Statement from Tiffany D. Cross on the cancellation of her MSNBC show The Cross Connection

Tiffany Cross released the following statement on Friday evening, after the cancelation of The Cross Connection:

Byron Allen Buys Black News Channel

Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group is buying the Black News Channel, with plans to revive the bankrupt cable news outlet and significantly grow its distribution footprint.

Allen’s company is acquiring “substantially all” of BNC’s assets for $11 million, with a bankruptcy court in Tallahassee, Florida, formally signing off on the sale.

Allen says that his company “will deliver a best-in-class network to serve the underserved African American community and the advertisers who want to reach this extremely valuable audience.

“Also, we appreciate the opportunity to provide cable operators, satellite companies, telcos and digital platforms diversity of ownership, voices and viewpoints on their programming lineups by having a 100 percent African-American-owned network,” he added.

Allen says that his company “will deliver a best-in-class network to serve the underserved African American community and the advertisers who want to reach this extremely valuable audience.

“Also, we appreciate the opportunity to provide cable operators, satellite companies, telcos and digital platforms diversity of ownership, voices and viewpoints on their programming lineups by having a 100 percent African-American-owned network,” he added.

[SOURCE: HOLLYWOOD REPORTER]

Black News Channel to Shut Down

Black News Channel has ceased operations two years after its initial launch, network president Princell Hair announced in an internal memo to staffers Friday.

BNC, which launched in February 2020 right before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, will no longer deliver live programming as it plans to file for bankruptcy, according to Hair. The network will air previously recorded segments at least through the end of the month, said network officials.

“Unfortunately, due to challenging market conditions and global financial pressures, we have been unable to meet our financial goals, and the timeline afforded to us has run out,” Hair said in the memo. Hair also said the network was forced to endure “painful workforce reductions at all levels of the network” in an effort to achieve the goal of a “break-even” business.

“Please know that I am very thankful for all of your hard work and deep commitment to our mission. We have differentiated ourselves, and your achievements over these last two years should be an immense source of pride that you will carry throughout the rest of your careers," Hair said.

The network, co-founded by J.C. Watts, Jr., positioned itself as the only 24-hour news service targeted to African-American viewers when it launched with more than 50 million viewers in February 2020. BNC’s accessibility had grown to reach more than 250 million touchpoints, with carriage deals with such distributors as DirecTV, Comcast, Spectrum, Dish Network and Verizon Fios, according to the network.

SYMONE D. SANDERS’ SHOW WILL AIR ON MSNBC AND PEACOCK

March 11, 2022 – Today at SXSW, MSNBC President Rashida Jones and Symone D. Sanders announced the premiere of “Symone” on Saturday, May 7 at 4pm ET on MSNBC. 

Hosted by Symone D. Sanders, the namesake show will air live Saturdays and Sundays on MSNBC at 4pm ET and stream Mondays and Tuesdays on the MSNBC hub on Peacock.

“I’m all about reaching the ‘nonpolitical group chats.’ They exist. I have lots of friends that the only thing they know about politics is what I put on my Instagram every day,” Sanders said during the panel on the audience of her upcoming show. “When the news reaches those folks – the nonpolitical group chats – that’s when we’ve broken through.”

In addition, Sanders announced that veteran news leader Catherine Snyder will serve as executive producer of the program. Based in Washington, D.C., Snyder is currently the Managing Editor of NBC Owned & Operated Station NBC 4/WRC-TV. Snyder’s career spans both local and cable news and her work has been recognized with five Emmy Awards. 

“I am beyond thrilled to be joining Symone Sanders and MSNBC as we prepare to launch this new show. Symone’s knowledge, insight, experience and, above all, authenticity will offer viewers a fresh perspective not just on politics but on the cultural issues affecting all of us at a pivotal time in our history,” said Snyder. “For me personally, it’s an opportunity to go home again to MSNBC and work with an amazing team on both the cable channel and on Peacock.”

“Symone” will span cable and streaming and will leverage Sanders’ political expertise and Snyder’s trusted news leadership to bring audiences an inside look at Washington politics as Americans begin to look ahead for the 2022 midterm elections. Sanders, an Omaha native, will bring her unique perspectives and real life experience to MSNBC elevating voices from the beltway to the Midwest. 

“Symone” will explore issues at the intersection of politics, culture and race and feature interviews with the nation’s top government officials, scholars, and thought leaders.

