Stephanie Ruhle To Succeed Brian Williams As Host Of 11 PM Slot On MSNBC, ‘Morning Joe’ Expands To Four Hours – Update

Ted Johnson
·3 min read
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UPDATED, 7:17 AM PT: MSNBC confirmed that Stephanie Ruhle will succeed Brian Williams in the 11 p.m. slot, while Morning Joe will expand to four hours by taking over Ruhle’s 9 a.m. hour.

“This expansion will give us an opportunity to extend the reach of the program, which has become so well known for its signature perspective and analysis, as well as its news-making exclusive interviews with top lawmakers, senior government officials and thought leaders,” MSNBC President Rashida Jones wrote in a memo to staffers (the complete memo below).

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Jones wrote that Ruhle would be “bringing her business acumen, hard-hitting interview style and original reporting to the viewers in that slot.” She will continue to appear across platforms as NBC News senior business analyst.

PREVIOUSLY: MSNBC plans to move Stephanie Ruhle to the 11 PM slot, replacing Brian Williams, who hosted The 11th Hour until his departure in December, according to network sources.

Ruhle has been anchoring the 9 AM hour, and plans are for that time slot to be filled by an expanded edition of Morning Joe.

Ruhle joined the network in 2016 and has been NBC News senior business correspondent in addition to her anchoring duties. She previously was news anchor for Bloomberg News. Axios first reported the news of her move.

MSNBC declined to comment on the plans.

Morning Joe has been one of MSNBC’s signature programs since its debut in 2007, particularly influential in the New York and D.C. political-media mix, and it has topped CNN’s morning show in the ratings.

The changes are among the most significant at the network since Rashida Jones became president almost one year ago. She recently signed on Symone Sanders, former spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris, to host on weekends and on the Peacock streaming channel The Choice from MSNBC. No announcement has been made about Rachel Maddow’s plans. Although she signed a multiyear deal with MSNBC, she reportedly wants to scale back her nightly schedule.

Williams made the surprise announcement in November that he would leave the network at the end of his contract in December. His show, which debuted in 2016, gained a following with its mix of journalists’ analysis and Williams’ wit. The show topped the timeslot among the cable news networks, but Fox News more recently has been No. 1 with Gutfeld!

Ruhle also had hosted the daytime Velshi & Ruhle with Ali Velshi. Although that show ended in early 2020, Ruhle added senior business correspondent duties, expanding her profile to NBC News as well.

Here is Jones’ memo:

All,

I’m delighted to share two significant programming updates that strengthen our lineup and set us up for success as we enter what is sure to be a consequential year.

Morning Joe, our premier morning program for the last 15 years, will be expanding to four hours, to 10 a.m. This expansion will give us an opportunity to extend the reach of the program, which has become so well known for its signature perspective and analysis, as well as its news-making exclusive interviews with top lawmakers, senior government officials and thought leaders.

Stephanie Ruhle, who had been anchoring the 9 a.m. slot, will take over as host of The 11th Hour, bringing her business acumen, hard-hitting interview style and original reporting to the viewers in that slot. Since joining MSNBC in 2016, Stephanie has been a staple of our dayside anchor team and a trusted voice on topics at the intersection of politics, finance and international business. In addition to bringing her decades-long experience to The 11th Hour, Stephanie will continue to appear across all platforms as NBC News Senior Business Analyst.

Please join me in congratulating the Morning Joe and The 11th Hour teams on these exciting new opportunities.

Rashida Jones
President, MSNBC

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