Stephanie Ruhle To Succeed Brian Williams As Host Of 11 PM Slot On MSNBC, ‘Morning Joe’ Expands To Four Hours – Update

January 27, 2022 7:25am

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UPDATED, 7:17 AM PT:MSNBC confirmed thatStephanie Ruhle willsucceed Brian Williams in the 11 p.m. slot, whileMorning Joe will expand to four hours by taking over Ruhle’s 9 a.m. hour.

“This expansion will give us an opportunity to extend the reach of the program, which has become so well known for its signature perspective and analysis, as well as its news-making exclusive interviews with top lawmakers, senior government officials and thought leaders,” MSNBC President Rashida Jones wrote in a memo to staffers (the complete memo below).

Jones wrote that Ruhle would be “bringing her business acumen, hard-hitting interview style and original reporting to the viewers in that slot.” She will continue to appear across platforms as NBC News senior business analyst.

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PREVIOUSLY: MSNBC plans to move Stephanie Ruhle to the 11 PM slot, replacing Brian Williams, who hostedThe 11th Hour until his departure in December, according to network sources.

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Ruhle has been anchoring the 9 AM hour, and plans are for that time slot to be filled by an expanded edition ofMorning Joe.

Ruhle joined the network in 2016 and has been NBC News senior business correspondent in addition to her anchoring duties. She previously was news anchor for Bloomberg News. Axios first reported the news of her move.

MSNBC declined to comment on the plans.

Morning Joe has been one of MSNBC’s signature programs since its debut in 2007, particularly influential in the New York and D.C. political-media mix, and it has topped CNN’s morning show in the ratings.

The changes are among the most significant at the network since Rashida Jones became president almost one year ago. She recently signed on Symone Sanders, former spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris, to host on weekends and on the Peacock streaming channel The Choice from MSNBC. No announcement has been made about Rachel Maddow’s plans. Althoughshe signed a multiyear deal with MSNBC, she reportedly wants to scale back her nightly schedule.

Williams made the surprise announcement in November that he would leave the network at the end of his contract in December. His show, which debuted in 2016, gained a following with its mix of journalists’ analysis and Williams’ wit. The show topped the timeslot among thecable news networks, but Fox News more recently has been No. 1 withGutfeld!

Ruhle also had hosted the daytimeVelshi & Ruhle with Ali Velshi. Although that show ended in early 2020, Ruhle added senior business correspondent duties, expanding her profile to NBC News as well.

Here is Jones’ memo:

All,

I’m delighted to share two significant programming updates that strengthen our lineup and set us up for success as we enter what is sure to be a consequential year.

Morning Joe, our premier morning program for the last 15 years, will be expanding to four hours, to 10 a.m. This expansion will give us an opportunity to extend the reach of the program, which has become so well known for its signature perspective and analysis, as well as its news-making exclusive interviews with top lawmakers, senior government officials and thought leaders.

Stephanie Ruhle, who had been anchoring the 9 a.m. slot, will take over as host of The 11th Hour, bringing her business acumen, hard-hitting interview style and original reporting to the viewers in that slot. Since joining MSNBC in 2016, Stephanie has been a staple of our dayside anchor team and a trusted voice on topics at the intersection of politics, finance and international business. In addition to bringing her decades-long experience to The 11th Hour, Stephanie will continue to appear across all platforms as NBC News Senior Business Analyst.

Please join me in congratulating the Morning Joe and The 11th Hour teams on these exciting new opportunities.

Rashida Jones
President, MSNBC

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33 Comments

Lisa Istvanikon February 23, 2022 5:07 pm
Hate Stephanie is moved to the 1 o’clock hour, loved watching her in the morning. I will not be watching MSNBC at 9:00am any longer.
John R. Argoon February 23, 2022 2:17 pm
I thought she was very good. I enjoyed her intelligence, her wit and her style and will miss her in her morning 09:00 time slot.
I don’t need another hour of “I’m so full of myself, Joe Scarborough”.
In my opinion Rashida, you screwed the pooch with these boneheaded moves.
K Pauliukonison February 17, 2022 10:04 am
I hate you’re relegating Stephanie to 11. Pm slot. She’s one of the few news reporters I trust and 11 pm is too late!!! Why don’t you move aside some of the boring people in the daytime slots? And who wants to hear more about joe’s sports he loves? Wake up and smell the roses people!!! News is not just for old white men!!!
Larry Williamson February 17, 2022 6:32 am
First of all Morning Joe is too long already so much so it’s literally a same day repeat since half it’s show is a repeat of the first half. Also Stephanie Rule is just slightly more popular than Andrea Mitchell and Chuck Todd..meaning she’s not very popular. Why not rehire someone else Alex Wagner or give it to someone else Katy Tur is being under used lately. Oh well good thing I go to bed at 11 anyway.
Sidney Son February 15, 2022 7:26 pm
Not a fan of Stephanie Ruhle. She may be smart when it comes to Wall Street, but her interviewing style is annoying. She butts in before her guests can finish a comment while trying to talk over them with her high-pitched “BUT, WHAT ABOUT XXX”. Let your guests finish speaking Stephanie, and tone down the high-pitched whiny voice when you’re trying to confront someone you don’t agree with.