For years, Lawrence O’Donnell had the tricky job of following Rachel Maddow on MSNBC. Now that task falls to Alex Wagner.
Wagner, an MSNBC veteran who left the NBCUniversal-backed cable-news outlet in 2015 to try her hand at other pursuits, will seize the reins of the network’s all-important 9 p.m. hour four days a week — the first person given the job on a permanent basis since Maddow ceded most of the slot earlier this year.
The new program, which will be named at a later date, will debut on August 16 and air Tuesdays through Fridays. Maddow, who has pulled back from on-air duties to focus on an array of other projects for NBCU, will continue to host “The Rachel Maddow Show” on Mondays at 9 p.m. She is also likely to turn up in MSNBC’s programming at moments of great news import and did so last Friday when the U.
Wagner, an MSNBC veteran who left the NBCUniversal-backed cable-news outlet in 2015 to try her hand at other pursuits, will seize the reins of the network’s all-important 9 p.m. hour four days a week — the first person given the job on a permanent basis since Maddow ceded most of the slot earlier this year.
The new program, which will be named at a later date, will debut on August 16 and air Tuesdays through Fridays. Maddow, who has pulled back from on-air duties to focus on an array of other projects for NBCU, will continue to host “The Rachel Maddow Show” on Mondays at 9 p.m. She is also likely to turn up in MSNBC’s programming at moments of great news import and did so last Friday when the U.
- 6/27/2022
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
After hiring hundreds of people, including former CNN anchors Joie Chen and Soledad O'Brien; and promising to deliver unbiased reporting, Al Jazeera America launched to lots of attention last August. But so far, the network hasn't sparked much interest from viewers. “Al Jazeera America launched with the intent to fill a perceived void — presenting straightforward national and international TV news. But being a 24/7 cable channel may not be the best way to reach that audience,” said Chris Ariens, editorial director of the news-industry focused Mediabistro. “News consumers are getting information on demand, when and how they want it.” Also...
- 4/21/2014
- by Anita Bennett
- The Wrap
Launching Al Jazeera America is “frankly less challenging than people might think” network president Kate O’Brien insisted this afternoon. “The American viewer is looking for a particular set of things they just cannot find in the market place…unbiased news of quality and depth,” the well-respected ABC News veteran told reporters on a phone conference call walking up to Tuesday afternoon’s launch. “We really see that we are going to be fulfilling a need that the American viewer has,” she insisted. The network has opened a dozen domestic bureaus, hired hundreds of staffers, and, begun sending nearly daily announcements of program plans and hires of well-known talent, in the exec suites and on-air, including former CNN star Soledad O’Brien, former CBS News regulars Joie Chen and Sheila MacVicar, and former NBC News anchor John Seigenthaler, who will anchor the new network’s evening newscast. O’Brien said...
- 8/15/2013
- by LISA DE MORAES, TV Columnist
- Deadline TV
Al Jazeera America's primetime block will feature John Seigenthaler's "Nightly News" at 8 p.m., followed by Joie Chen's "America Tonight" at 9 p.m. and "Consider This" at 10 p.m. with Antonio Mora, the upstart news network revealed Wednesday in announcing its programming schedule. Also read: Al Jazeera America Announces 12 New U.S. Bureaus and Correspondents The times and titles of its flagship programs come six days before its August 20 launch. Here's the entire schedule from the press release: Inside Story (Monday - Friday | 5:00 p.m. Et): Inside Story provides analysis, background and context on the top...
- 8/14/2013
- by Sara Morrison
- The Wrap
Former NBC correspondent Michael Okwu and former CNN journalist Sarah Hoye have been named new correspondents for Al Jazeera America’s daily Joie Chen-hosted primetime news and current affairs mag, America Tonight. Okwu spent five years in Los Angeles with NBC News where he appeared regularly on the Today Show, NBC Nightly News With Brian Williams and MSNBC; he began his career at CNN as a regular on the prime time news mag CNN Newsstand and a reporter at the United Nations. Hoye, at CNN, served as a correspondent in Philadelphia. Okwu and Hoye join the four previously announced America Tonight correspondents – Sheila MacVicar, Adam May, Lori Jane Gilha, Christof Putzel – and Special Correspondent Soledad O’Brien.
