Chris Hayes has been tapped to replace outgoing host Ed Schultz

[SoCalDem]

By DYLAN BYERS |
3/14/13 9:44 AM EDT
http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2013/03/msnbcs-chris-hayes-to-replace-ed-schultz-159293.html

MSNBC's Chris Hayes has been tapped to replace outgoing host Ed Schultz in the 8 p.m. weeknight slot, according to network sources.

In just a year and a half, Hayes has generated a cult following as host of the weekend program "Up with Chris Hayes," which takes a progressive policy wonk's approach to the news. He will now host a show directly ahead of his mentor Rachel Maddow, MSNBC's marquee name, and, at age 34, will be the youngest primetime host in cable news television.

The move, first reported by Brian Stelter of the New York Times, was confirmed by sources for POLITICO. MSNBC is expected to make a formal announcement later today, and would not reply to a request for comment
Schultz announced on Wednesday night hat he would be ending his weeknight program and moving to a two-hour slot on Saturday and Sunday evenings. Schultz, a talk radio personality, has served as an MSNBC primetime host since 2009, and became best-known as an advocate for unions, labor and the middle class. His new show will air on weekend nights from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. -- a relative no-man's land for cable news programming.

Like former MSNBC host Dylan Ratigan, Schultz suggested that the move was his choice and that he wanted "to get out with the people and tell their stories." Sources at MSNBC told POLITICO that Schultz was more likely pushed out to make way for new -- and younger -- talent. By tapping Hayes, MSNBC is continuing its push to bring cable news to a younger demographic.

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[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. If they really want to improve their evening lineup

they should get rid of that second hour of Chris Matthews. One hour is more than enough.

[SoCalDem]

3. Exactly.. That's a total waste of airtime

If they reran it at night, at least it might be watched..Out here he book-ends Al Sharpton.. If they want two hours of Hardball ,just make it a 2 hour show before or after Al..

[tularetom]

29. If they REALLY want to improve it they should get rid of Matthews altogether

How the hell can they say they want to appeal to a younger demographic and still leave that drooling asshat on the air?

[Life Long Dem]

2. I heard

Ed Schultz has been tapped to replace outgoing host Chris Hayes on the weekends.

[michigandem58]

4. Will Hayes be pushed into a Schultz-type format?

If so, I don't like it.

[SoCalDem]

5. Probably more like Rachel's format..

I prefer the panel style he has for the 2 hour show..

[michigandem58]

11. Me too

I fear we're losing a great show. Will someone else do Up?

[The Wielding Truth]

6. Hallelujah! A voice of reason on the weekend evenings! Finally MSNBC is leaning forward.

[DevonRex]

37. I agree. MSNBC finally has something good on weekends.

And Chris gets more visibility. This is a win/win/win/win. We win, MSNBC wins, Ed wins, and Chris wins.

[Lionessa]

7. Oh, that's too bad. One of the things I liked most about UP was that is was two hours

and on weekends so each hour was really focused in detail on one topic. If he goes to 4-5 nights a week, one hour, and forced to discuss the days politics in the usual shallow way of the one hour shows.....

I'm sorry, but Hayes is really good at his two hour situation on the weekends, I just don't see how the daily one hour will be nearly as informative or enjoyable. This is all about him, not about Ed at all as I rarely watch Ed.

[winter is coming]

20. There are enough other shows on the nightly lineup that do "shorter" stories

that there's no reason Hayes couldn't concentrate on one or two stories each night (instead of several).

[Lionessa]

30. True, but to date the evening line up pretty much just repeats the days talking points.

Once I've watched Rachel for example I feel no need to watch Last Word, or Tweety, or any of them really. Very little diversity of anchors (as pointed out somewhere here at DU today) or subject matter.

[Lionessa]

8. I fear MSNBC is about to find out that

it was not just Chris Hayes that created the cult following of UP!, but the format itself, which can't possibly be presented nightly.

[SoCalDem]

9. Unless

The give him the Hardball "re-run" hour AND the Ed-hour as a lead in for Rachel. THAT could work..

[Lionessa]

10. Perhaps but to fill two hours daily with the detail presented so far on his weekend shows might be

a bit too challenging for any production group including Chris'

[Fawke Em]

12. I must be the only liberal working class person on this thread

I happen to like Ed better than Chris.

IMO, the line up is wonky enough in the evenings and Ed kind of broke that up with a much-needed dose of reality to the elites from the working class.

News used to regularly report on labor and labor unions, but, now, the only time anyone gets to hear what the proles think is over the backyard fence or through Big Eddie.

[SoCalDem]

13. I like Ed too.. No one does "labor" like he does..

[strike[did.... and that may be behind the whole thing.. The suits cannot be very happy to see Ed railing on labor issues all the time. Sponsored media is media that must kowtow to "big-biddness", and they always have issues with "labor".. Riling up the workforce is never a good idea to the suits..

[Auntie Bush]

22. So true

I'm surprised they let him on for as long as they did. Bastards!