The news was shared during SXSW’s Featured Session: “The Future of News is NOW” where Sanders was joined onstage by MSNBC President Rashida Jones, NBC News President Noah Oppenheim, NBC News NOW Anchor Hallie Jackson, and TODAY All Day Host Al Roker as the group discussed how NBCU News Group’s three distinct streaming networks have found early success connecting with viewers in the rapidly growing digital space, while continuing to provide compelling content for traditional television services. 

Sanders’ announcement comes as MSNBC continues to bolster its multi-channel platforms with new original programming both on cable and streaming. Sanders’ show will be featured alongside exclusive streaming programs hosted by Zerlina Maxwell, Mehdi Hasan, Ayman Mohyeldin and soon Katie Phang, on Peacock. On MSNBC weekends, Sanders joins and expanding lineup of live breaking news and analysis including perspective hosts Ali Velshi, Tiffany Cross, Rev. Al Sharpton, Alicia Menendez, Ayman Mohyeldin and Jonathan Capehart.

Symone Sanders to join MSNBC

Esteemed political strategist Symone D. Sanders will join MSNBC to host new programs across cable and streaming, president of MSNBC Rashida Jones announced today.

Beginning this spring, the government and presidential campaign trail alum and celebrated author will host MSNBC on the weekends and Peacock’s The Choice from MSNBC. She will be based in Washington, D.C.

Sanders will bring her expertise, spirited rhetoric and sharp political insight to MSNBC’s multi-platform channels. Her program will explore issues at the intersection of politics, culture and race and break down how decisions made in Washington impact electorates, industries, and communities across the country. She will also interview law and policy makers, top government officials, scholars, and thought leaders.

A native of North Omaha, Nebraska and a recent alum of both the Biden-Harris administration and campaign, Sanders will bring her unique perspectives, midwestern sensibilities and lived experiences to MSNBC viewers with an insider’s take on Washington and the inner-workings of American politics.

Sanders’ announcement comes off the heels of MSNBC’s strategic focus on streaming in 2021 with the launch of The Choice from MSNBC on Peacock, the streaming destination for live, in-depth perspective and news. Sanders’ show will be featured alongside original programming hosted by Zerlina Maxwell, Mehdi Hasan and Ayman Mohyeldin on The Choice from MSNBC.

On cable, MSNBC delivered significant gains in 2021, ending the year as the #2 network across all of cable–dominating CNN for five straight years across total viewers–and finishing as the #1 cable network among African American viewers. Since 2015, MSNBC increased viewership by 160 percent, growing more than CNN and FOX News combined. MSNBC Digital also had its strongest year on record.

Continuing its commitment to impactful journalism and quality original streaming programming, NBCU News Group Chairman Cesar Conde made a significant investment in its streaming platforms, adding hundreds of new jobs and several new live hours of original programming across The Choice, NBC News NOW and TODAY All Day.

Before joining MSNBC, Sanders served as a senior member of the Biden-Harris administration serving as Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor and Chief Spokesperson to Vice President Kamala Harris. She was one of the earliest staffers of the Biden presidential campaign and later served as a senior advisor for the Biden-Harris ticket. Sanders first rose to prominence in 2016 as the youngest presidential press secretary on record working for Sen. Bernie Sanders’s then-presidential campaign.

Previously, Sanders was the national chair of the Coalition of Juvenile Justice Emerging Leaders Committee and member of the Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice. There, she worked to raise the profile of young voices in the fight for juvenile justice reform and brought millennial perspectives to policy conversations.

She published her first book, No, You Shut Up: Speaking Truth to Power and Reclaiming America in 2020, which explores finding her authentic voice and recounts stories from her life and those of young revolutionaries who came before her.

Sanders is a former resident fellow at Harvard's Institute of Politics at the Kennedy School and the University of Southern California's Center for the Political Future.

Rashida Jones named next president of MSNBC

Rashida Jones will become president of MSNBC, and the current president, Phil Griffin, will step down after 25 years at the cable news channel, NBCUniversal News Group Chairman Cesar Conde announced Monday.

Jones, who will take over at MSNBC on Feb. 1, is a senior vice president at NBC News and MSNBC, where she leads breaking news and major events coverage. She also oversees MSNBC's daytime and weekend programming. She will become the most prominent Black woman in the cable news industry.

