Observed Signal · Jun 26, 2026 · Schedule Change · Source: Adweek · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Negative
MS NOW Cancels Weekend Primetime, Alters Schedule
MS NOW is canceling its evening news program The Weekend: Primetime and replacing weekend-night live programming with taped episodes and reruns of video podcasts, including a Crooked Media block. Beginning Sunday, June 28 at 6 p.m. ET, the network will air Crooked Media shows (Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Strict Scrutiny, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country with Alex Wagner, Hysteria, Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams, Offline with Jon Favreau, What A Day) alongside MS NOW’s own video podcasts (The Best People with Nicolle Wallace, Why Is This Happening with Chris Hayes). MS NOW president Rebecca Kutler said the Crooked block has driven new viewers and acknowledged jobs will be affected, though staffing will remain for breaking news. The Weekend: Primetime — launched in May 2025 — will see its co-hosts remain at the network, and veteran anchor Alex Witt will depart sometime this summer after more than 25 years.
A legacy news publisher is replacing live weekend primetime with taped podcast blocks and partner content, which affects premium live ad inventory, scheduling for advertisers, and signals a partnership-driven programming strategy with potential staffing impacts.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- MS NOW canceled the evening news program The Weekend: Primetime.
- Starting June 28, 2026 at 6 p.m. ET, MS NOW will air taped episodes and reruns including a Crooked Media video-podcast block.
- Crooked Media shows slated to air include Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Strict Scrutiny, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country with Alex Wagner, Hysteria, Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams, Offline with Jon Favreau, and What A Day.
- MS NOW will also air its own video-podcast series such as The Best People with Nicolle Wallace and Why Is This Happening with Chris Hayes.
- MS NOW president Rebecca Kutler said the Crooked on MS NOW block has brought new viewers and warned that jobs will be impacted; Alex Witt will depart the network in summer 2026.
Connected Companies & Entities
1 Entity mapped“MS NOW is canceling the evening news program The Weekend: Primetime, as it focuses on re-airing its video podcasts as well as its Crooked on...”
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
MS NOW Restructures Weekend Lineup, Shifts to Taped Content
MS NOW announced a major restructuring of its weekend schedule in late June 2026, reducing live evening programming and expanding pre-recorded video-podcast airings and third-party partnerships. The live “The Weekend: Primetime” block will end with its final broadcast on June 27, 2026; weekend evenings after 6 p.m. ET will move primarily to taped content. The network—now operating under the Versant banner after a 2025 split from NBC News and Comcast—is strengthening breaking-news capabilities (standby anchors, a producer-led interruption team, and an international content-sharing arrangement with Sky News) while preserving about 20 hours of live weekend programming. Longtime anchor Alex Witt will depart later in 2026 and correspondent Antonia Hylton will take over the 1–4 p.m. weekend slot. The reorganization includes a staff reduction affecting under 2% of employees and a planned direct-to-consumer streaming launch later in 2026.
MS Now Unveils New Weekday Lineup June 15
MS Now announced a major programming overhaul that will debut a new weekday schedule on June 15, 2026, shifting away from the network’s prior "Reports" branding to emphasize breaking news and focused issue-driven shows. Key changes include a two-hour morning program, Money, Power, Politics with Stephanie Ruhle (9–11 a.m. ET); On the Line with Alicia Menendez at noon; The Moment with Katy Tur at 2 p.m.; a Washington-based panel The Weeknight at 7 p.m. (adding Luke Russert); and The 11th Hour with Ali Velshi at 11 p.m. ET. Weekend programming expands with Connect with Jacob Soboroff debuting June 13, 2026 (10 a.m.–1 p.m. ET). Several executive producers and show producers were named, Ana Cabrera has departed the network, and Peter Alexander is slated to anchor an 11 a.m. hour with a debut date to be set.
MS NOW Teams Up with Crooked Media for New Show
MS NOW and Crooked Media have agreed a programming deal to add a weekly show, Crooked on MS NOW, to the network’s Saturday night lineup beginning Feb. 28 at 9 p.m. ET, airing Crooked Media’s portfolio of podcasts. Separately, Fox News is launching a twice-weekly podcast, Hang Out with Sean Hannity, on Fox News Media on March 3. CBS will feature Norah O’Donnell as a guest host on CBS Mornings Feb. 23–25 to promote her book. Paramount Skydance is consolidating New York offices and relocating several CBS properties (including 60 Minutes) to the CBS Broadcast Center. Fox Nation is now available to U.S. customers via Amazon Prime Video with monthly and annual subscription options.
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