The mainstream media is dead. Their time in the limelight is rapidly coming to a close.
And now MSNBC HQ is on fire after one bombshell resignation.
MSNBC President Rashida Jones announced her departure on Tuesday, stepping down as the network grapples with declining ratings and just days before President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
Jones, who led the Left-leaning network for four years and spent over a decade at NBC Universal, shared the news in a memo to staff.
“After four incredible years at the helm of MSNBC and 11 years at NBCU, I have made the decision to pursue new opportunities,” she wrote.
The network confirmed the announcement, with an MSNBC spokesperson telling the New York Post that Jones’s exit is effective immediately.
Rebecca Kutler, senior vice president of content strategy, will step in as interim president, the company said.
Speculation about Jones’s future had been mounting since parent company Comcast revealed plans to spin off MSNBC and other cable networks into a new publicly traded entity, SpinCo.
The new venture will be led by Mark Lazarus, a veteran executive who praised Jones for her leadership.
“Rashida has expertly navigated MSNBC through a years-long, unrelenting, and unprecedented news cycle, all while driving the network to record viewership and making investments in nonlinear businesses,” Lazarus wrote in a memo to employees.
He added, “MSNBC is well-positioned for the future, and I am grateful that she will continue to support us during this transition.”
Jones confirmed that Lazarus had asked her to remain for several months to help guide the network through the transition. However, she opted to step away immediately, signaling a new chapter for MSNBC under Kutler’s interim leadership.
During her tenure, Jones oversaw significant ratings successes, solidifying MSNBC’s position as the second-most-watched cable news network behind Fox News. CNN, owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, lagged far behind, according to Nielsen data.
Jones also focused on expanding MSNBC’s reach beyond traditional television, exploring live events and investing in streaming platforms.
However, viewership has slumped since the November 5 election, prompting a shake-up in programming.
In an effort to regain its footing, the network announced that Rachel Maddow, who had scaled back her on-air appearances, will return to host the 9 p.m. ET hour full-time for the initial months of the Trump administration.
This temporary change will last until April 30, after which Maddow will revert to her once-a-week schedule on Mondays. Alex Wagner, who currently anchors the 9 p.m. slot from Tuesday through Friday, will take on various assignments during the first 100 days of Trump’s term before resuming her regular schedule in May.
As MSNBC charts a new path forward under SpinCo, Jones’s departure marks the end of an era defined by both triumphs and challenges.
Her legacy includes navigating one of the most intense news cycles in history and positioning the network to adapt to a rapidly evolving media landscape.
Stay tuned to the Conservative Column.
