MSNBC recently announced that Jen Psaki, who joined the network in May 2022 after her tenure as Biden's White House Press Secretary, will be expanding her hosting duties. Instead of just Sundays, she will now also appear in the prime Monday 8 p.m. ET slot, taking over the "All In with Chris Hayes" segment for that day. Hayes' show has seen a rotation of hosts on Mondays over the past year as he has been involved in other projects.
This decision echoes MSNBC's move last year when they limited their top presenter, Rachel Maddow, to only Mondays, while Alex Wagner took over her 9 p.m. ET slot for the rest of the week. It's worth noting that Maddow renewed her contract with the channel in 2021, securing a deal reportedly worth $30 million annually.
Joe Concha, a Fox News contributor, shared with Fox News Digital his views on MSNBC's decision. He opined that changing only the Monday primetime slot for Psaki was "profoundly stupid." Concha believes that Psaki should either be featured every weeknight in primetime or not at all.
"Viewers want consistency," Concha said. "And for MSNBC to offer these half-baked lineups doesn't allow for that."
In the last phase of Psaki's role as the press secretary, it was revealed that both MSNBC and CNN were competing to bring her on board, especially since she had previously been a commentator on CNN before the 2020 elections. After much speculation and rumors, MSNBC confirmed that Psaki would be joining them as a political analyst and a host on their Peacock streaming platform. However, the network seems to be pivoting towards featuring her on a more conventional cable news show.
The show "Inside with Jen Psaki," which debuted in March, has swiftly climbed the ranks to become MSNBC's top-performing Sunday show, attracting an average audience of around 840,000 in recent times. Yet, her new role on Mondays might pose challenges for Hayes.
"Chris Hayes should be nervous," NewsBusters managing editor Curtis Houck said to Fox News. "MSNBC can insist Chris Hayes remains a valuable part of the network and will be going forward, but if that’s the case, why then was Jen Psaki given a night at his expense?"
Concha echoed a similar perspective, suggesting that Hayes, a long-time MSNBC figure, should feel "insulted" that the management is reassigning one of his slots to someone who only became a part of the network's shows "a few months ago."
Despite not always being a ratings powerhouse, Hayes, who has been anchoring "All In" since 2013, remains a prominent figure in MSNBC's progressive political reporting.
Hayes has experienced a decline in his audience numbers, witnessing almost 10% fewer total viewers since 2021. On average, he pulls in 1.4 million viewers but has lost over 25% from the desirable 25-54 age group, which is a key demographic for advertisers.
McCall highlighted that while Hayes has a dedicated following from his extensive time with MSNBC, Psaki stands out as a "darling of the Democratic Party" due to her service in both the Obama and Biden presidencies.
Should Psaki attract a more substantial viewership, it might pose a dilemma for the network regarding Hayes' position.
Trending Political News
Deadly Ice Cream Recalled in Nearly 20 States
A New York-based company has started pulling soft serve ice cream cups from the shelves in 19 states, including the District of Columbia, due to potential Listeria contamination.
Real Kosher Ice Cream issued a recall notice on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website this past Wednesday, indicating that the recall concerns all flavor variants of its Soft Serve On The Go cups dated Aug. 4 or prior. The notice specified that there are six distinct flavors available in 8-ounce packs.
City That Led the 'Defund the Police' Movement Now Becomes Number One City People Want to Leave
Data from the Household Pulse Survey, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau and several other federal agencies, shows that Seattle, Washington, has the highest percentage of people who feel pressure to move due to crime concerns out of any of the 15 largest metro areas in the United States.
About 7% of adults in the greater Seattle area, representing approximately 227,000 people, have felt pressure to move in the last six months. This unfortunate result is due to the failure of the city's progressive policies and movements, according to an expert interviewed by Fox News Digital.
Eric Trump Survives 'Back Off Challenge': 'He's Also on Crack'
A comical video shared on Monday captures Eric Trump successfully navigating the "Back Off Challenge."
Eric Trump was playfully teased by two presenters from the Country Club Adjacent podcast during the "Back Off Challenge" at what seems to be the LIV Golf event held at Donald Trump's Bedminster, New Jersey, golf course. To triumph in the challenge, golfers must execute a solid tee shot without retreating from the ball, even as hecklers throw jibes at them.
Actress Apologizes for Getting in Relationship With Married Man
Actress Taryn Manning offered a comprehensive apology after earlier posting and then removing a graphic video that revealed her relationship with a married man.
The ex-"Orange is the New Black" actress contemplated her choice to publicize her story when the video drew significant attention on the internet, acknowledging her regret.
Boxer's Plan to Flash the Crowd Backfires
Daniella Hemsley revealed her chest on live television Saturday evening, following her victory in her first match at the KingPyn Boxing event in Dublin, Ireland.
The model, known for her work on OnlyFans, jubilantly discarded her bra after triumphing over Aleksandra Danielka in the showcase fight. Unfortunately, she experienced a clothing mishap when the tassels meant to conceal her nipples were conspicuously absent, as reported by the New York Post.
End of an Era? San Francisco's 166-Year-Old Iconic Store Faces Closure Due to 'Destructive' Policies
An iconic Bay Area gem might be on the verge of shutting its doors in San Francisco, according to its owner — pointing to rising crime, prevalent drug use, and a "litany of destructive" policies as the culprits for the untenable situation.
John Chachas, the proprietor of the upscale department store Gump’s, voiced his apprehensions in a letter sent to Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA), Mayor London Breed (D-S.F.), and the Board of Supervisors overseeing the city and county of San Francisco. This letter made its public appearance as a full-page ad in The San Francisco Chronicle.
