MSNBC president Rashida Jones is stepping down, the company said Tuesday, a major shakeup at the social media giant just days before President-elect Donald J. Trump takes office.
Rebecca Kutler, senior vice president of content strategy at MSNBC, will succeed Ms. Jones as interim president, effective immediately. Ms Jones will remain in an advisory role in March.
“Rebecca is the right leader to guide us through this time, and I look forward to working with her as we shape our future together,” Mark Lazarus, chairman of NBCUniversal Media Group, said in a letter to employees.
The exit of Ms. Jones comes amid industry-wide pressure on the cable news industry, which has seen ratings decline after the US presidential election. MSNBC was the second most-watched cable network during that time, ahead of CNN but behind longtime leader Fox News.
Network executives hope that audiences will return as Mr. Trump takes office and observers seek to dismantle his early policy moves. On Monday, the company announced that Rachel Maddow, its most popular host, will temporarily return to airing her one-hour show every weekday at 9pm Eastern for Mr. Maddow's first 100 days.
MSNBC is among a number of cable channels that its parent company, Comcast, plans to spin off later this year into a new company. CNBC, another news channel in Comcast's cable portfolio, is also being cast, along with entertainment networks like USA and Syfy.
Ms. Kutler is a cable news executive with experience in the broadcast business. Before joining MSNBC in 2022, Ms. Kutler was the chief architect of CNN+, the live streaming news service that was spun off by Warner Bros. Discovery that year.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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