Rashida Jones Will Become First Black Woman To Run Cable News Channel At MSNBC

Topline

Broadcast journalist Rashida Jones will take over as president of MSNBC next year, becoming the first Black woman to run a major cable news operation and ending Phil Griffin’s 12-year stint at the helm of the cable news network, the Wall Street Journal and New York Times reported Monday.

Key Facts

Crucial Quote

“[Rashida] has an outstanding track-record and she leads with a laser-like focus and grace under pressure,” Conde said in his memo to staff, according to a copy obtained by trade site TVNewser.

Key Background

Jones joined MSNBC seven years ago, after working for more than a decade as a producer at local TV news stations and the Weather Channel. Initially hired as an executive producer for a daytime show, Jones has rapidly risen through MSNBC’s ranks, and is currently charged with overseeing the network’s dayside and weekend programs as well as special events like debates, according to Conde’s memo. Griffin, for his part, has worked at MSNBC and NBC News since 1996, when the cable network was first launched.

Tangent

Over the last 12 years, Griffin has led MSNBC through four presidential elections and countless schedule reshuffles, more than tripling its ratings in the process. He positioned MSNBC’s primetime lineup as a left-of-center answer to Fox News, a strategy typified by hosts like Rachel Maddow (whose show launched during Griffin’s tenure), though the network’s stated identity has pivoted between progressive commentary and more straightforward news and analysis. The network’s ratings ticked up gradually during Barack Obama’s administration and soared during Donald Trump’s presidency, competing closely with CNN along the way. In recent years, its total average ratings have frequently eclipsed CNN’s, and the network’s top-rated shows occasionally come within striking distance of Fox News, the undisputed frontrunner in the cable news landscape.

Surprising Fact

Griffin’s departure from the network comes after a corporate restructuring at NBCUniversal, which is owned by Comcast. Conde, formerly the head of Telemundo, was promoted to NBC News chair earlier this year after embattled former chair Andrew Lack departed. After he was promoted, Conde took charge of both MSNBC and CNBC.

Further Reading

MSNBC to Name Rashida Jones President, Succeeding Phil Griffin (Wall Street Journal)