Two MSNBC reporters have reportedly been offered pay cuts to remain in their anchor chairs moving forward, proving that shakeups at network news aren’t slowing down anytime soon. The Ankler reports that MSNBC has been negotiating with Joy Reid and Stephanie Ruhle on new deals at reduced salaries.
Reid, who hosts the nightly 8:00 p.m. show The ReidOut, currently earns $3 million a year, reports the Washington Free Beacon. Ruhle, who hosts The 11th Hour at 11:00 p.m. weeknights, reportedly makes $2 million a year.
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The changes come after MSNBC’s parent company, Comcast, announced plans to spin off its cable properties; MSNBC will join CNBC, Oxygen, E!, Syfy, and the Golf Channel as part of a new company called SpinCo. The New York Post reports that led to behind-the-scenes panic with reporters and staffers worried about potential layoffs.
The Ankler also reports that star anchor Rachel Maddow took a $5 million annual payout from her reported $30 million annual salary to remain with MSNBC, and that Jonathan Lemire, who was recently moved to be a permanent co-host on Morning Joe‘s 9 a.m. hour, has also been offered a new contract with reduced salary.
MSNBC has been at the heart of a ratings controversy. Some of its shows have experienced record lows since President-elect Donald Trump’s win last month. Their shows Alex Wagner Tonight, Inside with Jen Psaki, and The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell all hit new lows recently. However, Inside with Jen Psaki aired its most-watched telecast since the election on Monday, Dec. 9.
The Wrap reports that MSNBC as a whole experienced plummeting viewership, with its primetime audience tanking 55% from Nov. 4 through Dec. 15. CNN alone experienced a 46.7% drop. On the flip side, Fox News has seen its primetime audience grow 10.7% in Nielsen ratings.
In comparison, Fox News saw similar declines in viewership following Democratic presidential wins, including dropping 49% after Joe Biden’s election in 2020, 37% after Barack Obama’s 2008 win and 50% after Obama’s 2012 win.
