MS NOW weekend anchor Alex Witt to exit as network reduces live weekend programming
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Set us as preferred Veteran MS NOW anchor Alex Witt is leaving the news network, which is moving away from live programming on the weekends.The new weekend programming strategy announced Friday is a cost-saving measure that will give parent company Versant more resources for a new direct-to-consumer streaming offering that makes MS NOW available to consumers without a pay-TV subscription.The company is also looking to expand its live event business.According to a memo from MS NOW President Rebecca Kutler, “The Weekend: Primetime,” a live discussion program launched last year, will have its final airing Saturday.
One of the program’s co-hosts, Antonia Hylton, will take over Witt’s midday shifts later this year.Hylton’s co-hosts Ayman Mohyeldin, Catherine Rampell and Elise Jordan, will remain with MS NOW and continue to appear on other programs.Kutler said job losses from the moves are minimal and encouraged staffers who lose their current roles to apply for 40 current job openings at the company with more on the way.
MS NOW has been staffing up its news operation since separating from NBC News last year.Hollywood Inc.
The former CNN executive guided the network formerly known as MSNBC through its name change.Can she make it a streaming success?MS NOW changed its name from MSNBC in November.
The network, along with other Comcast-owned cable channels, were spun off into Versant in January.Weekends have long been a ratings weak spot for MS NOW, which while a distant second to Fox News, has seen audience growth in 2026 and remains ahead of CNN.
The network has started to rely on podcasts such as “Pod Save America,” from Crooked Media to fill some hours.The episodes have performed strongly enough for MS NOW to try similar deals with outside podcast producers.“Throughout the summer, we will expand our taped stra...