Ari Melber may be considering exiting MSNBC: Report

MSNBC anchor Ari Melber may be looking to exit the network, according to reporting by The Daily Beast.

Melber, who has hosted “The Beat” since 2017, could be eying jumping to a rival broadcaster or launching an independent media company, according to sources.

“The Beat” is one of MSNBC’s stronger programs, typically coming in second during its 6 p.m. eastern timeslot and also does well on digital.

MSNBC did not return requests for comment.

“The Beat” has built a reputation for being an often strong anti-Donald Trump voice, including securing interviews with current and former surrogates of the administration. 

It’s not clear if the show’s focus on Trump, particularly in recent months, could be making network executives nervous. Higher-ups reportedly were rattled by the frequent anti-Trump rants former host Joy Reid aired on her now-canceled program “The ReidOut,” which may have been a factor in her departure from the network earlier in 2025.

Many media outlets have been facing pressures about reporting on the Trump administration and issues that don’t align with Trump’s agenda. 

Melber’s style, however, does not typically reach the level of Reid’s. 

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It is also not clear if Melber might be considering leaving MSNBC due to its upcoming spinoff into Versant. The network, along with most of Comcast’s other cable channels, will soon be a separate corporate entity from NBC News. 

He has, however, according to published reports, taken meetings with other networks. It was not clear which networks might be interested.

If Melber were to wade into the independent media world, he would be one of multiple high profile names who opted to exit network contracts in favor of producing their own content, though most are still in the early stages of building audiences.