"Rashida knows and understands MSNBC, in part because it's where she started when she first joined NBCU seven years ago," Conde wrote in an email to NBC News employees. "She knows that it is the people who work here that make it great, and she understands its culture. She also appreciates the impact and potential of the brand."

Conde noted that in the past year Jones has helped guide MSNBC's coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic, the unrest and social justice protests that broke out over the treatment of Black Americans and the 2020 election. She also helped with two influential series at the network, "Justice for All" and "Climate in Crisis."

Jones takes over at an uncertain time for cable news. MSNBC's ratings grew during President Donald Trump's tenure and in the run-up to the presidential election. But it's unclear how the network will fare during a Joe Biden presidency, as cable viewership overall continues to decline.

[SOURCE: MSNBC]

Joy Reid to host 'The ReidOut' weeknights on MSNBC

Joy Reid, an MSNBC political analyst and weekend host, has been tapped to lead the 7 p.m. weeknight hour, the network said Thursday.

Reid's new Washington-based show, “The ReidOut,” will debut July 20. It will feature one-on-one conversations with politicians and newsmakers and cover the political issues of the day, drawing from Reid’s experience of covering the intersection of race, justice and culture.

Reid, one of the network's most prominent Black on-air personalities, will take the time slot previously occupied by Chris Matthews, who announced his retirement in March after a series of events that resulted in criticism of his statements about Bernie Sanders, Black lawmakers and comments he had made to female journalists and coworkers.

Reid is the host of the weekend show "AM Joy," which will feature a rotating lineup of hosts until a permanent replacement is named in the fall.

[SOURCE: NBC NEWS]

MSNBC’s Joy Reid expected to replace Chris Matthews on primetime show

MSNBC is reportedly eying Joy Reid to replace Chris Matthews as the host of a primetime news and opinion program.

The network is negotiating with Reid to step into a 7 p.m. slot and precede MSNBC’s primetime programs hosted by Rachel Maddow and Chris Hayes, sources told The Wall Street Journal.<:p>

Reid currently hosts the network’s weekend morning program “AM Joy.”

She’d fill a void that came when Matthews abruptly resigned from his longtime role as “Hardball” host in early March after a sexual harassment allegation had surfaced against him.

Both sides are still discussing Reid’s new role and an agreement hasn’t been reached.

[SOURCE: PAGE SIX]

Van Jones Helped Craft the Trump Police Reform Executive Order???

By George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.Com

Now we know why CNN's Van Jones praised President Trumps weak executive order so much.

In a report from The Daily Beast it appears that Jones actually helped to craft the order.

I remember listening to CNN when the news of Trump signing the executive order broke and thinking to myself that Jones was going all out to praise this order. I thought at the time he was going a little over board.

Van Jones called President Trump's executive order on police reform "a good thing" and a "a step in the right direction" following a White House signing ceremony on Tuesday.

"The executive order is a good thing," Jones said on "Inside Politics." "Mainly because you saw the support of law enforcement there. That gives you a sense of where the bottom is, where the floor is for reform, and that floor is higher than it has been."

Now let’s be clear there is nothing wrong with working with Trump’s people on an executive order that you think may help African Americans survive police encounters. God bless Van Jones for that. I understand the whole if your not at the table you’re on the menu concept.

There is nothing wrong praising and supporting the order on CNN.

But there is something wrong with not divulging to the audience watching that you worked on the order you are praising so much.

The viewers had a right to know. That information not being divulged shows a lack of journalistic integrity.

We have to wonder if Van Jones told or didn’t tell CNN he worked on the order, and if he did why did CNN decide to put him on air without acknowledging that fact

Someone has some explaining to do...

Fox News fires Diamond & Silk for pushing false coronavirus conspiracies

Fox News has severed ties with Diamond and Silk, the video bloggers and political commentators who bill themselves as President Donald Trump’s “most loyal supporters.”

According to sources, Fox News and streaming service Fox Nation “no longer have a relationship” with the duo.

Earlier this month, Twitter locked their account over a tweet that criticized coronavirus crisis stay-at home orders and suggested that people should be “out in the environment.”

“The only way we can become immune to the environment; we must be out in the environment.” they wrote. “Quarantining people inside of their houses for extended periods will make people sick!”

Twitter said that the tweet was in violation of its coronavirus misinformation policy.

