Rashida Jones To Step Down As President Of MSNBC In Days Ahead Of Trump Inauguration

Jones made history as the first Black executive to lead a major U.S. cable news network.

Rashida Jones has announced her decision to step down as president of MSNBC in the days ahead of Trump’s inauguration.

Jones, a Black woman, had served in the role with the NBCUniversal network for four years. With her appointment to the position in 2021, she made history as the first Black executive to lead a major U.S. television news network. She told the company on Jan. 14 that she intends to pursue other opportunities for the new year.

“I came to this decision over the holidays while reflecting on our remarkable journey and the many successes we’ve achieved together as a team. This has been the most rewarding chapter of my professional career, and I am immensely proud of what we have accomplished, which has been made possible only by you,” Jones said in a memo to staff obtained by NBC News.

Rebecca Kutler will take on the role of interim president. Prior to this, she served as the senior vice president of content strategy. Jones will stay on in an advisory role until March.

Through her tenure, which started a month after the Jan. 6 insurrection, she signed long-term deals to retain prime-time anchors such as Rachel Maddow. MSNBC also saw the relaunch of a mobile app and a premium subscription series under her leadership.

However, Jones’ decision comes at a time when MSNBC must juggle covering Trump’s incoming administration for its liberal audience. Moreover, alongside her transition of power comes a deal announced in November by Comcast.

The company will spin off most of its networks into a separate entity deemed SpinCo. MSNBC will join CNBC, USA Network, and other channels in this deal.

SpinCo.’s incoming chief executive, Mark Lazarus, spoke on Jones’ impact in the news media sphere. He noted how her triumphs have positively positioned MSNBC as it embarks on this era.

“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. MSNBC is well-positioned for the future,” shared Lazarus in a memo to staff.

While Jones’ tenure has been applauded, MSNBC will undergo its own considerations to raise viewership as ratings remain on the decline.