News channel MSNBC has made the decision to separate from long-time host Melissa Harris-Perry, after the host boycotted her show on the channel and wrote an email criticizing some of its practices.
As we previously reported, Harris-Perry wrote a letter saying she felt "worthless" to MSNBC after her show was repeatedly pre-empted in favor of election coverage. Harris-Perry had also been pressured to change the direction of her show, which typically focuses on racism, social justice and diversity-centered topics.
Now, The Washington Post reported that MSNBC has decided to cut all ties with Harris-Perry in light of her protest. “She’s a brilliant, intelligent but challenging and unpredictable personality. There was no plan to cancel her," an executive told The Washington Post. However, it was implied that with her recent protest, MSNBC likely felt that Perry may have forced their hand. The executive went on to say that her email was "destructive to our relationship," and “It’s highly unlikely she will continue."
Harris-Perry isn't the only newscaster to be affected by MSNBC's broadcasting changes. Host Jose Diaz-Balart was also repeatedly pre-empted from his 9 to 11 a.m. slot. The changes led to a social media outcry and the use of the hashtag #MasJose, as well as a petition that garnered nearly 8,000 signatures to express support for Balart.
Also slighted were the Rev. Al Sharpton and Joy Reid, both African-American hosts who were moved from their daytime slots to less popular weekend time slots. While the changes have reportedly increased ratings for MSNBC, they have also caused the channel, which is the most liberal of the top 3 cable news networks (the other two being Fox News and CNN), to come under fire for minimizing the voices of their minority personalities.
MSNBC spokesman Mark Kornblau said in defense of the network, “We are proud of the diverse backgrounds and viewpoints of our journalists, opinion hosts and analysts. We will gladly put that up against everyone else in the news business.”