Veteran MS NOW anchor Alex Witt is leaving the news network, which is moving away from live programming on the weekends.<\/p>\n
The new weekend programming strategy announced Friday is a cost-saving measure that will give parent company Versant more resources for a new direct-to-consumer streaming offering that makes MS NOW available to consumers without a pay-TV subscription. The company is also looking to expand its live event business.<\/p>\n
According to a memo from MS NOW President Rebecca Kutler, \u201cThe Weekend: Primetime,\u201d a live discussion program launched last year, will have its final airing Saturday. <\/p>\n
One of the program\u2019s co-hosts, Antonia Hylton, will take over Witt\u2019s midday shifts later this year. Hylton\u2019s co-hosts Ayman Mohyeldin, Catherine Rampell and Elise Jordan will remain with MS NOW and continue to appear on other programs.<\/p>\n
Kutler said job losses from the moves are minimal and encouraged staffers who lose their current roles to apply for 40 current job openings at the company with more on the way. MS NOW has been staffing up its news operation since separating from NBC News last year.<\/a> <\/p>\n MS NOW changed its name from MSNBC in November.<\/a> The network, along with other Comcast-owned cable channels, were spun off into Versant in January.<\/a> <\/p>\n Weekends have long been a ratings weak spot for MS NOW, which while a distant second to Fox News, has seen audience growth in 2026 and remains ahead of CNN. The network has started to rely on podcasts such as \u201cPod Save America,\u201d from Crooked Media, to fill some hours. The episodes have performed strongly enough for MS NOW to try similar deals with outside podcast producers.<\/p>\n \u201cThroughout the summer, we will expand our taped strategy and announce new content partnerships,\u201d Kutler said in her memo.<\/p>\n With the changes, MS NOW will still have 20 hours of live programming each weekend and will be staffed to handle breaking news.<\/p>\n Witt joined the network formerly known as MSNBC in 1999, long before it began its strong tilt toward progressive political commentary. Over the years, Witt\u2019s weekend newscast became one of the few programs on the network that delivered straight news without opinion.<\/p>\n Kutler called Witt \u201ca beloved longtime member of our MS NOW family\u201d and \u201ca continued, trusted, and steady presence for our audiences.\u201d<\/p>\n