History
MSNBC Reports is the name of several hours of straight news programming on the network (both weekdays and weekends), similar to what is known as "dayside" programming on other cable news channels. Beginning in 2009, MSNBC began to fill in these hours with more analysis- or opinion-oriented news programming. During the network's pivot back to hard news in 2015, the name, then-MSNBC Live, returned during daytime hours. The brand is also used during holidays and as fill-in programming when a show ends or is canceled until a new show is ready.
The program aired at various times through the years, but most recently aired Saturdays from 2-4 p.m. ET, and Sundays from 3-4 p.m. ET until late 2014, when the program's anchor, Craig Melvin, was reassigned, seeing the end of the program.
After Andrew Lack became chairman of the NBC News Group in 2015, MSNBC began to remove opinion-driven programs from its daytime lineup in favor of more live news programming.[1] Thomas Roberts was appointed to a new weekday time slot from 1-3 p.m. ET under the Live branding, beginning on March 2. Later in August 2015, MSNBC Live was extended to 1-6 p.m. ET, replacing the canceled The Cycle, Now with Alex Wagner, and The Ed Show.
On October 5, 2015, José Díaz-Balart's morning program, The Daily Rundown, and Tamron Hall's show of five years, NewsNation, were reverted to the Live branding, airing at 9:00 a.m. ET and 11:00 a.m ET, respectively. In July 2016, Díaz-Balart left MSNBC to begin his new duties as Saturday anchor of the NBC Nightly News. He was succeeded by Weekend Today anchor Craig Melvin.[2] On December 15, 2016, Thomas Roberts was removed from the 3:00 p.m. ET hour.[3]
In January 2017, Hallie Jackson and Katy Tur were announced as the new anchors for the 9:00 a.m. ET and 2:00 p.m. ET hours respectively.[4] In February 2017, Tamron Hall departed from MSNBC and Today.[5] In March 2017, MSNBC began to increase its use of NBC News branding during its daytime programming (including on sets and graphics), in order to emphasize its leverage of the division's resources.[6] In April 2017, Kate Snow left the network, electing to focus more on long-form reporting and her role as a Sunday anchor for the NBC Nightly News.[7] Steve Kornacki's 4 p.m. ET hour was replaced on May 8, 2017, with Deadline: White House, a new program hosted by Nicolle Wallace.[8]
In 2020, Ali Velshi moved from the daytime lineup to weekend mornings, replacing David Gura's Up. Gura moved to a Saturday afternoon MSNBC Live block.[9] On March 2, 2020, the 7 p.m. ET hour was filled with rotating anchors due to Chris Matthews' resignation from Hardball; this continued until the July 20 premiere of The ReidOut with Joy Reid.[10][11]
On August 19, 2020, coinciding with the 2020 Democratic National Convention, MSNBC's weekday daytime lineup underwent a re-alignment: MTP Daily was moved to 1 p.m. ET, Deadline: White House expanded to two hours, and Ayman Mohyeldin (host of Morning Joe First Look) began hosting the 3 p.m. ET hour.[12] David Gura left the network in November 2020.[13]
On March 29, 2021, as part of a wider rebranding of the channel, MSNBC rebranded most of its daytime programming under the blanket title MSNBC Reports, with the individual blocks being branded with the anchor's name. The new branding was patterned after the existing MSNBC daytime program Andrea Mitchell Reports (which was folded into the Reports block as a result), and was introduced as part of an effort by new MSNBC president Rashida Jones to achieve a clearer separation between MSNBC's news-driven daytime lineup and pundit-based primetime programming.[14][15][16][17]
On September 7, 2021, it was announced that José Díaz-Balart would return to MSNBC Reports hosting the 10 a.m. ET hour, while Hallie Jackson moved to the 3 p.m. ET hour, and Ayman Mohyeldin moved from weekdays to weekend evenings, replacing The Week with Joshua Johnson.[18]
During 2021 and 2022, the weekend morning block of MSNBC Reports, formerly anchored by Kendis Gibson and Lindsey Reiser, was replaced by repeats of MSNBC on Peacock's Zerlina anchored by Zerlina Maxwell, The Mehdi Hasan Show anchored by Mehdi Hasan, as well as the launch of The Katie Phang Show, anchored by Katie Phang, which premiered on April 9, 2022.[19]
