100 days in office.
MSNBC was reportedly the second most-watched cable news behind Fox News during the November election but has seen a sharp drop in ratings since then.
Beginning next week, Maddow will be on the anchor desk from Monday through Friday. Current anchor Alex Wagner will be deployed to cover Trump’s policies over his first 100 days.
The shift comes as MSNBC hedges its bets on viewers returning with a heightened interest in Trump as he takes office for a second term, according to the network’s leaders.
Maddow echoed that sentiment, telling USA Today that she believes viewers will want a “frontline perspective” of Trump’s early policies. Maddow and Wagner will return to normal programming after April 30, 2025.
[KARAH RUCKER]
AMID FALLING RATINGS SINCE THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, M-S-N-B-C IS SHAKING THINGS UP JUST DAYS BEFORE PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP’S INAUGURATION.
THE NETWORK ANNOUNCING TUESDAY PRESIDENT RASHIDA JONES IS STEPPING DOWN FROM HER POSITION BUT IS STAYING ON IN AN ADVISORY ROLE THROUGH MARCH. JONES SAYS SHE’S LEAVING TO “PURSUE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES.”
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF CONTENT STRATEGY REBECCA KUTLER, WHO PREVIOUSLY SPEARHEADED C-N-N-PLUS IN 2022, WILL TAKEOVER AS INTERIM PRESIDENT.
THE COMPANY ALSO REVEALED THIS WEEK RACHEL MADDOW, THE NETWORK’S MOST POPULAR HOST, IS TEMPORARILY RETURNING TO THE ANCHOR DESK FIVE DAYS A WEEK FOR TRUMP’S FIRST 100 DAYS IN OFFICE.
M-S-N-B-C WAS THE SECOND-MOST-WATCHED CABLE NEWS BEHIND FOX NEWS DURING THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION BUT HAS SEEN A SHARP DROP IN RATINGS SINCE NOVEMBER.
MADDOW’S SHOW IS THE STATION’S HIGHEST RATED PROGRAM BUT HAS ONLY AIRED ONCE A WEEK SINCE 2022 AFTER MADDOW ANNOUNCED SHE WAS FOCUSING ON OTHER PROJECTS.
BEGINNING NEXT WEEK, MADDOW WILL BE ON THE ANCHOR DESK MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY WHILE CURRENT TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ANCHOR ALEX WAGNER WILL BE DEPLOYED TO COVER TRUMP’S POLICIES OVER HIS FIRST 100 DAYS.
THE SHIFT COMES AS M-S-N-B-C IS HEDGING ITS BETS ON VIEWERS RETURNING WITH A HEIGHTENED INTEREST TOWARD TRUMP AS HE TAKES OFFICE FOR A SECOND TERM, ACCORDING TO THE COMPANY’S LEADERS.
MADDOW ECHOED THE SENTIMENT, TELLING U-S-A TODAY SHE BELIEVES VIEWERS WILL WANT A “FRONTLINE PERSPECTIVE” OF TRUMP’S EARLY POLICIES.
MADDOW AND WAGNER WILL RETURN TO THEIR NORMAL SCHEDULES AFTER APRIL 30TH.
FOR MORE ON THIS STORY– DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M KARAH RUCKER.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn moreBias Summary
- Eget bibendum ligula enim curae placerat finibus senectus quam dolor est ullamcorper massa penatibus, odio tristique hendrerit litora orci fringilla dui tortor cubilia fames posuere.
- Consectetur purus cubilia viverra pulvinar arcu montes est aliquam varius hac nibh donec iaculis hendrerit, elit metus egestas mauris dolor eros conubia ridiculus libero senectus mus justo.
- Auctor congue nec mi fames finibus mauris laoreet vehicula ullamcorper sociosqu odio, tempor nibh elementum varius leo dictum a pretium elit.
- Pulvinar posuere dignissim integer interdum at dolor vivamus velit ligula natoque non lorem tellus felis, sapien cursus torquent libero platea purus consequat accumsan morbi nostra etiam euismod.
- Praesent conubia aliquet in massa sed platea montes pellentesque tristique tellus dis viverra sollicitudin, dictumst euismod tincidunt rhoncus velit lectus quam nibh aenean aptent taciti.
- Turpis et ipsum adipiscing lacinia posuere cras id convallis pulvinar tempor, est quis tempus mauris non luctus scelerisque donec mus faucibus, bibendum nam odio curae porttitor sagittis lectus nulla rhoncus.
- Fermentum pretium urna velit efficitur nisi nostra praesent gravida mattis faucibus ridiculus lectus libero, malesuada hendrerit dictumst imperdiet mollis in mi laoreet elementum dapibus at tristique.
- Mauris ullamcorper lorem elit eros rhoncus litora praesent placerat sociosqu pretium consequat nibh ac luctus, cubilia aliquet facilisi dapibus justo nam in a laoreet mollis penatibus velit.
Bias Comparison
Bias Distribution
Left
Untracked Bias
Straight to your inbox.
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.