Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki rumoured to replace Rachel Maddow on MSNBC

Ms Psaki will leave the White House this year

Graig Graziosi
Thursday 24 February 2022 14:27 EST
Comments
Related video: Jen Psaki slams Trump for calling Putin’s invasion of Ukraine ‘genius’ and ‘smart’

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

When White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki leaves the White House this year, she may land behind an anchor desk at MSNBC.

Rumours are spreading that Ms Psaki is being courted by the cable news network to replace its former star anchor, Rachel Maddow, on its primetime news show. Political newsletter Puck first reported the rumours, adding that other networks are also apparently eyeballing Ms Psaki as a potential hire.

The New York Post spoke with an unnamed source that allegedly said Jay Sures, the president of UTA talent agency, was pitching the idea that Ms Psaki could take over the spot.

Both MSNBC and CNN are reportedly looking to add new faces to their nightly news lineups.

Ms Maddow said she was taking a hiatus from her show until April in order to pursue other projects, including a new podcast and a movie based on her first book.

CNN is also still on the hunt for a replacement for former anchor Chris Cuomo, who was fired for his involvement with his brother former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's sex scandal.

Puck claimed that CNN+ - the network's streaming service - sent its programming head Rebecca Kutler to Washington DC on a "top-secret and mission-critical recruitment assignment" to pick up Ms Psaki.

NBC News chairman Cesar Conde and MSNBC's president, Rashida Jones, both also reportedly met with Ms Psaki. The sources told Puck that Ms Psaki and Mr Sures also held talks with ABC News and CBS News.

Primetime shows on cable television networks have largely focused on opinion-based analysis shows rather than actual hard news reporting. These shows - like Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity's shows on Fox News - are built on bias, opinion, and debate. As a result, they are often the most watched shows on the networks and build loyal viewerships.

If Ms Psaki does join a "news" network, she won't be the first former White House press secretary to make the switch from presidential mouthpiece to media talking head.

Former President Donald Trump's former press secretaries Kayleigh McEnany and Sean Spicer have both moved into cable infotainment shows, with Ms McEnany landing at Fox News and Mr Spicer launching his own show on the far-right Newsmax TV network.

Former President Bill Clinton's press secretary, Dee Dee Myers, also went on to co-host a show on MSNBC after her stint at the White House.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in