HBCU alumna Rashida Jones out as MSNBC president

By Kiya Robinson

MSNBC President Rashida Jones announced yesterday that she is stepping down from the position after four years. Jones made history as the first Black executive to lead a major U.S. television news network. Rebecca Kutler has been named as interim president.

“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.

Jones’s announcement to step down comes a few months after Comcast announced its plan to turn most of its cable TV networks into a separate publicly traded company, known as SpinCo. MSNBC, CNBC, the USA Network, Oxygen, E!, SYFY, and the Golf Channel will be included in the new company. Jones came into position in February 2021 following President Biden’s inauguration and the January 6th riot at the United States Capitol.

She inked new long-term contracts with Rachel Maddow and other prominent network talent. In addition, she invested in additional network digital products, developed a live event series, and relaunched a new mobile app and premium subscription series. When she first started, she helped MSNBC achieve high ratings on significant political nights.

“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,” said Mark Lazarus, the incoming chief executive of SpinCo.

Jones is an alumna of Hampton University. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in mass media arts in 2002. Back in 2022, she established a scholarship at Hampton for journalism students. Before becoming president of MSNBC, Jones worked in several other positions for the company. She served as an executive producer, managing editor, and senior vice president of specials for NBC and MSNBC.