Another high-profile MSNBC anchor appears ready to exit as struggling liberal network sinks into irrelevancy

MSNBC appears to be losing yet another top anchor as Ari Melber has reportedly  been meeting with rivals amid an exodus for the broadcaster.

Melber, 45, has been in talks to leave the network and is even considering launching his own media company, according to Breaker.

Two sources familiar with Melber’s thinking told the publication that he is speaking to other networks as the struggling MSNBC catapults into irrelevancy with tumbling ratings across the board.

Melber hosts the 6pm show The Beat, which has been running since 2017, and is considered a ratings winner for the network.

He also serves as chief legal correspondent and has amassed a healthy following on YouTube, which is a huge part of new MSNBC boss Rebecca Kutler’s vision for the future of the flailing network.

Kutler made waves by firing Joy Reid as one of her first maneuvers in February as part of a programming bloodbath.

Katie Phang, Jonathan Capehart and Ayman Mohyeldin also lost their shows, though the latter two will be moving to new shows elsewhere on the network.

And just last month it emerged that election nightfavorite Steve Kornacki had quit his role at MSNBC ahead of the impending split from parent company NBCUniversal.

 

Ari Melber, 45, is reportedly considering his options and is even considering launching his own media company

Ari Melber, 45, is reportedly considering his options and is even considering launching his own media company

 

Pictured: Joy Reid

Pictured: Katie Phang

MSNBC star Rachel Maddow reduced her on-air screentime from 5 days a week to one day a week

Kutler recently appointed longtime Wall Street Journal reporter and editor Sudeep Reddy to helm the new Washington D.C. bureau as the network gears up for a refresh.

The decision was likely a surprise to some considering Reddy’s straight news, unbiased pedigree, which also includes a lengthy senior managing stint at Politico.

Before that, Reddy, 45, spent nearly a decade with the Journal, where his coverage was deeply rooted in economics.

Kutler hopes the refresh will help give ratings a boost after an embarrassing few months.

In the 25-54 demographic, MSNBC averaged 55,000 in December, compared to 114,000 in December 2023.

By May, MSNBC was down 29 percent in total viewers and 40 percent in the demo in primetime.

In total for the week of May 12, the network averaged 532,000 total viewers.

 

Melber hosts the 6pm show The Beat, which has been running since 2017, and is considered a ratings winner for the network

Melber hosts the 6pm show The Beat, which has been running since 2017, and is considered a ratings winner for the network

 

Pictured: Jonathan Capehart

Pictured: Ayman Mohyeldin

Jonathan Capehart and Ayman Mohyeldin also lost their shows, though they will be moving to new shows elsewhere on the networ.

 

MSNBC star Rachel Maddow reduced her on-air screentime from 5 days a week to one day a week

MSNBC star Rachel Maddow reduced her on-air screentime from 5 days a week to one day a week

Kutler recently appointed longtime Wall Street Journal reporter and editor Sudeep Reddy to helm the new Washington D.C. bureau as the network gears up for a refresh.

The decision was likely a surprise to some considering Reddy’s straight news, unbiased pedigree, which also includes a lengthy senior managing stint at Politico.

Before that, Reddy, 45, spent nearly a decade with the Journal, where his coverage was deeply rooted in economics.

Kutler hopes the refresh will help give ratings a boost after an embarrassing few months.

In the 25-54 demographic, MSNBC averaged 55,000 in December, compared to 114,000 in December 2023.

By May, MSNBC was down 29 percent in total viewers and 40 percent in the demo in primetime.

In total for the week of May 12, the network averaged 532,000 total viewers.