Former MSNBC host Joy Reid has revealed that network executives repeatedly pressured her to cease social media activity before ultimately canceling her primetime show in February. Reid made the claims during a conversation with Katie Couric released on Monday, marking her most candid comments about her departure from the network.
Reid indicated that MSNBC management was horrified by her presence on social media platforms and viewed her online engagement as problematic. She described receiving frequent calls from network officials demanding she stop tweeting, with executives expressing their displeasure whenever she posted content online.
The former host explained that network leadership disliked social media because it allowed talent and reporters to communicate directly with audiences without going through the network’s Standards and Practices department. Reid suggested that executives preferred to maintain complete control over how their personalities interacted with viewers, ensuring all content was managed and curated by the network.
Reid’s primetime program “The ReidOut” was canceled in February as part of a broader programming overhaul led by network president Rebecca Kutler. Her final broadcast aired on February 24, concluding a run that began in the summer of 2020. The cancellation occurred amid a network-wide restructuring that also affected other hosts, including Alex Wagner and Katie Phang.
The network provided no public explanation for the show’s cancellation, leading to speculation that the decision was connected to a post-election shakeup following Donald Trump’s return to the presidency. Several non-white anchors were terminated around the same time, prompting former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann to characterize the moves as a racist purge.
During an emotional interview following her firing, Reid broke down while discussing her departure from the network. She expressed experiencing anger, rage, disappointment, hurt, and guilt over her team losing their jobs. However, she maintained that she felt no regret about her coverage of progressive issues during her time at MSNBC.
Reid defended her hard-line stance on issues including Black Lives Matter, immigrant rights, and coverage of the Gaza conflict. “I am not sorry,” she stated, emphasizing her decision to stand up for causes she believed in during her primetime slot.
The show’s cancellation followed a tense meeting between Kutler and Reid’s staff on Sunday, February 23. According to reports, employees expressed frustration and disbelief about learning of the show’s fate through media reports rather than directly from network leadership. Staff members demanded answers about why the show was canceled and what the decision meant for their futures at the network.
Kutler insisted that Trump was not a factor in the decision, stating that the network’s changes were based on data analysis and programming strategy designed to best position MSNBC for the year ahead. She confirmed that the show’s staff had been terminated but would receive pay through April and severance packages.
The 7 p.m. time slot previously occupied by “The ReidOut” has been replaced by a panel show co-hosted by Symone Sanders Townsend, Alicia Menendez, and Michael Steele. The change comes as MSNBC faces significant ratings challenges, with the network recording its lowest-rated January in history in the 25-54 demographic.
According to industry sources, Reid is reportedly not planning to quietly accept her departure from the network. Sources suggest she possesses extensive knowledge about internal operations and is prepared to challenge the network’s decisions. MSNBC has reportedly sought to have Reid sign a non-disclosure agreement, though sources indicate she is unlikely to comply with such requests.
The firing has generated controversy within the network, with fellow anchor Rachel Maddow publicly criticizing the decision during her own program. Maddow called the cancellation a bad mistake and expressed concern about the unnerving reality that two non-white hosts in primetime were losing their shows.
Reid’s remarks come ahead of the June 9 launch of “The Joy Reid Show,” a new podcast and YouTube series. She posted her interview with Couric to her website and YouTube channel, providing her most detailed account of the circumstances surrounding her February departure from the network.
The cancellation of “The ReidOut” represents part of broader changes at MSNBC following the departure of former president Rashida Jones in January. The network has implemented significant cost-cutting measures, including substantial pay reductions for remaining hosts as executives attempt to address declining viewership numbers.
