Jen Psaki is set to take over a primetime slot on MSNBC as the network is undergoing a significant reshuffle.
The former press secretary for President Joe Biden, Psaki will be stepping into Alex Wagner’s role to host from 9 p.m Tuesday to Friday, starting in late April, MSNBC announced. The shakeup at MSNBC has resulted in several anchors being dropped.
The network’s new president Rebecca Kutler has axed weekend shows hosted by Ayman Mohyeldin, Jonathan Capehart, Katie Phang, and Jose Diaz-Balart. Additionally, Joy Reid’s show The Reidout has been canceled. Reid shared a heartfelt message on Instagram on Monday, expressing her gratitude to fans.
She said, “I just want to say thank you to everyone who has reached out with kindness and encouragement, both personally and in these social media streets.”
Jen Psaki has been promoted on MSNBC (Image: Getty Images)
She added, “So very proud of The Reidout team, who are truly family, and all of our supporters and friends. See you tomorrow night at 7, one more time.”
MSNBC conducted a virtual meeting with the staff from Reid’s show amid what was described as a “tense and emotional” atmosphere. It’s reported that Kutler had “abruptly summoned” the team on Sunday morning.
During the roughly 30-minute meeting, staffers voiced their “frustration and disbelief” at having found out about the show’s end through the media rather than directly from MSNBC’s leadership. An audio recording of a meeting, obtained by Status, revealed “the entire staff had been laid off.”
The employees were informed they would receive severance until April and were encouraged to seek other roles within the organization. Kutler also dismissed rumors that Reid’s Donald Trump criticism was a factor in the decision to cancel The ReidOut.
These changes follow the departure of MSNBC president Rashida Jones in January. She stated at the time, “I shared this decision with Mark (Lazarus), who has been incredibly supportive and has asked me to stay on for the next few months to help guide the network during this transitional period.”
