U.S.A.: MSNBC makes history with two out gay Black anchors cohosting a news show

Amid plummeting ratings following Donald Trump’s election in November, MSNBC is revamping its schedule by introducing two openly gay Black men to a new version of The Weekend.

MSNBC veteran Jonathan Capehart and newly appointed senior Washington correspondent Eugene Daniels will join Jackie Alemany, the network’s new Washington correspondent, on this three-person panel show. This change comes after MSNBC canceled The ReidOut, the long-running primetime show hosted by Black anchor Joy Reid.

Capehart and Daniels will make history as the first two openly gay Black men to host a news program together on a major network, according to ‘LGBTQ Nation’.

Earlier this year, MSNBC separated from its network partner NBC News to become an independent news organisation.

Capehart is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and associate editor at The Washington Post, currently hosting The Saturday/Sunday Show With Jonathan Capehart on weekend evenings.

Daniels was previously a White House correspondent for Politico and co-author of the influential insider publication, Playbook. He also serves as the current president of the White House Correspondents’ Association.

Alemany moves over from The Washington Post, where she spent six years as a White House reporter.

The trio appeared on Morning Joe to announce the new version of The Weekend.

“We have so much to talk about, and thankfully, we’re going to have six hours — Saturday and Sunday — to really keep the conversation going,” Capehart said.

The new hosts replace the previous lineup featuring Symone Sanders Townsend, Michael Steele, and Alicia Menendez, who will move to a new primetime show replacing Reid at 7 p.m. on weeknights.

MSNBC’s ratings troubles have led to a reshuffling of longtime talent during primetime. Along with Reid, Alex Wagner was also cut, leaving no hosts of colour in the nighttime anchor spots.

Reid is departing from the network, while Wagner, who has now lost her anchor role twice, will stay on as a senior political analyst.

Rachel Maddow, the openly gay host of MSNBC’s 6 p.m. hour and the network’s most recognisable face, described the primetime cuts as “indefensible,” highlighting the loss of numerous experienced producers forced to reapply for their jobs.

“The anxiety and the discombobulation is off the charts at a time when this job is already extra stressful and difficult,” she commented on her show before the newest lineup additions were announced.

Daniels and Alemany are the first to be hired under MSNBC’s new president, Rebecca Kutler.