As mainstream media outlets continue to take hit after hit in the ratings department, leaving them with far fewer coins in their pockets, networks are looking for ways to offset costs and ensure they stay on the air. One solution being sought is to pare down the salaries of on-screen talent. Like Joy Reid over at MSNBC for example. Sources close to the situation say that with Reid’s contract renewal coming up, the only way she can stay on board with the company is if she slims down that $3 million a year salary she earns at the moment.
Yes, that’s correct. Joy Reid gets $3 million to tell lies. Makes you feel like you’re in the wrong line of business, right? Well, except for the part where you have to give up your personal integrity and all that. Nothing is worth that.
And Reid isn’t the only voice at MSNBC to be facing the knife. Stephanie Ruhle, who hosts some obscure show that practically nobody watches, is also going to be taking a kick in the bank account. Sorry if I’m not more sympathetic, but these people make millions of dollars to push narratives that destroy people’s lives and the fabric of our country. They deserve what’s happening to them.
“However, the financial belt-tightening extends beyond MSNBC. Newsroom staff at rival networks like CNN, ABC, CBS, and NBC are bracing for additional layoffs as executives forecast further industry headwinds in the new year. Such moves come despite the networks’ reliance on high-profile talent to drive viewership,” Trending Politics News reported.
Once buoyed by wall-to-wall political coverage during the Trump administration and the 2020 election, MSNBC, along with the other legacy networks mentioned, has struggled to maintain its audience amid a fragmented media landscape. On cable, ratings are plummeting across the board, with the exception of Fox News. Conversations with 20 network journalists and executives reveal a pervasive sense of exhaustion and a longing for 2024 to end, tempered by anxiety about the future. The cuts have not spared even MSNBC’s flagship stars. Rachel Maddow, widely regarded as the network’s biggest draw, reportedly accepted a $5 million pay cut to retain her reduced but influential presence on air.
Following the recent presidential election, MSNBC has experienced a significant drop in ratings. The network’s primetime viewership declined by over 60%, with “The ReidOut” losing approximately 47% of its total audience, averaging 759,000 viewers, down from 1.4 million before the election, according to Fox News. MSNBC’s primetime lineup has seen a significant decline, losing 53% of its total viewers and averaging 621,000. Even more striking is the loss of 61% of viewers in the key demographic, with the network now averaging just 57,000.
Not helping matters is the fact that Reid has caused quite a bit of controversy over comments she made following the 2024 election. The MSNBC host referred to the state of Florida as an “extremist right-wing fascist” state due to not passing Amendment 4. Which would have enshrined the right to murder children in the womb in the state’s constitution. More than a few viewers wanted to see her fired for that comment.
“Pay cuts, coupled with anticipated staff reductions across the industry, underscore a sobering trend for cable news giants. While MSNBC remains a player among left-leaning audiences, the network—like its competitors—is not immune to the economic pressures reshaping media,” the report finished.