In a rare and emotional moment of on-air defiance, MSNBC’s flagship host Rachel Maddow openly criticized her own network for what she described as a disturbing and indefensible trend: the removal of non-white hosts from prime-time programming. The remarks came just days after MSNBC confirmed that Joy Reid’s show The ReidOut would be ending, and that Alex Wagner would not be returning to host the 9 p.m. slot from Tuesday through Friday.
Maddow, speaking candidly during her segment, did not hold back. “This is very, very, very hard to take,” she said, referencing the cancellation of The ReidOut. Maddow had previously joined Joy Reid on her final broadcast for an emotional farewell, but her statements since then have gone from supportive to sharply critical.
The situation unfolded as former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was announced as the likely replacement for the 9 p.m. slot. This move effectively pushes out two of MSNBC’s only non-white prime-time hosts—Reid and Wagner—prompting Maddow to question the network’s intentions.
“I will tell you that it is also unnerving to see that on a network where we have—count them—two non-white hosts in prime time, both are now losing their shows,” Maddow said. “And regardless of who takes their place, that feels worse than horrible. I don’t defend that. It seems indefensible.”
Her comments struck a nerve with viewers and political media observers alike. Social media erupted with both praise for Maddow’s courage and outrage over the decisions made by MSNBC executives.
Maddow, 51, reflected on her personal connection with Joy Reid, calling her “the co-worker I have loved and respected the most in all of my jobs and years of life.” She went on to describe Reid as someone who “taught me so much” and admitted she still has a lot to learn from her. “I personally believe it is a bad mistake to let her walk out the door,” Maddow declared. “And I do not want to lose her as a colleague here at MSNBC.”
Reid, while avoiding direct criticism of the network, appeared to hint at a new beginning by highlighting her Substack profile on her final broadcast, sparking speculation that she may be planning to launch her own independent media venture. Media writer Benjamin Mullin of The New York Times confirmed that Reid is considering new opportunities outside the traditional cable landscape.
Maddow’s harshest critique came when she linked the network’s recent programming shake-ups to broader issues of racial representation. “Regardless of who’s taking over the time slots,” she added, “we’re talking about erasing voices that have mattered to communities who rarely see themselves represented in the news.”
She concluded by reassuring viewers that the network would still offer quality programming, but acknowledged that “everyone behind the scenes is being put through the ringer” by these changes.
For a network that prides itself on progressive values and diversity, Maddow’s rebuke is a sobering call to action—and a reminder that even inside the newsroom, the fight for representation is far from over.