Diamond and Silk also have suggested that the number of coronavirus deaths are inflated and have pushed a conspiracy theory involving Bill Gates and vaccines and another involving 5G technology.

Fox Nation had licensed their show and featured the duo in promotions, but they were not employees of the channel.

The Daily Beast first reported on Fox News’ move. The network cut ties with another personality, Fox Business anchor Trish Regan, in March, following the fallout from comments she made in a segment titled the “Coronavirus Impeachment Scam.”

Their video segments have drawn guests such as Surgeon General Jerome Adams, in which he said that social distancing guidelines were working. They continue to serve as surrogates for Trump’s reelection campaign, including on an advisory board for Black Voices for Trump.

[SOURCE: DEADLINE]

Black News Channel to launch during Black History Month

BLACK NEWS CHANNEL TO LAUNCH DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Tallahassee, Florida—December 31, 2019--Black News Channel (BNC) announced today that it has updated the launch of the nation’s only African American news network to Black History Month on February 10, 2020. Network executives previously announced plans to launch to an audience significantly larger than its original projections. The Black History Month launch provides the time necessary to build out the distribution platforms, apps, and other infrastructure necessary to accommodate this historic event.

“Black History Month is an appropriate time to launch the Black News Channel”, Bob Brillante, co-founder and CEO for BNC shared. “We are committed to make sure that when our viewers tune in they are witness to a quality viewing experience.”

J.C. Watts, chairman and co-founder for BNC added, “Our technicians, crew and launch partners are working overtime to make sure that the additional pieces are in place to provide our African American audience with the programming that tells more of our story in a way that is not provided by current news outlets. We will make history together as we launch February 10, 2020 to more than 70 million homes and devices.”

BNC plans to release more information in January about how and where customers can view the network’s programming.

###

About BNC

Black News Channel is an independent network that is minority owned and operated, and it will be the nation’s only provider of 24/7 cable news programming dedicated to covering the unique perspective of African American communities. BNC is the endeavor of the network’s visionaries and co-founders, Chairman J.C. Watts, Jr. and CEO Bob Brillante. BNC will provide access to information and educational programming to meet the specific needs of this growing and dynamic community that is a major consumer of subscription television services. BNC will provide an authentic, new voice that represents African Americans in mainstream media and fosters political, economic, and social discourse; the network will be one voice representing the many voices of African Americans. BNC’s programming will illuminate truth about the unique challenges facing urban communities and help close the “image gap” that exists today between the negative black stereotypes perpetuated by mainstream media news and our enterprising African American communities.

NABJ: CNN’s Promotion of Diversity Officer Still Leaves No Blacks in News Leadership

The Call Continues for Change in CNN’s Hiring and Promotion Practices. CNN still has not made progress in hiring blacks in day-to-day senior news management positions. That's the finding of the National Association of Black Journalists’ (NABJ) Media Monitoring Committee, which has been charged with monitoring the diversity and inclusion practices and hiring and promotion strategies of news companies like CNN.

CNN still has not made progress in hiring blacks in day-to-day senior news management positions. That's the finding of the National Association of Black Journalists’ (NABJ) Media Monitoring Committee, which has been charged with monitoring the diversity and inclusion practices and hiring and promotion strategies of news companies like CNN.

It has been more than 100 days since NABJ called for an examination of diversity and inclusion practices among CNN's executive news management team. The absence of blacks in news decision-making roles impacts the network's ability to provide balanced perspectives from one of the most influential and largest consumer groups in the nation – the black community.

Warner Media, CNN’s parent company, announced late Monday the promotion of Johnita Due as the new SVP and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer of its Sports & News Division. This is a step in the right direction and NABJ congratulates Due, a black lawyer and past recipient of the NABJ Ida B. Wells Award, on her promotion.

Due received the Ida B. Wells Award in 2008 for her leadership of CNN's Diversity Council, a team of network colleagues dedicated to ensuring that CNN's news coverage and overall staffing reflected the rich racial and ethnic composition of the nation. Noticeably, since Due's departure from the role and the introduction of Jeff Zucker, CNN’s current president, CNN has taken steps back from hiring blacks in editorial management roles.

NABJ is hopeful that Due’s new role will influence daily operational and news responsibilities, leading to progress in the hiring of black journalists serving in key management roles critical to daily news operations. Due will join CNN President Jeff Zucker’s executive team, however, Due is not a journalist or news manager. NABJ's research findings still indicate that there are no black employees holding critical positions in the oversight of daily news coverage.

