MSNBC has named the successor to their president Phil Griffin, Rashida Jones, senior vice president for news at MSNBC and NBC News. The appointment will make Jones the first black woman to lead a major television news network.
Jones currently oversees the daytime news coverage for the network along with breaking news and specials for broadcast. Previously, Jones was responsible for MSNCB’s daytime news coverage before expanding her role to cover the weekends news programming.
The New York Times reports during the 2020 presidential campaigns, Jones produced two town-hall events for the candidates and supervised Kristen Welker as she prepared to moderate the second presidential debate.
“Rashida knows and understands MSNBC, in part because it’s where she started when she first joined NBCU seven years ago,” NBCUniversal News Group Chairman Cesar Conde wrote in the memo. “She knows that it is the people who work here that make it great, and she understands its culture. She also appreciates the impact and potential of the brand.”
Conde added, “After the presidential election, Phil and I spoke about his desire to depart at a time of his choosing and when he felt confident about the strength of the network he loves.”
