Ratings are down at MSNBC, and as long as MSNBC invests in the wrong talent, it will stay that way. It is a sad day for informative, intelligent, and progressive news as one of my most favorite hosts, Joy-Ann Reid, gets her 2 p.m. show The Reid Report cancelled.
Beyond being a blow to a talented news personality whom I respect, this is a step backwards for women, African Americans, and those who possess a certain level of intellect in the field. The good news is Ms. Reid has not been let go by the network and will remain as a national correspondent. The bad news is MSNBC refuses to take responsibility for its own ratings woes. The Reid Report did not fail because of its host, the show failed because the program wasn't given the support or promotion it needed to succeed. And don't just take my word for it, these suspicions have been confirmed by Mediaite.
That is the truth, America. Watch Joy's clips, read her blog, or one of her Miami Herald contributions -- this woman is talented! I don't want to keep saying it folks, but they keeping making me: By removing her from the line-up, MSNBC has now forced their viewers to watch more of the same bland news reads and regurgitated talking points in an already male-dominated industry.
Where I have some sympathy for MSNBC's choice is that regardless of race, age, and gender all the players we're dealing with are talented, including Thomas Roberts who will be filling Farrow and Reid's 1-3 p.m. time slot. I'm sad to see Reid go, and I truly hope her departure increases the rating for MSNBC. With that being said, the network sports African American heavy hitters in the dayside and primetime line-up with Tamron Hall, Rev. Sharpton, and Toure. When Reid's show was first announced I thought she was on her way to joining that list, and now her path has been cut short.
Folks, I'm telling you, MSNBC just benched a breakthrough player in broadcasting. Reid is a Harvard-educated, hardworking, African American woman who worked her way up from my home state's local morning news program: Wake Up South Florida. I know great things are coming down the pipeline for Joy Reid. I can only hope MSNBC sees the error in its ways sooner rather than later.
Richard Fowler is the youngest syndicated progressive and/or African-American radio host in the United States.
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