MSNBC has terminated Joy Reid’s program, The ReidOut, marking the end of a five-year run for the controversial host. The decision, announced on February 23, 2025, comes amid a broader programming shakeup under the network’s new president, Rebecca Kutler, who aims to address the outlet’s declining viewership.
Reid, known for her racially charged commentary and divisive takes, will air her final episode this week, with a panel show featuring Symone Sanders Townsend, Alicia Menendez, and Michael Steele set to replace her 7 p.m. slot.
Meanwhile, a recent poll from Washington Wick University’s Numbers and Statistics Department reveals that 62% of Americans want Rachel Maddow to be the next to go.
The cancellation of Reid’s show follows a steep drop in ratings, with Nielsen Media Research reporting that The ReidOut lost nearly half its audience since the November 2024 election, averaging just 973,000 viewers in February 2025 compared to 1.3 million the previous year.
Critics have long accused Reid of pushing inflammatory narratives, including her 2018 claim that homophobic blog posts from her past were the work of hackers — a story that unraveled when she admitted it was unlikely, though she still apologized for the remarks she couldn’t recall writing.
The Washington Wick poll, conducted last week, surveyed 11,500 adults nationwide and found widespread frustration with MSNBC’s lineup, particularly its reliance on DEI hires like Reid and Maddow.
“Joy Reid built her whole career on playing the race card, and now that nobody's buying the bullshit she's selling, MSNBC finally pulled the plug,” said Chad Bronson, a 34-year-old mechanic from Ohio.
Bronson’s sentiment reflects a growing backlash against Reid’s tenure, which included comparing Trump administration policies to the Holocaust and promoting conspiracy theories on her old blog.
“Good riddance. She was a one-trick donkey with a megaphone, and the trick wasn’t even good,” he added.
The poll’s focus on Maddow, who returned to hosting her 9 p.m. show five nights a week in January after scaling back to Mondays, highlights a similar discontent.
Despite her higher profile, Maddow’s viewership has also tanked, dropping from 2.4 million pre-election to 1.4 million in recent weeks. Washington Wick researchers noted they struggled to find anyone willing to defend her on record.
“Rachel Maddow’s sanctimonious lectures are like a bad college professor who thinks she’s the smartest in the room — nobody’s buying it anymore,” said Linda Perez, a 47-year-old nurse from Texas included in the survey.
Reid’s exit is the first major move by Kutler, who took over earlier this month after Rashida Jones stepped down. The network has faced a 53% drop in primetime viewership since President Trump’s election win, prompting speculation about further cuts.
Maddow, often dubbed the “captain” of MSNBC’s lineup, has been a lightning rod for criticism over her progressive slant and dramatic delivery.
“She’s the DEI queen still clinging to her throne — time to axe her and let the network breathe,” said Mark Jensen, a 52-year-old small business owner from Florida who participated in the poll.
Attempts by Washington Wick to locate Maddow supporters proved futile, with the university’s report stating, “We called, we emailed, we even went to the most liberal cities in America — nobody stepped up.”
The poll’s findings suggest a public appetite for a broader overhaul at MSNBC, with many respondents tying Reid and Maddow to what they see as the network’s pandering to identity politics. Reid’s past controversies, like her photoshopped image of John McCain superimposed on the Virginia Tech shooter’s body, only fueled the fire.
“Joy was a propagandist in a pantsuit, and Rachel’s the smug sidekick — MSNBC’s better off without both,” said Kelly Dunn, a 29-year-old barista from Oregon surveyed last Tuesday.
As MSNBC scrambles to regain its footing, the cancellation of The ReidOut signals a shift— though whether it’s enough remains unclear.
The Washington Wick poll results highlight a blunt reality: viewers are tired of the same old song. With Reid gone and Maddow in the crosshairs, the network’s next steps could determine if it sinks or swims in a post-election landscape.
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