MSNBC, established in 1996 by Microsoft and NBC, is a cable news network that specializes in covering events locally and internationally and providing political commentary.
The channel has been successful and has high ratings throughout the United States. Viewers can get it on streaming services like Hulu, FuboTV, and Sling TV.
MSNBC’s popularity is due to the popular anchors and reporters it hires. They are passionate, informed, and ready to go to great lengths to get the correct story. Here is a list of unforgettable and popular former MSNBC anchors and reporters.
1. Jodi Applegate
Jodi Applegate was born in 1964 and hosted the first news show on MSNBC in 1996. She attended New York University for her Television and Film degree.
Ms Applegate anchored Weekend Today and MSNBC Live and served as a substitute on the Today show.
She worked with Asha Blake and Florence Henderson on the Later Today show. The successful anchor moved to Boston and joined WFXT in 2001.
2. Chris Matthews
Chris Matthews was born in 1945, attended the University of North Carolina, and started working at MSNBC in 1997.
His show, Hardball with Chris Matthews, originally aired on America’s Talking before moving to MSNBC. Chris’s show was very popular and included politicians and pundits who discussed hot topics and current issues at the time.
He is credited with predicting that Obama would be the first black president in America. He left Hardball in 2020, adding that he was retiring.
3. Brian Williams
Brian Williams’s good looks and charismatic persona make him a delight to listen to. He was a very popular reporter for NBC Nightly News.
In 2015, he moved to MSNBC to work as a breaking news anchor before getting his show, The 11th Hour.
Before this, he had worked at WTTG and WCAU in Philadelphia and WCBS in New York City. In 2024, he announced his departure from MSNBC to host a different show for Amazon.
4. Soledad O’Brien
O’Brien was born in 1966 and attended Radcliffe University and Harvard University for her English and American Literature degrees.
Before joining MSNBC, she worked at WBZ-TV and NBC News. On MSNBC, she anchored The Site and the Weekend morning news show. During this time, O’Brien reported for NBC Nightly News and the Today Show.
She covered stories like the school shootings in Colorado in the 1990s and the John F. Kennedy Jr. plane crash. She left MSNBC in 2003 to work at CNN.
5. Ashleigh Banfield
Ashley Banfield has French and Political Science degrees from Queen’s University and the University of British Columbia. She started her journalism career in Ontario at CJBN-TV and CKY-TV.
Ashleigh Banfield started working as a reporter for MSNBC and, during 9/11, was only a few blocks from the World Trade Center when it collapsed. She received a promotion and became the producer of a new show called “A Region in Conflict.
Her interviews with the Taliban in Afghanistan gave her a new perspective on the country and its challenges. She left MSNBC in 2005 to join CourtTV.
6. John Gibson
John Gibson got his Arts degree from UCLA, and when MSNBC was established, he served as the daytime anchor. When the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky scandal broke, he provided coverage of the story.
Before this, he was a correspondent for MBC News channel and covered the O.J. Simpson trial for the murder of Ronald Goldman and Nicole Simpson. He left MSNBC to join Fox News in 2000.
7. Phil Donahue
Born in 1935, Phil Donahue is best known for his talk show, The Phil Donahue Show. He was the first to create a talk show with audience participation, and it was on air for 29 years.
Donahue started working for MSNBC in July 2002, hired due to his success, but his opposition to the Invasion of Iraq resulted in the cancellation of the show in 2003.
8. Tucker Carlson
Tucker Carlson, born in 1969, is a controversial political commentator very popular with conservatives. He started working at MSNBC in 2005 on his show Tucker.
The show featured various guests, including journalists like Rachel Maddow. While the show was on air, MSNBC’s evening programming became more leftist.
Many conservative viewers became interested in MSNBC’s programming, but the show was unpopular with liberal viewers. Tucker was canceled in 2008.
9. Contessa Brewer
Contessa Brewer started working for MSNBC in 2003, hosting MSNBC Live on weekdays. The show was very successful because she was an honest and straightforward interviewer in pursuit of the truth.
Before joining MSNBC, she had worked as a reporter and anchor for KRNV-TV and KMIR-TV. In 2011, she left MSNBC to focus on other challenges but continued to host Caught On Camera.
10. Keith Olberman
Keith Olberman started his career in broadcasting as a sports journalist and was very successful at ESPN. In 1997, he joined MSNBC to host The Big Show with Keith Olberman, which focused on news and discussions.
In 1998, he became disillusioned and embarrassed by how the Monica Lewisnsky-Bill Clinton scandal took over his show. Due to this, Olberman left MSNBC and started working for Fox Sports Net.
Wrapping Up
Working in newsrooms can be a huge challenge, and the above journalists have made it their business to bring the truth to viewers and defend it.
Their work on MSNBC made the channel stand out among competitors, making it a premier news channel in the United States. Their work on different stories continues to inspire journalists and prospective journalists.
MSNBC continues to be popular with viewers due to its determination to hire well-informed, passionate, and determined journalists. Make sure to check out the list of current female MSNBC commentators.