After a four-year tenure as president of MSNBC, the company announced that Rashida Jones would be resigning from her position, according to The New York Times. Jones made history as the first Black woman to lead a cable news network.
In a memo to staffers, Jones shared that she will be stepping down from her post at the network.
“I came to this decision over the holidays while reflecting on our remarkable journey and the many successes we’ve achieved together as a team,” she wrote. “This has been the most rewarding chapter of my professional career and I am immensely proud of what we have accomplished, which has been made possible only by you.”
Mark Lazarus, the incoming chief executive of SpinCo, lauded Jones for her successful tenure.
“Rashida has expertly navigated MSNBC through a years-long, unrelenting, and unprecedented news cycle, all while driving the network to record viewership and making investments in nonlinear businesses. MSNBC is well-positioned for the future,” Lazarus said in a memo to staff.
According to the network, Rebecca Kutler, senior vice president for content strategy at MSNBC, will serve as interim president, effective immediately.
“Rebecca is the ideal leader to guide us through this moment, and I look forward to collaborating with her as we shape our collective future together,” Lazarus said. Jones will stay with the network as an advisor before officially leaving in March.
Taking the helm of MSNBC in February 2021, Jones assumed the leadership position following the inauguration of President Joe Biden and the January 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol. MSNBC’s ratings grew exponentially as the network covered the latest political news under her leadership. The network was the second most-watched cable network during her presidential tenure, behind longtime ratings leader Fox News.
Jones’ other accomplishments include signing new long-term deals with the network’s top talent, such as Rachel Maddow. She oversaw a live event series and relaunched a new mobile app and premium subscription series.
Previously, Jones was senior vice president of NBC News and MSNBC, where she led the production of “cross-network special events, including election night coverage and presidential debates.” She joined NBC in 2013 as an executive producer. Before that, she served as news director for the NBC affiliate in Columbia, South Carolina.
Jones’ resignation comes after the announcement that MSNBC is among several cable channels that Comcast, its parent company, plans to reconfigure into a new company. USA, Oxygen, E!, SYFY, and the Golf Channel are also a part of the change in Comcast’s portfolio.