In a March 5, 2019 news release, NABJ reported:

CNN has no black news executive producers
CNN has no black news senior vice presidents
CNN has no black news vice presidents

Millions of voices, including the NAACP, and other civil rights and civic organizations, have spoken out to express concerns about NABJ's CNN findings, and unfortunately, there are still no blacks working in executive news roles at CNN to date.

NABJ urges CNN to consider the analysis of Andrew McCaskill, Nielsen’s Senior Vice President of Global Communications and Multicultural Marketing, in the company's 2018 Black Impact report: "If a brand doesn't have a multicultural strategy, it doesn't have a growth strategy. The business case for multicultural outreach is clear. African-American consumers and all diverse consumers want to see themselves authentically represented in marketing, and they want brands to recognize their value to the bottom-line."

This perspective parallels news content. CNN’s ratings have recently dipped.

NABJ's leadership has yet to officially meet with CNN leadership as requested last year, and NABJ continues to ask the following questions:

Why are there no black employees in executive or senior news management positions?
What are CNN’s specific plans to correct the issues?
What is CNN’s timetable for correcting the issue?

NABJ’s request for a response to these questions had not been answered by CNN at the time of publication.

NABJ has reissued its request to meet with AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson. NABJ received a commitment for a meeting last year with AT&T, which owns WarnerMedia and CNN, that Stephenson would meet with NABJ’s delegation, and now is the time for that to happen.

The text of NABJ's March 2019 letter to AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson can be viewed below.

-30-

Media Contact:

Kanya Stewart
Director of Communications
press@nabj.org

_____________

March 8, 2019

Randall Stephenson
AT&T Chairman, CEO & President
208 S. Akard Street
Dallas, Texas 75202

Dear Mr. Stephenson:

I’m resurfacing the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) invitation to
meet with you, AT&T’s executive team and NABJ’s four-member board delegation. I
shared with WarnerMedia’s John Stankey yesterday that I’d follow up with you
about the AT&T meeting request specifically.

In addition, NABJ is formally requesting that AT&T conduct a civil rights audit of
CNN and its news operations, and that the audit be conducted by an outside party.
To date, the NABJ has met or has scheduled meetings with CBS, Fox, NBC and
ABC to discuss diversity, inclusion and equity, specifically in the news operation’s
executive ranks.

All of CNN’s broadcast competitors have been very receptive, positive and respectful
of the NABJ delegation and its motives to meet. All continue to be heavily engaged in
NABJ initiatives because those initiatives match many of their business model needs.
They demonstrate that they not only respect NABJ’s efforts but value those efforts to help
them achieve their business objectives. They want to grow audiences through content
offerings that appeal to a wide range of audiences/consumers.

As we all know, many content offerings are driven by a diverse group of decision-makers
in the media industry. A lack of diversity narrows the scope of palatable content offerings
and may have direct impact on consumer interests. Utilizing language from your
mission statement, we believe there is a disconnect with CNN regarding “connecting”
to its audience.

Connecting with that audience “better than anyone else” is compromised
at CNN based on its track record on diversity. It is our hope that the AT&T mission and its
diversity efforts will be pushed down through the ranks to initiate positive change at CNN,
WarnerMedia and other entities, such as DirectTV, under the AT&T umbrella.
We have received tremendous support from a number of organizations asking how
they can help motivate CNN to do the right thing in terms of hiring practices of black
employees in the management ranks. We have responded that AT&T is open to
talking with our leadership team and that we are hopeful that the initial very positive
reception to our meeting with you is still the case.

We will adjust our schedules to meet your availability. Please advise when we may
meet with you and your team. I’m reachable by personal cell.

Sincerely,

Sarah Glover
NABJ President

National Association of Black Journalist monitoring CNN

The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) has released this press release expressing its concerns about CNN's lack of black representation within the ranks of  executive news managers, Vice Presidents, and Senior Vice Presidents on the news side at the network.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 5, 2019) – The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) is concerned about the lack of black representation within the ranks of CNN’s executive news managers and direct reports to CNN President Jeff Zucker. This concern, coupled with Zucker’s refusal to meet with a four-person NABJ delegation, has prompted NABJ to place CNN on a special media monitoring list.
 
