MSNBC has seen a ratings decline since Election Day, and that has led network President Rashida Jones to consider leaving her post, according to a new report.
Oliver Darcy of Status News shared that Jones is considering leaving MSNBC early next year after the inauguration of Donald Trump.
A spokesperson for Rashida Jones — who took over as President of MSNBC from Phil Griffin in 2021 — has denied that she would look to exit the network after the inauguration.
The news that Jones could consider stepping aside comes as parent company Comcast has announced plans to place MSNBC — along with the company’s other cable channels — in a separate company called SpinCo. Rumors of a potential sale of the channel have persisted, with billionaire Elon Musk continually floating jokes on social media that he’d be interested in purchasing the network. CNN media reporter Brian Stelter has reported a billionaire with “liberal bona fides” is also interested in purchasing MSNBC.
The network is in the midst of a ratings slump, seeing a 50% decline in primetime audience since November 5th. MSNBC has seen an average audience of 661,000 in weeks following the election of Trump. That is down from the 1.34 million it averaged leading up to election day.
Meanwhile, Morning Joe — the morning show hosted by Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski — has seen a 43% decrease in viewership since the pair announced they met with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago home following his election in an effort to repair their relationship.
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