What’s going on at MSNBC? Joy Reid has just been axed in a significant programming overhaul under new president Rebecca Kutler. Wow.
Here’s what we know for sure about this news …
According to sources familiar with the matter who spoke to competitive news outlet CNN, Joy Reid’s high-profile evening show, The ReidOut, will air its final episode this week.
The high-profile news show, which often criticized the sitting President Donald Trump, has held the 7 p.m. ET slot since 2020, will seemingly be replaced by a new format featuring co-hosts from MSNBC’s weekend program, The Weekend—Symone Sanders-Townsend, Michael Steele, and Alicia Menendez.
Reid, who previously hosted the weekend talk show AM Joy from 2016 to 2020, made his mark as one of the few African American women to anchor a significant primetime news program, cementing her status as a leading voice in progressive media.
Joy Reid did that!
Despite the unfortunate cancellation of The ReidOut, MSNBC affirms they will remain committed to its progressive identity, even as the network navigates a challenging media landscape shaped by the resurgence of conservatism following Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
Since President Trump’s inauguration, MSNBC has experienced a 77% surge in primetime viewership and a 34% increase in total day viewers, reflecting the network’s continued relevance among its core audience.
Oh, guess it’s good business to have Trump in the White House but not good business for Joy Reid to hold him accountable every weekday. We see you.
Get this, Kutler is expected to announce additional changes to MSNBC’s programming lineup in the coming weeks. Among the shifts, Alex Wagner, who currently hosts Alex Wagner Tonight at 9 p.m. ET from Tuesday through Friday as a substitute for The Rachel Maddow Show, will not return to the primetime slot. A source confirmed that Wagner will remain with the network as a correspondent, focusing on special assignment coverage.
Here’s what we can also infer. The decision to cancel The ReidOut comes amid broader challenges for left-leaning media outlets, which have faced declining viewership in the wake of Trump’s 2024 election victory. The move has sparked widespread speculation and debate, particularly given Reid’s recent accolades. Just days before the announcement, Reid won two NAACP Image Awards for her work on The ReidOut and her latest book, adding a layer of irony to the timing of the cancellation.
Reid has yet to comment on the decision publicly, but her final week on air is expected to draw significant attention.
Meanwhile, users on social media were not shy about expressing their frustrations with the cancellation. One user on X, formerly known as Twitter, said, “The racists are rejoicing” over the show’s cancellation, while another X user noted, “The ReidOut had a great run. Joy will be okay. Crazy this announcement comes after she just won two NAACP awards last night.”
The untimely cancellation marks the end of an excellent run for Reid on MSNBC, whose rise to prominence as a primetime anchor broke barriers in an industry where African American women remain underrepresented. Reid’s legacy as a true trailblazer and influential voice in progressive journalism remains intact.