Rebecca Cutler Diagnosed with Breast Cancer
MSNBC President Rebecca Cutler has been diagnosed with breast cancer and will be taking a break from the network for several weeks, as confirmed by the network to the Post.
The 46-year-old Cutler, who started her role in February after Rashida Jones’ exit, assured her staff that her prognosis is optimistic. CNN’s Brian Stelter was the first to report this.
During an editorial call on Wednesday morning, Cutler informed the MSNBC team about her diagnosis.
She also shared the news with NBCUniversal and MSNBC executives, as well as key anchors, just the day before.
Cutler, a mother of three, is set to undergo surgery next month. She encouraged her team to prioritize their health, especially in light of the relentless news cycle.
MSNBC has chosen not to comment further on the situation.
Cutler stepped into her role at a crucial juncture for the network amid Comcast’s $7 billion spinoff of its cable assets.
The reorganization will see MSNBC, along with channels like CNBC and Golf Channel, transition to a new company named Versant.
This change is expected to be wrapped up by the end of the year, with NBCU executive Mark Lazarus at the helm.
A significant challenge ahead for Cutler will be enhancing MSNBC’s newsgathering capabilities since the channel can no longer depend on NBC News for reporting.
As part of this transition, MSNBC will be rebranded as MS NOW, shorthand for My Source News Opinion World, with a new logo replacing NBC’s iconic peacock with a blue flag adorned with red and white stripes.
Joining MSNBC in 2022 after a lengthy career at CNN, Cutler previously held titles from executive producer to senior vice president.
She was appointed as head of programming for CNN+ before the streaming service was discontinued in 2022.
After Jones’ retirement announcement in January, Cutler took over the leadership at CNBC on an interim basis. Her role was made permanent shortly thereafter.
Under her direction, significant lineup changes were made, including the cancellation of Joy Reid’s show.
In a memo to employees earlier this year, Lazarus highlighted Cutler’s integral role in recent programming initiatives and her efforts to foster innovative products aimed at audiences.
Cutler remarked that the upcoming year could be “both exciting and challenging,” stressing the importance of honesty about future difficulties. “Our jobs are hard even on normal days, but these are not normal times,” she noted.