- 8/13/2013
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
Al Jazeera America finally announced an anchor for its evening newscast, which is scheduled to launch in just two weeks. Former NBC News anchor John Seigenthaler will anchor the flagship show when the network launches on August 20, it announced this morning. Seigenthaler, who spent more than 11 years at NBC News, anchored the weekend edition of its Nightly News for about nine of them. Seigenthaler was reported to have been one of the victims of NBCU 2.0 slash-and-burn policy announced in fall of ’06 by then NBCUniversal television group CEO Jeff Zucker – now running things over at CNN. That plan involved the cutting of about 700 jobs. In April of ’07 Seigenthaler announced on the air that it was his last time at the anchor desk and he was out. Since ’08, Seigenthaler’s been the CEO of Seigenthaler Public Relations-ny. Aja has been unveiling its staff and operations in dribs and drabs in the days...
- 8/8/2013
- by LISA DE MORAES, TV Columnist
- Deadline TV
Just over three weeks before its debut, Al Jazeera America today announced that it is going to have an on-the-ground presence in 12 Us cities. Along with a bureau in NYC, where the news network will be based, Ajam will have correspondents in Dallas, Denver, La, Nashville, Miami, Seattle, San Francisco, New Orleans, Detroit, Chicago and Washington D.C. “It is critical for Al Jazeera America to have bureaus strategically placed throughout the U.S. so that we can cover the news from wherever it happens,” said Al Jazeera America’s Svp of Newsgathering Marcy McGinnis in a statement today. Among the hires, former NBC News national correspondent Jennifer London will be Ajam’s reporter in La and former C-span Washington Journal host Libby Casey will hold down the fort in the nation’s capitol. Last week Ajam said that former CNNer Joie Chen would be added to its growing on-air...
- 7/30/2013
- by DOMINIC PATTEN
- Deadline TV
Al Jazeera America announced on Wednesday its new evening newscast anchor: Joie Chen, formerly of CNN and CBS, will lead "America Tonight" when the channel launches Aug. 20. Trevor Aaronson has been named to its 16-member investigative unit, the channel also announced. Also read: ABC's Kate O'Brian Named Al Jazeera America President; Ehab Al Shihabi Is Interim CEO "I'm thrilled to create world-class journalism with some of the best in the business," Chen said in a statement. "'America Tonight' will bring together the powerful and diverse voices of Al Jazeera America and stand...
- 7/24/2013
- by Sara Morrison
- The Wrap
Mere weeks away from its Aug. 20 launch, Al Jazeera America has finally hired an anchor for its signature nightly news program, America Tonight. CNN veteran Joie Chen has been tapped to host the show, which will entail what the forthcoming news channel bills as character-driven stories, groundbreaking investigative pieces and interviews with prominent newsmakers. She will join a growing cadre of recognizable faces, including Soledad O'Brien, Ali Velshi and Sheila MacVicar, on the channel funded by the Bedouin oil billionaires of Qatar. Photos: THR's 35 Most Powerful People in Media 2013 “Joie is a strong journalist with a natural, warm presence on screen
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- 7/24/2013
- by Lacey Rose
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
New York – (July 24, 2013) – Al Jazeera America, the new American news channel that will launch on August 20, today announced that Emmy Award-winning journalist Joie Chen will host America Tonight, the channel’s daily primetime news and current affairs magazine program. “Joie is a strong journalist with a natural, warm presence on screen and we’re excited to see her at the heart of our primetime schedule,” said Paul Eedle, Al Jazeera America’s deputy launch manager in charge of programs. “Joie will be a leading member of a wonderful array of anchor and reporter talent at Al Jazeera America reflecting the full diversity of this country today.” As host of America Tonight, Chen will probe pressing news issues through character-driven stories, groundbreaking investigative pieces and interviews with prominent newsmakers. “I’m thrilled to create world-class journalism with some of the best in the business,” said Chen, who spent more than a decade at CNN.
- 7/24/2013
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
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