[senseandsensibility]

32. Agreed. One less voice for labor now.

In other words, we're down to zero now during primetime because Ed was the only one.

[Fawke Em]

38. Thanks y'all!

I don't dislike Chris, at all. I just like the labor aspect Big Eddie promoted.

BTW, SoCal... I have five dogs and a cat. All rescues. My cat has finally decided that I'm the best thing since sliced bread - something the dogs have known for years. It's really weird to have a cat follow you around like a dog and beg to sleep on your belly. Your sig image made me think of that.

[Raine]

18. Ed is my favorite of all, I'm not happy about

this at all.

[Auntie Bush]

21. +100,000

[Honeycombe8]

25. I love Big Ed. But I really do think it was his decision, made when his wife had cancer.

I think he told MSNBC then that he would not be renewing his contract, that the 13 hr days were taking too much time from his wife.

They didn't just put him on during the day, when they need filler people for all those hours. Looks like they're trying something new in an effort to grow their presence and keep Big Ed. You don't move someone with high ratings and give them a two-hour show, if you think he's too old.

Hayes doesn't appeal to me. I doubt I watch. But I'll see.

[forestpath]

28. I like him better, too, though I stopped watching MSNBC a few months ago after

Ed Rendell started popping up all over the place. I can't remember if he was ever on Ed's show but I just got out of the habit of watching the whole network. But when I was still watching, Ed was my favorite because of his pro-labor position.

[colsohlibgal]

14. What Of "Up With Chris Hayes"?

Loved that show, they could really get deep into subjects. I wonder now who will take over - do they move MHP up in the rotation?

I imagine Ed was pushed out, as Ratigan likely was. Ed's OK though I'm more the Thom Hartmann type - and Ed does, unfortunately, sound eerily like Limbaugh to me.

[SoCalDem]

15. Rabble-rousers usually do not last long on corporate media

except for right wing media..

and once they "go away", they also fade away..

Remember all the GREAT stuff Ratigan was going to be doing?? (cue crickets)

His show and Ed's were the ONLY places we ever even saw labor-friendly guests who were not there to be a chew-toys for the 3 conservos interrupting them every 7 seconds..

[jeff47]

17. I'm not so sure Ed was pushed out

The guy was doing two full-time jobs (radio show + tv show). That's gonna get tiring pretty quickly.

[senseandsensibility]

34. I just think that if that's what this was about (too many hours)

it would make sense for Ed to quit the radio show instead of a weekly primetime show. I mean, if push came to shove, and he had to choose. I know the radio show is also popular and valuable for the progressive cause.

[Honeycombe8]

26. I doubt Ed was pushed out. His wife had cancer; he works 13 hr days; high ratings.

I think he didn't renew his contract and told them a while back, so MSNBC could make other arrangements.

When the networks push people out, they usu. move them to some odd time during the day, when they need filler people. They're giving Ed a two-hour show twice on weekends...to grow presence and keep Big Ed. He's very popular.

Ed doesn't need the $. I can imagine him making the decision, when his wife got cancer, that he wasn't going to be gone all the time like that any more.

[Firebrand Gary]

35. I agree, I also think this was Ed's decision.

You could tell in his voice yesterday, that this is something that he very much wanted. When you realize your own and your families mortality, I suspect 14 hour days just seems a price tag too costly.

Bless Big Ed and his wife, Wendy.

[flamingdem]

16. Great for the West Coast, Up was too early!

sorry East Coasters

[Lionessa]

31. You could always watch it after the fact at MSNBC online. Here's alink

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46979738/

[spanone]

19. he's one of their brightest bulbs.

[Duer 157099]

23. Cool!

I like Chris a lot.

[Honeycombe8]

24. I believe it was Schultz's decision. His wife had cancer, he works 13 hrs a day...

I think he told MSNBC a while back, when his wife was sick, that he would not be renewing his contract, to give them time to find a replacement. And MSNBC came up with this weekend idea.

Schultz has made a boatload of money while at MSNBC and for his radio show. He doesn't need the $. But no doubt he wants more family time with his wife, after her bout with cancer.

His ratings are high. He's very popular. I doubt MSNBC pushed him out. When CNN does that, they move the one pushed out to mid-day programs that no one sees, but they filler people for those time slots.

MSNBC doesn't need filler people weekend evenings. And a 2-hour show? Looks like MSNBC is trying something new, in an effort to grow their reach and keep Big Ed.

[southern_belle]

27. I agree with you, Honeycombe n/t

[DirkGently]

33. That is a great idea. Miss him on the weekends though.

[DonCoquixote]

36. Not the best, but far from worst

Hayes is better than a few others they could have picked...though i personally wish that, since current is becoming Al-jazzeera, they picked up a Jen Granholm or Cenk.

[apples and oranges]

39. Cenk had his chance

No thanks. Jen Granholm would be great!

[Raine]

40. I really like Cenk, I wish MSNBC would rehire him. nt