GOP Voices In, More Primetime Pay Cuts

MSNBC is undergoing a significant transformation under the leadership of SpinCo CEO Mark Lazarus.

Lazarus, who took the reins of the media group overseeing MSNBC in late November, is pushing for changes to shed the network’s reputation for liberal bias and improve its ratings, as reported by The Daily Mail.

Insiders have revealed his plans to increase the presence of Republican voices on the network and shift opinion programming away from primetime.

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These shifts come with a sharp edge: substantial pay cuts for prominent liberal hosts, including Joy Reid and Stephanie Ruhle.

Rachel Maddow, a cornerstone of MSNBC’s primetime lineup, has already faced a $5 million pay cut, reducing her salary from $30 million to $25 million annually. This move followed her agreement to a five-year extension with the network in 2022.

MSNBC’s ratings have plummeted in the aftermath of the midterm elections, with the network averaging just 603,000 viewers in primetime since November 4. This marks a 55% drop compared to its year-to-date average, according to Nielsen data.

The daytime numbers are even more grim, with just 17,000 viewers in the key 25-54 demographic between noon and 7 p.m. Meanwhile, NewsNation, a far smaller competitor, outperformed MSNBC in the same demographic with 23,000 viewers.

Lazarus has promised a “new growth trajectory” for MSNBC and the other networks under SpinCo’s umbrella. While not aiming to entirely abandon the network’s liberal leanings, Lazarus has made it clear that a broader range of voices is needed to attract a wider audience.

Joy Reid and Stephanie Ruhle, both fixtures of MSNBC’s progressive primetime programming, have reportedly been informed of impending pay reductions.

Morning Joe co-host Jonathan Lemire is also rumored to be facing a similar cut. The moves have left staffers uneasy, with some reportedly bracing for further changes.

Despite these cuts, Lazarus isn’t aiming to overhaul the network’s liberal identity entirely. High-profile figures like Maddow and Lawrence O’Donnell are not expected to change their on-air personas.

Instead, the network is leaning into digital platforms like YouTube to maximize Maddow’s presence. Her YouTube videos, which condense her primetime commentary, have become some of the most-watched content on the platform.

As a potential second Trump presidency looms, MSNBC faces the challenge of realigning its strategy to stay relevant. Lazarus’s plan to diversify the network’s voices and reconfigure its programming lineup signals a pivotal moment for MSNBC.

Whether this strategy will pay off remains to be seen, but the network’s ratings slump and internal turbulence make one thing clear: change is no longer optional.