Joy Reid has openly addressed her departure from MSNBC, which became a significant topic of discussion earlier this year. NBC confirmed her exit in an internal memo, expressing gratitude for her years of influential journalism and noting her recent achievement—the 2025 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding News Series. In the wake of her departure, MSNBC announced that rotating anchors will temporarily occupy her time slot.
The timing of Reid’s exit coincided with the Trump administration’s ongoing reductions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives, leading to conjecture regarding potential political or external pressures influencing her departure.
Stephen A. Smith quickly weighed in on the matter during his show, downplaying any racial factors and attributing Reid’s exit to a lack of viewer engagement. “Nobody was watching her show,” he claimed, drawing attention to the impact of ratings.
In response, Reid did not hold back during an interview with Cari Champion, where she tackled Smith’s statements directly. “He said I got fired for ratings,” Reid remarked, countering that his own show, despite yielding lower ratings than hers, still resulted in a lucrative contract. “Sir, you got $100 million for a show with half my ratings at my worst. I had to Google his numbers,” she stated.
Moreover, Reid criticized Smith’s media stance, suggesting he has a tendency to vocalize harmful narratives about Black communities, particularly concerning Black women. “They’re paying you not for your numbers,” Reid pointed out. “They’re paying you because you’re willing to say the nasty things about Black people that they want to say.”
Smith’s financial success is notable as he reportedly earns nearly $40 million annually from his extensive ESPN contract, alongside additional revenue from his YouTube channel and podcast.
Reid’s comments reflect a broader discussion on the responsibilities of media figures and their influence in shaping public narratives. As she embarks on her next chapter, her insights provide a critical perspective on the challenges faced by journalists in the current media landscape.