Reid’s Exit from MSNBC was Troubling, But Predictable
On Sunday, February 23, MSNBC announced the cancellation of Joy Reid’s primetime show, The ReidOut. The change comes mere weeks after Rashida Jones, the first Black woman to run a major cable news organization, left the company. It comes weeks into new MSNBC boss Rebecca Kutler’s tenure. It also comes early in President Donald J. Trump’s second term.
This is undoubtedly a devastating blow for Reid and her team, who were also let go. It is also troubling for Black communities and those who believe in a strong press.
Few Spaces
Black communities often struggle to find media spaces to share triumphs, trials and truths. With the exception of Roland Martin and Black Star News, there are few Black-owned and Black-targeted broadcast networks that are explicitly focused on news, as opposed to entertainment.
Only a Matter of Time
Although Reid’s departure is painful for some, it wasn’t entirely surprising. As soon as President Trump won re-election, I knew it was only a matter of time before Reid’s show was cancelled. Reid had been an outspoken critic of the president for years. And given the position of the new administration – in suing George Stephanopoulos and ABC News, as well as CBS News – it was clear to me that mainstream media outlets would be challenged to tilt right or at least temper their criticism.
The Fourth Estate
However, the Fourth Estate, as the media is commonly referred to, should serve as a watchdog. Journalist Jemele Hill reminded her audience that the role of the media is to “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” This is not consistetly happening.
For instance, in the final stretch of the 2024 campaign, we saw major outlets rescind endorsement announcements. The Washington Post, the LA Times, and Gannett all opted against issuing editorial endorsements. The decision was unusual for publications of their size and ilk.
We’ve also seen an administration that appears to have a penchant for punishing those who step out of line. For instance, the White House temporarily removed the Associated Press from covering official events for not agreeing to rename the ‘Gulf of Mexico,’ the ‘Gulf of America.’
More than 40 media outlets signed a letter coordinated by the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) asking the White House to reconsider its position. Speaking of the WHCA, the White House recently announced that it would be picking the reporters who cover the president, not the WHCA. This move breaks with decades of precedent.
For these reasons alone, it is not shocking that MSNBC cancelled Reid’s show.
To be clear, not everyone is sympathetic. Some Black voices, such as Vicki Dillard, maintained that Reid was not supportive of independent media and may have attempted to malign some Black grassroots voices.
Should This Have Been Expected?
Additionally, in Republican presidential administrations, I expect media outlets and lobbying firms to tilt somewhat to right. At a minimum, they may bring on more conservative commentators. In Democratic presidential administrations, I see media outlets lean left. They may bring on more liberal commentators. I expected the same trend to continue, especially given the tone and tenor of the Trump administration. This isn’t to say that Reid’s show isn’t needed; it is needed now more than ever.
Unfortunately, Reid isn’t the only prominent host to lose her show. MSNBC also cut Alex Wagner, who hosted Alex Wagner Tonight, and Jonathan Capehart, who hosted “The Sunday Show” for the network.
What Should We Do?
Given this news, the question becomes, what can we do? We should be supporting Black-owned and independent media with our advertising, donations and views. If we are not intentionally supporting those who align with our values, and those who are not subject to the whims of political leaders, we will never build sustainable structures to amplify our work and message.
We should also be supporting journalists whose work we admire. We can do this by subscribing to their newsletters, following them on social media, and sharing their content.
Finally, we should be building our own platforms so we have greater control over how and when we communicate with our audiences. In sum, the main takeaway from this whole ordeal is that we must be dedicated to supporting independent media and building our own structures to tell our stories.
Jennifer R. Farmer, aka The PR Whisperer®, is the principal of Spotlight PR LLC. Be sure to check out other blogs and subscribe for regular communications updates.