NBC Firings and Demotions Spark Accusations of Racism — Details

NBC, part of the NBCUniversal News Group alongside MSNBC and CNBC, is facing backlash in early 2025 after rolling out a series of programming changes. Among the most talked-about moves is the abrupt cancellation of The ReidOut, ending Joy Reid’s five-year run at the network. Reports also claim that Alex Wagner Tonight, which premiered in August 2022, has been axed.

Lester Holt wasn’t fired, but NBC announced on Feb. 24, 2025, that he’ll transition from anchoring NBC Nightly News to a full-time role with Dateline.

These shifts at MSNBC haven’t gone unnoticed — particularly since they all involve minority journalists. Even former MSNBC anchor Keith Olbermann weighed in, calling Joy's firing "racist" during his Feb. 25 podcast episode.

Here’s what’s happening at NBC and why many believe the latest round of changes raises serious concerns.

Some people are accusing NBC of using racism as the driving force behind firing Joy Reid and demoting Alex Wagner to a correspondent role after she hosted her own show for nearly three years.

During the Feb. 24 episode of his Countdown podcast, Keith Olbermann bluntly called the network's decision to fire Joy "racist." He said, "Yes, firing her is racist, and maybe worse. Yes, it is designed to keep out people who might think differently. And it is designed to reward professional political salespeople like ex-party chairmen and former press secretaries who will do what they are told by their bosses."

Keith is likely referencing the possibility of former White House press secretary Jen Psaki taking over Alex’s 9 p.m. time slot, although she currently hosts Sunday afternoons and Monday evenings.

Keith also pointed out, "Since they also fired Alex Wagner, it means that four women of color have solo hosted prominent shows on MSNBC, and all four of them have now been fired." In this context, Keith is referring to Joy, Alex, Melissa Harris-Perry, and Tiffany Cross — all of whom had their programs canceled.

While some believe MSNBC’s decision to remove Joy and Alex is racist, the network is reportedly in discussions with Eugene Daniels and NYU law professor Melissa Murray. This move somewhat challenges the racism angle and aligns more closely with what Keith was suggesting — that the network is looking to reward those who will follow instructions without question.

To further support the idea that NBC's behavior is less than ethical, others who have also lost their shows include Jonathan Capehart, Katie Phang, and Ayman Mohyeldin. However, they’ll remain with the network in some capacity, according to The Daily Beast. José Díaz-Balart is also losing his show but will stay on as a host for NBC's weekend edition of Nightly News.

While the media landscape is changing drastically, the latest changes at NBC, including the firings, come at an interesting time — just after President Donald Trump announced the scaling back of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, which aim to ensure all people are afforded the same opportunities in work environments. Given this context, it’s no surprise that people are calling the network out.