A special team will perform further research and an analysis of CNN’s diversity, inclusion and equity practices, per the NABJ Board’s directive. The special team will also publicly report on identified deficiencies in hiring a diverse workforce in news decision-making capacities at CNN. NABJ is also calling for a civil rights audit that examines the company’s hiring, promotion and compensation practices involving black employees.
 
Specifically, NABJ is concerned about the findings of preliminary research that reveals the following: 
 
▪ CNN President Jeff Zucker has no black direct reports.
▪ There are no black Executive Producers at CNN.
▪ There are no black Vice Presidents on the news side at CNN. 
▪ There are no black Senior Vice Presidents on the news side at CNN.
 
NABJ received a communication from CNN disputing only one of our research points, saying the assertion that there are not any black vice presidents on the news side is inaccurate. However, when asked to provide the name and position of the individual or individuals involved on the editorial side of news, CNN has yet to provide specifics.
 
In addition to special media monitoring activities and the civil rights audit, NABJ’s next steps involve further engaging with CNN’s parent company, AT&T, which has responded positively to outreach efforts and previously agreed to meet with NABJ. 
 
NABJ's delegates are already engaged in very positive outreach with several other media companies and have met or have scheduled meetings with Fox, CBS, NBC and ABC. NABJ believes those companies see the value in such meetings and appreciates the respect those companies are showing for the positive intent of our efforts.
 
The NABJ four-person delegation has attended previous meetings with other media companies. The delegation requesting a meeting with Zucker includes President Sarah Glover, Vice President-Digital Roland Martin, Vice President- Broadcast Dorothy Tucker and Executive Director Drew Berry.
 
Zucker’s refusal to meet with the full delegation is based on a personal issue between CNN and NABJ’s Vice President-Digital Roland Martin. The issue stems from Martin’s participation in a 2016 town hall meeting with Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. Previously, former Democratic National Committee Chair Donna Brazile admitted, according to a Time essay, she inadvertently disclosed a town hall topic to the Clinton campaign that was part of Martin’s research inquiry for the town hall.  
 
NABJ’s request to meet was and is focused solely on CNN’s diversity efforts, its results and our strategic priorities as an organization.
 
-30-

About NABJ 
The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) is an organization of journalists, students and media-related professionals that provides quality programs and services to and advocates on behalf of black journalists worldwide. Founded by 44 men and women on December 12, 1975, in Washington, D.C., NABJ is the largest organization of journalists of color in the nation.
 
Media Contact: 
Kanya Stewart 
Director of Communications
Press@NABJ.org
301-204-4447

CNN Suspends Paris Dennard Over Past Sexual Misconduct Allegations

CNN has suspended one of its most vocal, pro-Trump commentators after a Washington Post report detailed past alleged sexual misconduct that resulted in his firing from Arizona State University four years ago.

Paris Dennard, who was recently praised by President Donald Trump as “wonderful,” was serving as the events director for ASU’s McCain Institute for International Leadership when he according to a 2014 university report obtained by The Washington Post, “pretended to unzip his pants in her presence, tried to get her to sit on his lap, and made masturbatory gestures.”

Dennard called the allegations “false.”

“I cannot comment on items I have never seen regarding allegations I still believe to be false,” Dennard told WaPo. “This is sadly another politically motivated attempt to besmirch my character, and shame me into silence for my support of President Trump and the GOP.”

After the report was published, CNN suspended Dennard.

“We are aware of reports of accusations against Paris Dennard,” a CNN spokesperson told Mediaite. “We are suspending Paris, effective immediately, while ‎we look into the allegations.”

[SOURCE: MEDIAITE]

Should Joy Reid be punished for insensitive blog post by MSNBC

By George L. Cook III African American Reports

MSNBC is standing by Joy Reid in the wake of new revelations about even more incendiary old blog posts. Reid's old blog post, some of which date back to 2005 include homophobic slurs and 9/11 conspiracy theories about the federal government.

This probably wouldn't be much of a story now if Reid had not lied about her account being hacked, just owned up to the post, and told us all that she is not that person anymore. I believe myself and many would have given her the benefit of the doubt and forgiven her.

Now I don't think that she should lose her job, but there are those that believe that Reid should be punished for those older post and going so far as to say that she should lose her job at MSNBC.

What do you think?