During the week of February 28, 2022, coinciding with the 2022 State of the Union address, Craig Melvin Reports was temporarily replaced by White House Reports—which was hosted by NBC News White House correspondents Peter Alexander and Kristen Welker.[20][21] On March 14, 2022, it was announced that Craig Melvin would step down from his program to focus on NBC's flagship morning show Today as of April 1.[22]
On April 4, 2022, after she was named the new host of The 11th Hour, Stephanie Ruhle's 9 a.m. ET hour was replaced with a fourth hour of Morning Joe.[23] On May 7, 2022, the weekend block of MSNBC Reports was reduced by an hour with the premiere of Symone as a new 4 p.m. ET show.[24] On June 6, 2022, MTP Daily was moved to NBC News Now as Meet the Press Now, with Chris Jansing taking over his former 1 p.m. ET hour.[25]
On January 12, 2023, it was announced that Hallie Jackson will leave her 3 p.m. ET hour to focus on her NBC News Now show, while Chris Jansing's 1 p.m. ET hour will expand by a second hour to 3 p.m. ET, Katy Tur’s 2 p.m. ET hour will move to Jackson's 3 p.m. ET hour, and José Díaz-Balart’s 10 a.m. ET hour will move to Craig Melvin's former 11 a.m. ET hour. The changes took effect on February 13.[26]
On February 21, 2023, MSNBC announced that the noon hour of Alex Witt Reports on Sunday mornings would be replaced by Inside with Jen Psaki, beginning March 19.[27][28]
On April 10, 2023, former CNN Newsroom anchor Ana Cabrera debuted in the 10 a.m. ET hour of MSNBC Reports, which had been left without a permanent anchor after José Díaz-Balart’s move to the 11 a.m. ET hour in February.[29]
On November 30, 2023, as part of a programming change effective on January 13, 2024, MSNBC announced that Alex Witt Reports would air between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. ET on weekends, ending Yasmin Vossoughian's MSNBC Reports block.[30]
Format
An hour of MSNBC Reports opens with a tease and/or an opening wipe, leading into the top story of the hour. Political developments and breaking news stories are given priority airtime at the beginning of each broadcast, while less-significant stories follow afterwards. Each broadcast typically ends with a segment on good news, before kicking off to the next hour of news coverage or to the first hour of Deadline: White House. MSNBC Reports programming stands in stark contrast to the rest of the network's analysis and opinion-driven lineup; upon the conclusion of the weekday news block, non-political breaking news stories are typically deprioritized.
During normal broadcasting hours, MSNBC Reports uses a yellow, blue, and white graphics theme.[31] During breaking news stories, MSNBC Reports typically retains its normal aforesaid color scheme but only wipes and lower thirds switch to red and white.[31] On previous occasions, MSNBC Reports, during breaking news, switches its color scheme to a yellow, red, and white theme.[32]
During special coverage of the multiple indictments, arraignments, and impeachments of former President Donald J. Trump, MSNBC Reports transformed its typical graphics,[33] programming, and anchors lineup to accommodate the developments. During special programming for these events, the network typically schedules two blocks of special coverage with a panel of two to three MSNBC anchors hosting, each block lasting two-four hours. The first block, lasting from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET, would and have previously been anchored by Ana Cabrera and José Díaz-Balart. The second block, covering from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET, also would be anchored and previously by Andrea Mitchell, Chris Jansing, and Katy Tur.
MSNBC Reports regularly utilizes NBC News’ newswire to report on stories and to produce segments. Certain hours of MSNBC Reports — José Díaz-Balart Reports and Chris Jansing Reports — use a live crossover segment between the anchor themselves and an anchor from sister channel CNBC to report on top economic news.
