Rashida Jones, president of MSNBC, announced Tuesday that she is stepping down after four years at the helm of the cable news network. Jones, who assumed the role in February 2021 following Joe Biden’s inauguration, shared the news with top anchors, network leaders, and staff during a morning meeting.
Rebecca Kutler, MSNBC’s senior vice president of content strategy, has been appointed interim president. Kutler, who joined MSNBC in 2022, previously spent 20 years at CNN, where she held the position of senior vice president.
The announcement follows Comcast’s recent decision to spin off the majority of its cable TV networks, including MSNBC, CNBC, USA Network, Oxygen, E!, SYFY, and the Golf Channel, into a separate publicly traded entity, currently referred to as SpinCo. This restructuring is part of Comcast’s response to shifts in the media landscape, as cable networks face declining viewership amid the growing popularity of streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. MSNBC has also notably experienced a ratings dip since the 2020 election.
In a memo to staff, Mark Lazarus, the incoming CEO of SpinCo, commended Jones for her leadership. “MSNBC is well-positioned for the future,” Lazarus wrote, reaffirming that the network will retain its name following the spin-off.
Before her tenure as MSNBC president, Jones served as senior vice president of NBC News and MSNBC, where she led the production of cross-network special events, including presidential debates and election night coverage.