The Van Jones Show Coming to CNN in January 2018

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Nov. 27 – Beginning in January 2018, CNN political commentator Van Jones will launch a one-hour prime-time program, airing bimonthly on CNN – The Van Jones Show.

Jones will return to CNN with his unique take on the forces that elected Donald Trump, the anti-Trump “resistance” movement and the future of both major parties.

The show will build on Jones’ successful town halls throughout 2017, The Messy Truth, and will continue to speak directly to voters across the country by exploring the raw, emotional policy debates and culture wars taking place in America.

Jones will introduce viewers and a live studio audience to the fresh and charismatic voices on the front lines of political fights across the country.

In addition to The Van Jones Show, CNN has green lit the production of a new CNN Original Series in collaboration with Citizen Jones, a production company. Hosted by Van Jones, the series focuses on reconciliation, hope and redemption within the criminal justice system.

Jones is a notable advocate for civil rights, ecological solutions and social justice. A Yale-educated attorney, he gained nationwide notoriety during the 2016 presidential election with his unique ability to speak to and connect with voters on both sides of the aisle. His most recent New York Times bestselling book, Beyond the Messy Truth, explores failures of both political parties before and after the election of Donald Trump. In his book, Jones advocates for the importance of principled bipartisanship to solve real problems.

In addition to the TV airings, The Van Jones Show will stream live for subscribers via CNNgo (at CNN.com/go and via CNNgo apps for Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, Samsung Smart TV and Android TV) and on the CNN mobile apps for iOS and Android.  The series will also be available the day after each episode on demand via cable/satellite systems, CNNgo platforms and CNN mobile apps.

ABOUT CNN ORIGINAL SERIES

The CNN Original Series group develops non-scripted programming for television via commissioned projects, acquisitions and in-house production. Amy Entelis, executive vice president of talent and content development, oversees CNN Original Series and CNN Films for CNN Worldwide.  Lizzie Fox, vice president of current programming, supervises production of all CNN Original Series.

Melissa Harris-Perry joins BET News as special correspondent

Former MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry has found her new gig.

Harris-Perry will join BET News as a special correspondent, the network confirmed in a tweet on Monday. First up on her schedule is co-anchoring the network's coverage of the Democratic and Republican National Conventions this month, alongside BET News correspondent Marc Lamont Hill. The network will air a wrap special after the GOP convention on Sunday, July 24.

[SOURCE]

Joy Reid Gets Melissa Harris-Perry's Weekend Slot on MSNBC

MSNBC’s Joy Reid will host a new program airing from 10 a.m.-Noon ET on Saturday and Sundays, taking over the timeslot left behind by Melissa Harris-Perry.

“Melissa did a show that was incredibly valuable,” Reid said in a statement. “Instead of trying to replace it, we will fill the space with something new; something compelling, and something that adds to the conversation.”

“MSNBC viewers crave not only the facts, but also in-depth discussion and analysis from a range of perspectives,” said MSNBC president Phil Griffin. “There is no one better equipped than Joy to lead this new project, and create a place for the kind of unique discussion our audience has come to expect.”

The show debuts next Saturday, May 7.

[SOURCE]

Melissa Harris-Perry on Leaving Her MSNBC Show

Many of us may have read Melissa Harris Perry's statement as to why she left her MSNBC show. Now watch her discuss what happened publicly for the first time on ABC's The View.

ABC Breaking News | Latest News Videos

MSNBC moves Al Sharpton's Politics Nation to Sunday.

[SOURCE] Reverend Al Sharpton, who has hosted an early-evening program on MSNBC for four years, is moving to a once-a-week perch at the NBCUniversal-owned cable-news network as it seeks to focus more intently on breaking-news coverage and less on partisan viewpoint and opinion.

The last edition of Sharpton’s weekday program, “PoliticsNation,” will air Friday, September 4, according to a memo sent Wednesday evening to MSNBC staffers by network president Phil Griffin. The program will now air on Sundays at 8 a.m., Griffin said.

“I want to congratulate Al and his team. For four years they have done a terrific job bringing his voice and a big spotlight to issues of justice, civil rights and equality,” Griffin said in the memo. “And as many of you know, The Rev never missed a show. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do with a Sunday morning newsmaker program.”

In a tweet Wednesday morning, Sharpton said he was happy to move the program to Sundays. “I am honored with now being a Sunday Morning TV host. Great!!”