MSNBC prez Rashida Jones avoids questions about Rachel Maddow



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MSNBC president Rashida Jones said she was still ‘guessing’ what the left-wing network’s prime-time programming would be once its star host Rachel Maddow steps down, even as panic continues. grow among the base.

MSNBC staff members are increasingly concerned with the young executive’s strategic vision for the network. While her prime-time future remains murky, many fear she could embark on a costly and potentially disastrous battle with CNN, The Post reported last week.

In an interview on Wednesday, Jones was silent.

“There’s a lot of things that we find out and what Rachel’s wallet looks like and where it appears and all of those things,” Jones said at a press conference on Wednesday. “I don’t really have a concrete answer.”

In August, Maddow signed a new contract worth $ 30 million per year until 2024, which will allow him to develop projects on the network and also allow him to step down from hosting his show. prime time at 9 p.m. next year.

Rachel Maddow
MSNBC star host Rachel Maddow will be stepping away from her show by the end of the year, leaving a huge hole in the network’s prime-time programming.
NBCUniversal via Getty Images

Jones, who was named president of the network last year, just before her 40th birthday, told the conference that a major goal for Maddow and MSNBC is to find the best home for anchor content in the world. company portfolio.

“We have parts of our business that focus on documentaries, that focus on long, scripted, unscripted form, movies, podcasts, audio, all of those things,” the executive told the The Information virtual WTF summit.

“Part of the process we’re working out with Rachel is how do you get exposure to more of these places? Jones added. “We know the work she and the team will do each day is of great interest.”

Rashida Jones speaking at The Information WTF Summit.
MSNBC President Rashida Jones speaking at The Information’s WTF Summit.

When pressed again during the question-and-answer portion of her talk about how Maddow’s release is going to shake up prime time, Jones avoided the issue.

“It’s something we’re working on. There is no immediate rush here, ”she said. “Someone said to me today, ‘Those who know don’t speak and those who speak don’t know.’ As we find out internally and with Rachel and the team how it all works, I expect speculation to continue, I expect rumors to continue. It comes with the territory.

Jones was also vague when told about MSNBC’s criteria for improving its prime-time programming, adding that she was looking for “interesting voices” with “interesting perspectives on things.”

In internal company meetings, sources said the executive touted the winning network’s ratings on CNN on breaking news stories and pushed for harsher media coverage without much mention of Maddow or the fate of “The Rachel Maddow Show”, the network’s highest rated program. .

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