MSNBC Adds to Weekend Coverage


NBC UNIVERSAL LOGOS -- Pictured: "MSNBC" Color Logo -- NBC Universal Photo

NBC UNIVERSAL LOGOS — Pictured: “MSNBC” Color Logo — NBC Universal Photo

MSNBC has added to their weekend live news coverage, pushing back taped programming like Lockup until 9 PM ET. The new addition to weekend coverage is a show from Hugh Hewitt on Saturday mornings. From 8:00 to 8:30 AM on Saturdays, Hewitt will have interviews and analysis along with panels. It is in many ways similar to CNN’s Smerconish which is a weekend show hosted by radio host Michael Smerconish. The new show is simply titled Hugh Hewitt and will start this Saturday.

The move comes as MSNBC has been expanding its weekend news offerings. Joy Reid anchors a weekend morning show, AM Joy, that frequently goes viral in part because of her passion for the Resistance. Ari Melber anchors The Point on Sundays from 5-7 PM. Ali Velshi and Stephanie Ruhle host Velshi & Ruhle on Saturdays from 12:30 PM to 1 PM ET while JJ Ramberg hosts Your Business Sunday mornings at 7:30 AM. Reverend Al Sharpton still hosts PoliticsNation from 8-9 AM ET on Sundays.

Richard Lui and Alex Witt will continue to anchor MSNBC Live on the weekends.

MSNBC is taking a different strategy for weekends as most cable news outlets have weekend programming that is relatively similar for both Saturday and Sunday (with the most common exceptions being Sunday morning programs). MSNBC has several shows, however, that air on either Saturday or Sunday, but not both.

This is not MSNBC’s first live expansion into the weekends which has typically been dominated by Lockup reruns. When MSNBC was focused on progressive commentary, it sent Ed Schultz to the weekends and tried to build up its weekend offerings. However, the move failed and Schultz moved back to weekdays.


About Tyler

Tyler is the chief media reporter for TKNN, with the news organization since its founding in November of 2010. He has previously served as chief political reporter and chief political anchor for TKNN.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *