MSNBC did not air “Morning Joe” on Monday, instead opting to continue breaking news coverage of the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump.
The left-leaning cable news network is not putting its top talent front and center to cover the developing situation. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, the news network chose to simulcast NBC special coverage of the incident on Saturday evening and all day Sunday.
According to CNN, the decision to bypass “Morning Joe” was made to “avoid a scenario in which one of the show’s stable of two dozen-plus guests might make an inappropriate comment on live television that could be used to assail the program and network as a whole.”
A spokesperson from the network, however, denied that was the reason for the decision.
“Given the gravity and complexity of this unfolding story, NBC News, NBC News NOW and MSNBC have remained in rolling breaking news coverage since Saturday evening,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “As we continue to cover this story into the week, the networks will continue to cross simulcast, alternating between NBC News, NBC News NOW and ‘MSNBC Reports’, so there is one news feed covering this developing situation.”
The decision was made by the chairman of NBCUniversal News Group Cesar Conde, MSNBC president Rashida Jones and “Morning Joe” hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, CNN reported.
MSNBC is in a unique position, where its parent company owns and operates both a cable and broadcast news network, which regularly share resources, hosts, correspondents, and contributors.
