❓WHAT HAPPENED: MSNBC’s Morning Joe has seen its co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski absent for a significant portion of the summer, raising questions about the show’s future and leadership.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, MSNBC executives, and guest hosts like Willie Geist and Jonathan Lemire.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Since Memorial Day 2024, on MSNBC’s flagship program, Morning Joe.
🎯IMPACT: The extended absences of the show’s co-hosts have led to declining viewership and raised questions about MSNBC’s direction and priorities.
Since Memorial Day, MSNBC’s Morning Joe has seen its co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski absent from nearly two-thirds of its episodes. The show, which purports to thrive on the dynamic between its co-hosts, has aired on 49 business days during this period, but both Scarborough and Brzezinski have appeared together on only 18 shows — roughly 38% of the summer so far.
On 19 occasions, only one of the two hosts was present, and on 12 days, neither appeared at all. Brzezinski has missed 53% of the summer, while Scarborough has been absent for 37%. This pattern has led to speculation about their commitment to the show and its future, especially as MSNBC undergoes significant changes, including the launch of Versant, a new cable network.
Sources familiar with MSNBC’s internal dynamics suggest the absences may be a “power play,” with Scarborough and Brzezinski reminding the network of their influence. “Morning Joe doesn’t work without them,” one insider noted, highlighting the show’s declining ratings and lack of its signature dynamic in their absence. On Tuesday, the show averaged just 579,000 viewers, with only 53,000 in the key demographic.
While some network sources insist the time off is standard vacation, others point to larger issues. The show’s influence has waned across the political spectrum, with critics on the right dismissing it as partisan theater and some on the left questioning its relevance. The timing of these absences, amid a pivotal political season and MSNBC’s realignment, has fueled further speculation.
Morning Joe has long been a destination for political insiders, but its co-hosts’ extended time off raises questions about its future. As MSNBC shifts toward a streaming-first model, the absence of its flagship morning program’s stars could signal deeper challenges for the network.
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