MSNBC and parent company NBC on Thursday announced a slew of programming and personnel changes Thursday, part of an ongoing effort to rebrand MSNBC amid sinking rankings.
Most of the changes, which were announced in a series of internal emails to staff, involve NBC talent moving to MSNBC. NBC correspondent Kate Snow will join the anchor team at MSNBC from 3 to 5 p.m. on weekdays, while also helming NBC's "Nightly News” on Sunday.
"Nightly News” Executive Producer Pat Burkey will shift to MSNBC to “help intensify their focus on breaking news coverage,” NBC News President Debroah Turness announced in an email. Burkey will be replaced by NBC Senior Broadcast Producer Sam Singal starting on Monday.
Thursday's announcements also reiterated that anchor Brian Williams will return on Tuesday from a six-month suspension for lying about various reporting experiences. Williams will be shifting from NBC to MSNBC, where he will help steer breaking news coverage. His first assignment is to cover Pope Francis’ visit to the U.S.
In a separate email to staff, MSNBC President Phil Griffin said the changes would help the network “sharpen [its] focus on live, breaking news in the daytime and smart, informed analysis and opinion in primetime.”
At parent company NBC, Chuck Todd’s new show, “MTP Daily” (from“Meet the Press”), will debut on Sept. 28.