MSNBC's Joy Reid has broken her silence with a defiant message. This comes after being abruptly fired from the struggling network on Sunday. Reid, who has been a prominent anchor at MSNBC since 2014, issued a heartfelt social media post. She thanked her fans and colleagues for their support throughout the years.
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The announcement came as a recorded meeting with the network's newly appointed president, Rebecca Kutler, revealed the details surrounding the mass layoffs at the network.
Reid, who has been hosting The ReidOut since 2020, saw her ratings plummet as part of the network's broader challenges. She had faced significant pay cuts as part of a broader cost-saving initiative in December. She reportedly took a major reduction from her $3 million salary. Her fate was sealed along with other high-profile network figures.
Earlier in November, MSNBC's primetime star Rachel Maddow had agreed to slash $5 million from her salary. She reduced her on-air commitments to one day per week. Maddow is set to return to a full-time schedule to cover former President Donald Trump's first 100 days in office.
Meanwhile, Andrea Mitchell, another long-serving anchor, has also stepped down after 17 years on air.
Reid Offers Thanks
In a final message to her supporters, Reid expressed gratitude. She said, "I just want to say thank you to everyone who has reached out with kindness and encouragement, both personally and in these social media streets. So very proud of The ReidOut team, who are truly family, and all of our supporters and friends. See you tomorrow night at 7, one more time."
Reid's departure follows a tumultuous period for MSNBC. The network has experienced significant leadership changes and financial difficulties that have led to major cuts across the organization.
Staffers, many of whom were left in the dark until the news leaked, expressed frustration during a tense meeting with Kutler. One employee voiced their dissatisfaction with learning of their fate through news stories, prompting a series of apologies from the network president.
"We are being terminated currently with the option to apply within the company, right?" one worker asked, with Kutler finally confirming that over 100 internal job postings would be available by the end of the week.
As MSNBC scrambles to fill its primetime slot, a rotating cast of anchors will temporarily take over. This includes political commentator Symone Sanders Townsend, former Republican National Committee chair Michael Steele, and journalist Alicia Menendez.
Reid's firing is the latest high-profile departure following the January resignation of MSNBC President Rashida Jones, as the network undergoes a significant overhaul in the face of dwindling viewership. Despite its past success, the network has struggled to regain traction since the 2020 election.
