MSNBC Political Coverage To Fill In For Cancelled ‘Melissa Harris-Perry’ Show

By R. Thomas Umstead
published

MSNBC will lean on its presidential primary coverage to fill in for the recently cancelled the Melissa Harris-Perry weekend talk show, the network said Friday.

Sources within MSNBC said that the network will continue to offer coverage of the 2016 presidential primaries over the next few weekend during the 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. weekend time slot formerly held by Melissa Harris-Perry.

The network Sunday said it was pulling the plug on the show after Perry refused to go on the air after several pre-emptions of her show due to the network’s political coverage.

Perry earlier this week told CNN that she turned down terms of a non-disparagement clause that would have kept her from speaking about MSNBC. She also said that the removal of her show has “strong racial implications” because her show promoted diverse perspectives.  

R. Thomas Umstead
R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.