Longtime MSNBC President Phil Griffin will be departing the network in late January. In his place, The Wall Street Journal and Variety report that the current senior vice president of MSNBC, Rashida Jones, is taking over for Griffin.
The reported hire of Jones marks the first Black executive to run a major cable news network. MSNBC has yet to confirm the news of Jones’ promotion, but The Wrap published a memo from NBCUniversal News Group Chairman Cesar Conde announcing Griffin’s departure and Jones’ new role.
“Rashida knows and understands MSNBC, in part because it’s where she started when she first joined NBCU seven years ago,” Conde said in the memo. “She knows that it is the people who work here that make it great, and she understands its culture. She also appreciates the impact and potential of the brand.”
Furthermore, Conde wrote that Griffin had pondered a departure after the 2020 Presidential Election. “After the presidential election, Phil and I spoke about his desire to depart at a time of his choosing and when he felt confident about the strength of the network he loves,” Conde said.
Eduardo Razo is the Assistant Content Editor for BNM, which includes writing daily news stories on the news media industry. He can be found on Twitter @eddierazo_ or you can reach him by email at eddie1991razo@gmail.com.
