Rachel Maddow Criticizes MSNBC for Firing Joy Reid and Two Other Non-White Hosts – One America News Network
OAN Staff Blake Wolf
12:12 PM – Tuesday, February 25, 2025
Rachel Maddow openly criticized the senior executives at her station, MSNBC, in light of their recent choice to dismiss her colleague, Joy Reid, who had been the host of MSNBC‘s “The ReidOut.” Maddow labeled this choice as “indefensible.”
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Maddow addressed the network’s substantial restructuring that followed a significant drop in viewership, pointing out the inappropriate nature of MSNBC canceling shows helmed by the “two non-White hosts” while also firing numerous behind-the-scenes staff members.
“I can tell you, it’s also unsettling to observe that on a network where we only have two—count them, two—non-white hosts in prime time, both are losing their shows, along with Katie Phang on the weekends. That feels worse than bad, regardless of who replaces them. It feels indefensible, and I cannot support it.”
Maddow praised Reid while expressing her disagreement with the decision to cancel “The ReidOut,” effectively ending their collaboration.
“Tonight marks the end of Joy Reid’s show ‘The ReidOut,’ and she is not moving to another position within the network. She is leaving entirely, and that is exceedingly difficult to accept,” Maddow expressed.
“At 51 years old, I’ve been steadily employed since I was 12 and have held a multitude of jobs that would astonish you. Yet, throughout all my years and experiences, I’ve never met a colleague for whom I hold as much affection and respect as I do for Joy Reid. I admire everything about her, and I still have so much to learn from her. I do not wish to lose her as my colleague at MSNBC. I believe it is a grave mistake to let her go. While it’s not my decision, that is truly how I feel,” she elaborated.
Maddow further criticized the network’s approach to dismissing its stars. “Many of the most capable and experienced producers in the building face layoffs, being given the chance to reapply for new roles,” she stated.
“This kind of mass change is unprecedented regarding programming decisions, likely because it doesn’t properly respect individuals, it’s inefficient, unnecessary, and it creates uncertainty about whether this is a desirable workplace. We typically avoid conducting business this way,” Maddow continued. “While there’s hope that those involved, including most of the crew that currently makes this show possible, will secure new positions here, the transition into this limbo creates extreme anxiety and confusion, especially as this work is already challenging and stressful.”
Maddow asserted that the freedom of the press faces significant threats in a manner that truly matters for the country.
“I recognize that working in journalism is a tough endeavor, and no position lasts forever, but it’s safe to say that for all of us anchors familiar to you via television, what troubles us the most is not our own experiences, but what happens to our colleagues who rely on us—and whom you may not know, but whom we respect, cherish, and rely on,” she added.
The left-leaning network, undergoing significant transformations, experienced a staggering 53% reduction in primetime viewership following the election on November 5th, according to Nielsen Media Research.
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