Jen Psaki to Host Peacock Show as MSNBC Looks to Solidify Left Ahead of Midterms
Jen Psaki to Host Peacock Show as MSNBC Looks to Solidify Left Ahead of Midterms
Little more than a week after leaving the podium as President Joe Biden’s press secretary, Jen Psaki already has a new gig as she will be joining MSNBC as a political analyst and anchor. She will begin appearing on the cable network as part of its primetime election coverage throughout the midterms and as a staple during the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election.
Psaki will also become the host of a new show on MSNBC’s hub on Peacock in the first quarter of next year. The network said that Psaki’s show will “bring together her unique perspective from behind the podium and her deep experience in the highest levels of government and presidential politics.”
While no further details on the focus or frequency of that streaming show were announced, it is clear that the left-leaning cabler is looking to bulk up on its liberal and progressive voices as it heads into the next two major election cycles.
“Her extensive experience in government and on the campaign trail and perspective as a White House and Washington insider is the type of analysis that sets MSNBC apart,” MSNBC president Rashida Jones said of Psaki. “She’s a familiar face and trusted authority to MSNBC viewers, and we look forward to her insight during this consequential election season.”
In addition to Psaki, MSNBC has also brought Symone Sanders on board. Sanders is the former advisor and senior spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris, and like Psaki, she will be heading up a Peacock show as well, beginning in January 2023.
With CNN refocusing on journalism over commentary under the new Warner Bros. Discovery leadership, MSNBC appears to be looking to further entrench itself on the left as the counterbalance to Fox News on the right. During last week’s upfront presentations, nearly every network — especially those with cable news outlets — touted the anticipated increased ad spending coming up during the final two quarters of the year as the midterms approach.
By bringing in a name and voice that is familiar to, and trusted by, its base audience, MSNBC is clearly hoping to capitalize on increased partisan attention to election coverage and as one of the firebrands of the first year and a half of Biden’s presidency, few people have provided viral clips and talking points like Psaki. MSNBC is now banking on that translating into viewers.
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