As MS NOW prepares to shake up its schedule beginning on June 13, 2026, several beloved hosts who are either leaving the news network or taking on new roles shared touching farewells with their colleagues and fans.
Known as MSNBC until November 2025, when it was spun off from NBC Universal to become part of a new media company called Versant, MS NOW recently announced big changes to its schedule, including Ana Cabrera’s departure, Chris Jansing leaving the anchor desk for the campaign trail, and Alicia Menendez moving to New York for a new show.
Ana Cabrera Shares ‘Final Goodbye’ with MS NOW Viewers
On June 12, Cabrera signed off from her 10 a.m. weekday show for good — a move she first announced in March, just before MS NOW announced its upcoming schedule changes.
In a video clip of her on-air farewell posted on Instagram, the former CNN anchor thanked her viewers for trusting her and said, “It has truly been such a privilege and a joy to serve you through this work as a journalist.”
“And I am so grateful for the people who have made this show possible every day,” Cabrera continued. “From my dedicated producers, writings, my reporting colleagues in the field, to my friends behind the scenes, behind the cameras, and here in the studio or in the control room, the audio booth, the makeup room, to the impactful guests who have so generously shared their time and their expertise with all of us to shine light, to help make sense of our world. Thank you.”
Fans flooded the video with well-wishes for Cabrera and expressed how disappointed they are to see her go, including one who wrote, “I listen to you everyday, Ana and I will truly miss you! I will be looking where to find you as I trust your reporting and your honesty and integrity! Thank you for all the wonderful years you gave MSNBC/ MSNOW! Best of luck in your future endeavors! I will miss you!❤️👏❤️”
Cabrera noted that though her departure was the “end of one chapter, this is not the end of the story.” She has not shared what’s next for her, but said she’ll keep viewers updated via social media. Amid the schedule shakeup, she will be replaced by NBC’s Peter Alexander beginning on Monday, June 15.
Alicia Menendez Bid Farewell to Her MS NOW ‘Weeknight’ Co-Hosts
On the night of June 11, Alicia Menendez also shared a touching goodbye to her co-hosts on “The Weeknight,” Michael Steele and Symone Sanders-Townsend.
Menendez isn’t leaving MS NOW, but is moving from Washington D.C. to New York, where she’ll kick off her new two-hour show, “On the Line with Alicia Menendez,” on June 15 from noon to 2 p.m. Eastern. She’ll be replaced on “The Weeknight” by frequent fill-in Luke Russert.
As the foursome sat at the round table on their set, Menendez showered each of them with compliments and even brought them gifts with their favorite phrases.
She told Steele and Sanders-Townsend, “You two are two of the most gifted, extemporaneous talkers, quick thinkers. I have learned so much sitting at the table with both of you about the art of conversation, about how you bring your full self, your deep, deep expertise, and how you are willing to call people out. That is my favorite moment at this table is when you do that. So thank you for allowing me to learn from both of you.”
Steele and Sanders-Townsend shared equally touching comments about how impressed they are by Menendez and how much they’ll miss her. She then told Russert there is “no one more perfect” to take over her seat at “The Weeknight,” and he replied, “It is such an honor and replacing you is going to be near impossible.”
Chris Jansing Checked In From a European Getaway Before Her Next Assignment
Menendez will be replacing Chris Jansing, who left her weekday anchor slot sooner than the others to go on a European hiking adventure. She has checked in with her fans from the trail via social media, and will soon kick off her new assignment as MS NOW’s Chief Political Reporter.
Jansing was joined by Menendez and Eugene Robinson during her last show on June 2, and explained that her vacation was “long planned” before she knew about the new schedule and assignment at MS NOW.
Menendez acknowledged that “Jansing & Company” was one of the very first shows on MSNBC and remembers one of the producers telling her to “watch everything she does, study everything she does — there is no one better than Chris Jansing.”
On June 12, Jansing checked in from her vacation with an Instagram video, revealing she’d hiked 55 miles in five days, and quipped, “It does beg the question — which is harder, the hiking trail or where I’m going next, the campaign trail. Ask me in November!”
She gave a “big shout-out to my team” as they finished loose ends on the show while she was away, and thanked “all who have watched all these years.” For MS NOW’s new schedule, starting June 13 with Jacob Soroff’s new show, click here.
It’s always bittersweet to see familiar faces leave, especially when it’s part of such a significant shift for the show.