MSNBC Faces Backlash Over Programming Shake-Up and Layoffs

The network cancels multiple shows hosted by people of color, prompting criticism over diversity and treatment of staff.

MSNBC announced the cancellation of several shows, including those hosted by Joy Reid, Alex Wagner, and other minority anchors, as part of a network-wide reorganization.
Rachel Maddow and former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann publicly criticized the network, with Olbermann calling the move a 'racist purge' and Maddow labeling Reid's firing a 'bad mistake.'
The Writers Guild of America East reported that approximately 99 union staffers are being laid off, with many required to reapply for their positions under new roles.
The network defended the changes as a reallocation of resources, with new programming featuring diverse hosts like Symone Sanders Townsend, Michael Steele, and Alicia Menendez set to debut.
Critics, including former host Tiffany Cross, urged viewers to boycott MSNBC, arguing that the firings undermine diversity and disproportionately affect minority voices.