Former MSNBC host Joy Reid, fired after five years, discusses her abrupt departure, calling it a 'blessing' that freed her from corporate media's self-censorship. She details how major media companies, fearing retribution from figures like Donald Trump and his FCC, restrict journalism, particularly on topics like diversity and the Gaza conflict, and how she's now thriving with her independent streaming show.
Joy Reid, who hosted MSNBC's 7pm hour for nearly five years, was abruptly fired in late February, leading to the cancellation of 'The ReidOut.' Eight months later, Reid views her departure as a 'blessing,' freeing her from the 'restrictions' of corporate media. She argues that major media corporations, including Comcast, ABC Disney, and CBS Paramount, operate under self-imposed censorship due to their business dealings with the administration and fear of retaliation from figures like Donald Trump and his FCC chair, Brendan Carr. This fear, she claims, leads to content being made to 'bow to the bigger corporate need,' impacting diversity initiatives and critical journalism. Reid provides several examples: she points to CBS News being 'warped' by its new owner, a 'Trump fan' (Larry Ellison), leading to mass firings and the publication of stories questioning the Gaza death count. She also mentions ABC's 'The View' being pressured to reduce 'anti-Trumpism' and MSNBC's firing of Matt Dowd for a 'true and inoffensive fact,' creating a climate of fear for journalists. A significant point of frustration for Reid while at MSNBC was the coverage of the Gaza conflict. She felt it was difficult to present 'the other side of the story' and that covering the 'genocide as a genocide was unwanted' by her superiors, a factor she believes contributed to her dismissal. She asserts that journalists have an obligation to cover such events truthfully. Reid also expressed shock and anger that her entire staff was laid off, an 'abnormal' move that also enraged colleagues like Rachel Maddow. She was heartened by former colleagues who publicly criticized Comcast's donation to a Trump-related project. Since her departure, Reid has launched 'The Joy Reid Show' on streaming platforms like YouTube and Substack, finding it a 'good business' and embracing the 'independence.' She acknowledges the increased workload without a large corporate staff. Finally, Reid links recent cuts to diversity-focused units at CBS and NBC to a broader national conservative backlash against diversity, suggesting media companies are capitulating to protect themselves and because many were 'relieved of the burden' of diversity initiatives they implemented reluctantly.
