Ruhle, Velshi, Russert among anchors tapped in MS NOW’s programming overhaul

MS NOW announced a slate of programming changes set to take effect in June 2026, reshuffling its weekday and weekend schedules with new shows, expanded time blocks and several anchor reassignments.

The announcement comes as the network continues to establish itself as an independent operation. MS NOW was rebranded late in 2025 as it prepared to separate from sister network NBC News. Since then, the network has been building its own newsroom infrastructure and establishing a content partnership with Sky News for international coverage.

The changes affect programs across morning, daytime and late-night hours and include the addition of a Los Angeles-based weekend broadcast — described as the network’s first program based out of that city.

The announcements come as MS NOW reported its most-watched month in February since October 2024. The network said it is averaging 1.4 million total viewers in primetime and 978,000 across live programming hours, figures it described as up substantially from a year ago. The network reaches more than 14 million Americans weekly on television, with an average viewer watching more than nine hours each week, according to the statement.

‘Morning Joe’ shrinks to three hours

“Morning Joe,” anchored by Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski and Willie Geist, will change from its current four-hour format to three hours, airing from 6 to 9 a.m. ET beginning in June. Jonathan Lemire will serve as co-anchor of the 8 a.m. hour.

The network said the program has increased viewership in the now-canceled 9 a.m. hour by 20% and cited the show’s growth across digital platforms, including a newsletter, a podcast described as the network’s most downloaded daily showcast and a YouTube presence it said recorded hundreds of millions of views in 2024. The expansion is also tied to an upcoming direct-to-consumer membership product the network said is in development.

Ruhle gets new show at market open

Stephanie Ruhle will anchor a new two-hour program from 9 to 11 a.m. ET, Monday through Friday, focused on the intersection of money, politics and power. The show will occupy part of the slot vacated by “Morning Joe’s” contraction.

Ruhle, who has served as the network’s senior business analyst, previously anchored “The 11th Hour.” The network said her new program will incorporate elements of that show along with segments drawn from her “Nightcap” franchise.

Advertisement

She will also continue as co-host of the network’s YouTube Live series “It’s Happening with Velshi & Ruhle.”

Velshi moves to late night

Ali Velshi will take over as anchor of “The 11th Hour,” airing at 11 p.m. ET on weeknights. Velshi has covered U.S. elections for the network since 2016 and will continue as MS NOW’s chief data reporter, a role that includes election night coverage. He will also continue to host the podcast “Velshi Banned Book Club.”

Menendez, Russert and Soboroff in new roles

Alicia Menendez, who joined MS NOW in 2019, will anchor the 12 to 2 p.m. ET weekday block. She has previously filled in across weekend and primetime programming. As part of that change, she will exit “The Weeknight.”

Luke Russert will join Symone Sanders Townsend and Michael Steele as a co-anchor of “The Weeknight” at 7 p.m. ET. Russert is the current host and creative director of the network’s live events division MS NOW Live. The network said “The Weeknight” and its companion program “The Weekend” have each seen sustained double-digit growth since launching.

The network will continue to offer live news at 11 a.m. ET, though an anchor has not been named. Katy Tur is expected to remain in her 2 p.m. ET slot.

Jacob Soboroff will anchor a new solo weekend program Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET, broadcasting from Los Angeles. Soboroff will continue as a senior national and political reporter for the network.

Ana Cabrera, who joined the network from CNN in 2023, will depart the network. 

No changes were announced for the 5 a.m. ET “Way Too Early with Ali Vitali” or after 4 p.m. ET, when “Deadline: White House” starts aside from the change in anchors at 11 p.m.

Jansing shifts to field reporting

Chris Jansing will take on the title of chief political reporter ahead of the midterm elections, moving away from a studio anchor role to report from battleground states and communities across the country.

The programming changes follow a deal MS NOW announced with Crooked Media to bring its audio content to the network in a weekly weekend compilation show called “Crooked on MS NOW.” The network reported more than 3.8 billion YouTube views and over 140 million audio downloads in 2025.

Titles for additional new programs are expected to be announced in the coming months. The network’s announcement removed all references to the “MS NOW Reports” and “(Anchor Name) Reports” branding that dayside rolling news blocks have been using.

An earlier version of this story incorrectly listed the number of hours and times “Morning Joe” will air under the new schedule. 

Advertisement