More changes are afoot at MS NOW, less than two weeks after the news network formerly known as MSNBC debuted a new weekday lineup.
On June 26, 2026, Variety reported that MS NOW will replace its live, hosted primetime weekend shows with pre-recorded video podcasts, impacting multiple hosts. Meanwhile, longtime anchor Alex Witt will be leaving the network after 27 years. The news comes weeks after changes for other longtime MS NOW anchors; Ana Cabrera announced her departure, and Chris Jansing was moved from the anchor desk to reporting from the campaign trail.
Alex Witt Has Hosted More Hours on MS NOW Than Any Other Anchor
GettyVeteran anchor Alex Witt, who’s been a mainstay on the network since 1999, has decided to leave MS NOW later this year. According to People, a memo sent by MS NOW president Rebecca Kutler told staff that the host of “Alex Witt Reports” has informed execs of “her plans to conclude her tenure with the company later this year, following an extraordinary career.”
People reported that the memo called Witt, 65, “a beloved longtime member of our MS NOW family” and noted that she has “anchored more hours on MS NOW than any other anchor in our network’s history.”
“Alex has guided our viewers through many of the most significant stories that have defined a generation,” Kutler continued in her memo, “including the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, reporting from Ground Zero immediately following the tragic 9/11 terrorist attacks, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina, the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and more.”
It’s not clear when Witt’s last day will be, given that Kutler wrote that there will be opportunities to celebrate her history with the network “in the coming months,” per People.
How Weekends Are Changing at MS NOW
GettyMS NOW already made a big change on weekends in mid-June. Luke Russert, who had been hosting on the weekends, replaced Alicia Menendez on “The Weeknight” Monday through Fridays at 7 p.m. Eastern time, while she moved to her own weekday show. Meanwhile, reporter Jacob Sorloff launched his new show, “Connect with Jacob Sorloff,” which airs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eastern every Saturday and Sunday.
The latest decision to replace all live programming on the weekends after 6 p.m. Eastern with taped podcasts will start on June 28, according to Variety. Since February, MS NOW has had success airing a Crooked Media-produced podcast hosted by former MSNBC anchor Alex Wagner on Saturday nights at 9 p.m. Eastern time, so it will expand that strategy.
Starting on Sunday, per Variety, podcasts hosted by popular MS NOW hosts Nicolle Wallace and Chris Hayes will fill some of the space. And according to People, MS NOW will soon start airing more Crooked Media podcasts including “Strict Scrutiny,” “Lovett or Leave It,” “Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams,” and “Offline with Jon Favreau.”
MS NOWThat means “The Weekend: Primetime” will air its last show on June 27, Variety reported. Host Antonio Hylton will move to anchoring live news on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. Eastern time. Hylton’s co-hosts — including Ayman Mohyeldin, Catherine Rampell, and Elsie Jordan — are expected to stay on with MS NOW in some capacity.
Variety did note there will be MS NOW airstaff on hand each weekend in case of breaking news that needs to be reported live.
