The Wrap’s Jordan Chariton writes about MSNBC’s evolving programming strategy…one that seems to be centered on getting its talent out on the road more often.
And in the heat of summer, MSNBC sent Chris Hayes and anchor Craig Melvin to cover the chaotic scene in Ferguson, Missouri in the aftermath of the shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown. The duo bunkered down there for a full week of coverage, making news as the victims of rocks being thrown by protestors. Hayes interviewed police officials and protestors on his primetime show throughout the week.
Insiders familiar with that programming decision told TheWrap sending Hayes to Ferguson was simple: it was a story MSNBC should own, and the network couldn’t analyze the issue from the sidelines while its competitors had multiple anchors on the ground, covering the story wall-to-wall.
It also should be noted it was Hayes, one of the more reporter-focused commentators on the network–and not Al Sharpton, a polarizing opinion host at MSNBC most linked with race-related stories–to report on the ground in Ferguson.
Insiders familiar with the network’s strategy told TheWrap the pivot from solely covering the nitty gritty of D.C. politics from studios to thrusting talent into the places most affected by the politics is just a small part of a broader strategy the network is still developing. As speculated, that could include programming and talent changes in the coming months.
Filed under: MSNBC
