Rashida Jones, who made history in 2021 with her leadership of MSNBC, announced Tuesday that she is stepping down from her role as network president. Jones (not to be confused with Quincy Jones’ actress and filmmaker daughter who shares the same name) leaves the network as it prepares to separate from its parent company and decides how it will cover the new Trump administration.
Who is Taking Over for Jones and Will She Be There During the Transition?
Jones announced that she was immediately stepping down as MSNBC president. In her statement, she told employees that “after four incredible years at the helm of MSNBC and 11 years at NBCU, I have made the decision to pursue new opportunities.” Vanity Fair reporter Natalie Korach, who shared the statement on X, added that Senior Vice President of Content Strategy Rebecca Kutler will take over the duties of interim president. However, Jones notes in her statement that she will “stay on for the next few months to help guide the network during this transitional period,” presumably in an advisory role.
News: MSNBC President Rashida Jones is stepping down from the role after 4 years. She will be replaced in the interim by Rebecca Kutler, SVP of Content Strategy, effective immediately. Kutler was recently appointed to oversee daytime programming pic.twitter.com/Iy7Obo1W0z
— Natalie Korach (@NatalieKorach) January 14, 2025
Jones Led MSNBC as a ‘Heat Shield’ During Tumultuous Four Years
Jones managed NBC News and MSNBC as a senior vice president through the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 presidential election. She became president of MSNBC in early 2021, making her the first Black woman to lead a major news network. Jones led the network through its coverage of the Biden administration, the protests that emerged after the murder of George Floyd and the 2024 election. Rachel Maddow, one of the network’s star hosts, praised Jones and her leadership during an employees call on Tuesday, calling Jones a “heat shield” that protected the network’s news anchors.
“Other companies don’t run that way,” Maddow told Jones, “and it is because you’ve been insistent that we treat each other respectfully and that you’ll be the one who takes the outside heat.”
A Transition Time for MSNBC
Jones is stepping down during a period of transition for the news organization. Comcast, the parent company of MSNBC and other cable networks, plans to spin these channels into a separate company. MSNBC also faces a crossroads on how to cover the incoming Trump administration. The network, seen as the most progressive of the major news channels, has been highly critical of Trump before his election win in November. After the election, ratings for the network dropped significantly, though it has been recovering recently. With Trump set to take office next week, the network faces an inflection point concerning whether it will take a primarily critical role during the new Trump presidency or try to establish a more amicable relationship with the incoming administration.
After spending over a decade with NBC and nearly four years leading MSNBC, Jones will stay close to help manage the network’s transition to a new company and political landscape. The coming months will show how MSNBC navigates these changes and how its news coverage and ratings respond to the new atmosphere. Beyond this transition, time will tell what will be next for Jones after her career at MSNBC officially ends.