Former MSNBC host Joy Reid discussed the cancellation of her show on Monday, suggesting that her race and the network’s “anxiety” regarding President Donald Trump may have influenced the decision. She mentioned that while she tries not to draw too many conclusions about others’ thoughts, there’s a strong sense of concern among many media figures about how to handle Trump, as evidenced in interviews, like one with former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Reid spoke with Katie Couric in a video on her Substack page and YouTube channel, noting that her show was discontinued earlier this year. She also pointed out instances on platforms like ABC, where Trump was advised not to work too hard in public discourse.
During the conversation, Couric highlighted how opinions seem to diverge between hosts on MSNBC, particularly comparing Reid’s approach to that of Rachel Maddow and Nicolle Wallace. Reid commented on Trump’s unique criticism towards black women, mentioning that it affects him in ways that other critiques don’t. She suggested that Trump’s sensitivity towards race might complicate his interactions with the media.
Before her show’s cancellation, Reid had been informed that its ratings weren’t significantly lower than other shows, despite a notable drop in viewership since Trump’s election win. Reid’s program was replaced by “The Beatnight,” featuring various personalities including Simon Sanders and Alicia Menendez.
The new lineup at MSNBC has faced challenges too, apparently struggling to attract as many viewers in its initial month as previous shows did. Requests for comments from MSNBC and ABC regarding the situation went unanswered.
After Reid’s departure, the network introduced changes, but reports indicated that her segment, “The Reidout,” had been averaging a substantial number of viewers through the election period. Reid reflected on how they’d paid attention to social media trends due to recognized anxieties surrounding it, although she felt left out of internal conversations about her show’s fate.
