MSNBC Delicately Plots Its Post–Joy Reid Future

 The American Spectator   "The network wants to prove it can do real journalism." Sorry, but I'm just not seeing it. TD

"While MSNBC has no plans to abandon its left-wing identity, the network’s effort to build a newsroom indicates at least a desire to distance itself from the extreme left."

 Tom Stiglich

"Finally free of the scandal-making presence that was host Joy Reid — and rid of the blandly woke Alex Wagner — MSNBC is trying distance itself from the progressive extremism that has defined it for years.

"   This month, new president Rebecca Kutler announced the appointment of Scott Matthews, the news director at New York’s WABC-TV, to lead a newly established journalism operation. MSNBC is hiring over 100 journalists to work under Matthews.

"The new journalism operation is being formed as MSNBC is spun off from Comcast into a separate company. MSNBC has long relied on NBC News for its news gathering, but that arrangement will likely cease later this year when MSNBC is separated from Comcast.

"Many have predicted that, without the assistance of NBC News’ journalism, MNSBC would simply fully focus on the progressive opinion content that has defined it for years. Evidently, MSNBC wants to defy those expectations. Its executives have decided that progressive talk shows with no journalistic backbone would be a poor business decision amid a conservative ascendancy.

"In announcing Matthews’ new role, Kutler focused on how he would significantly increase MSNBC’s journalistic output. Kutler wrote, “Scott’s new role reflects our plans to build out MSNBC’s domestic, Washington and international newsgathering operations and expand our presence in the field.”

"The decision to fire Reid was already a signal that executives wanted to move on from being seen as an extremist network. Reid’s show created a scandal for the network with each passing week. This usually related to Reid’s pervasive race obsession and opposition to Israel’s effort to defend itself. (On race, Reid once said white Christians “see themselves as the rightful inheritors of this country.” On the war between Israel and Hamas, Reid stated, “How does bombing a densely populated land strip filled 50 percent with children constitute self-dense?”)

"The reassignment of Alex Wagner, who hosted a forgettable show in the 9 p.m. slot for several years, also signaled that MSNBC’s executives wanted to go in a new direction" . . ..