MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow openly criticized MSNBC for planning to remove two non-white primetime shows headed by Joy Reid from television. The ReidOut show hosted by Joy Reid aired its last broadcast on Monday and the 9 pm timeslot previously hosted by Alex Wagner is set to disappear after Rachel Maddow ends her 100-day coverage of Donald Trump. The White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki will take over the time slot from Wagner.
Emotional Goodbye to Joy Reid
The television appearance by Rachel Maddow resulted in emotional distress as she showed signs of controlled grief.
“This is very, very, very hard to take,” she admitted before delivering an impassioned tribute.
“I have worked since I was 12 years old, and I have never had a colleague I respect and admire more than Joy Reid,” Rachel Maddow said.
The former host revealed that she had gained substantial knowledge from Reid but condemned MSNBC for letting her depart.
“I do not want to lose her as a colleague, and I think it is a bad mistake to let her walk out the door. It’s not my call, but that’s what I think.”
The media reports indicate Reid reviews launching a new publication on Substack but she has never officially declared her plans.
Rachel Maddow Calls Out Broader MSNBC Layoffs
Rachel Maddow switched her remarks toward MSNBC’s complete organizational change including workforce reductions which impacted producers and staff members.
“It’s unnerving to see that, on a network with just two non-white hosts in primetime, both are losing their shows. And Katie Phang on weekends too,” she said. “That feels indefensible.”
The workforce reduction includes dozens of MSNBC personnel who must reapply for available positions as the network has never done this before.
“This has never happened at this scale. It’s inefficient, unnecessary, and frankly, not the right way to treat people,” Maddow said.
Press Freedom Concerns and Hope for the Future
Rachel Maddow expressed alarm about this restructuring because it occurs when the free press faces intense attacks which creates a dangerous situation. She remained hopeful despite all the frustration she was experiencing.
“We want to grow, succeed, and reach more people than ever. But the way to get there is by treating people well and having their back. That, we can do a lot better on.”
Lawrence O’Donnell shared similar opinions as Rachel Maddow when he called the situation senseless and expressed hope for MSNBC to reverse its course.
