MSNBC President Rashida Jones Jumps Ship as Ratings Tank Hard

Rashida Jones, MSNBC’s president for the past four years, has announced her abrupt resignation, as reported by The New York Post.

Her departure comes as the network faces plummeting ratings and structural upheaval, just as President Donald Trump prepares to step back into the White House.

Jones shared the news with her team through an internal memo, stating, “After four incredible years at the helm of MSNBC and 11 years at NBCU, I have made the decision to pursue new opportunities.”

News: MSNBC President Rashida Jones is stepping down from the role after 4 years. She will be replaced in the interim by Rebecca Kutler, SVP of Content Strategy, effective immediately. Kutler was recently appointed to oversee daytime programming pic.twitter.com/Iy7Obo1W0z

— Natalie Korach (@NatalieKorach) January 14, 2025

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Jones, who made history as the first black woman to lead a major TV news network, will be temporarily replaced by Rebecca Kutler, a senior vice president at NBCUniversal. While MSNBC paints the leadership change as a transition, it’s hard to ignore the storm clouds gathering over the left-leaning network.

During Jones’ tenure, MSNBC experienced a mix of challenges and modest victories. Despite helping the network surpass CNN as the second-most-watched cable news channel, MSNBC has struggled with falling ratings, especially in the wake of Kamala Harris’ decisive defeat in the November election.

MSNBC president Rashida Jones weighing network exit after Trump is sworn in: report https://t.co/JHHHLOe3ye pic.twitter.com/5SxDURUWpr

— New York Post (@nypost) December 4, 2024

The network’s attempts to rally its audience in a post-Trump media landscape have largely fallen flat, raising questions about its relevance and direction.

Jones’ resignation also coincides with parent company Comcast’s decision to restructure its cable assets under a new publicly traded entity, SpinCo. This move has sparked speculation about MSNBC’s future, including the possibility of being evicted from its iconic headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

An insider noted that Jones may have seen the writing on the wall and opted to leave before the ship sinks further.

MSNBC’s response to its faltering ratings includes pressing its marquee talent, Rachel Maddow, into full-time service during the first 100 days of Trump’s second term. Maddow, who had scaled back to hosting just one night a week, will temporarily return to a five-night schedule until April 30.

The network hopes Maddow can reignite interest among its dwindling audience during this critical period.

Alex Wagner, Maddow’s usual Tuesday-to-Friday replacement, will take on alternative assignments during this time. Following the trial period, Wagner will return to her regular hosting duties.

In a memo, Mark Lazarus, the executive overseeing NBCUniversal’s TV properties, praised Jones for navigating what he called an “unrelenting and unprecedented news cycle.”

He credited her for boosting MSNBC’s viewership and expanding its digital footprint, though the network’s current struggles paint a less rosy picture. Jones has agreed to stay on briefly to assist with the leadership transition, but it’s clear MSNBC faces an uphill battle to regain its footing.

MSNBC’s leadership shuffle highlights a broader crisis for left-wing media in the post-Trump era.

The network, once a bastion for anti-Trump rhetoric, is now grappling with a fractured audience and uncertain future. Whether the new leadership can chart a course toward stability remains to be seen.