MS NOW’s longest serving anchor is out as network – Business News
MS NOW is overhauling its weekend lineup by leaning tougher into podcasts, taped programming and outdoors partnerships — a shakeup that can even mark the top of longtime anchor Alex Witt’s almost three-decade run on the network.
MS NOW chief Rebecca Kutler knowledgeable employees Friday that the network is revamping its weekend strategy as it invests in its direct-to-consumer business, expands content material partnerships and restructures programming. The modifications will embrace a “small” quantity of layoffs.
Among the largest strikes is the departure of Witt, one of the network’s longest-serving anchors, who plans to go away later this 12 months after almost three a long time with the company. News of Witt’s departure was reported by Variety.
Alex Witt is leaving MS NOW later this 12 months as the network overhauls its weekend lineup after almost three a long time on the air. AP
An MS NOW spokesperson confirmed the Variety report and stated there are almost 40 open roles throughout the network and that more than a dozen are anticipated to post within the coming weeks.
“After nearly three decades, Alex Witt has shared with us her plans to conclude her tenure with the company later this year, following an extraordinary career,” Kutler wrote in a memo to employees.
Kutler praised Witt as “a beloved longtime member of our MS NOW family” who “anchored more hours on MS NOW than any other anchor in our network’s history.”
She credited the journo with guiding viewers by some of the nation’s defining information occasions, together with the 9/11 terrorist assaults, the Space Shuttle Columbia catastrophe, Hurricane Katrina, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the COVID-19 pandemic and the warfare in Ukraine.
“We thank Alex for her endless contributions to the network and will have more opportunities to celebrate her in the coming months,” Kutler wrote.
Witt’s weekend afternoon slot will probably be stuffed by Antonia Hylton later this summer time.
Witt will exit the network later this 12 months as half of a sweeping weekend programming shakeup. FilmMagic
Hylton will anchor the network’s 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. weekend hours, with “The Weekend: Primetime” govt producer Joy Fowlin taking on as govt producer of the new program.
The programming overhaul can even deliver an finish to “The Weekend: Primetime,” with the ultimate broadcast scheduled for Saturday.
Its hosts — Ayman Mohyeldin, Catherine Rampell and Elise Jordan — will stay with the network and proceed contributing throughout its numerous packages and platforms.
Former Obama aides Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett and Tommy Vietor based Crooked Media, whose programming is changing into a bigger half of MS NOW’s weekend strategy. Getty Images for Crooked Media
The lineup modifications are half of a broader strategy to shift more of the network’s weekend schedule towards taped programming, together with current MS NOW podcasts such as “The Best People with Nicolle Wallace” and “Why Is This Happening with Chris Hayes.”
Kutler additionally stated the network plans to announce further outdoors content material partnerships within the coming weeks and months, building on its current relationship with Crooked Media.
According to Kutler, the current launch of “Crooked on MS NOW” delivered the strongest debut for one of the network’s taped collection amongst whole viewers in three years and its strongest launch in the important thing demographic in more than 4 years.
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She stated roughly half of the show’s Saturday-night viewers consisted of viewers who have been new to MS NOW.
Despite the elevated emphasis on taped programming, Kutler instructed workers the network will proceed airing about 20 hours of reside programming each weekend.
MS NOW is revamping its weekend lineup as it shifts sources towards podcasts, content material partnerships and its direct-to-consumer business. Bloomberg through Getty Images
She added that the breaking information operation will probably be expanded to make sure the channel can interrupt prerecorded programming at any time when main information warrants.
The push comes as MS NOW deepens its relationship with Crooked Media, the progressive media company based in 2017 by former Obama aides Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett and Tommy Vietor.
The company constructed its viewers across the hit political podcast “Pod Save America” and has since expanded into video programming, reside occasions and a broader slate of left-leaning political exhibits.
The Post has sought remark from MS NOW and Crooked Media.
