The network’s move was prompted by the seriousness of the unfolding story. Rather than airing its regular morning programming, MSNBC opted for continuous breaking-news coverage related to the Trump shooting and the subsequent investigation. NBCUniversal’s news outlets, including NBC News, MSNBC, and the live-streaming service NBC News Now, provided a unified “special report” feed, ensuring consistent coverage across platforms
Executives at NBCU News Group, led by chairman Cesar Conde, were cautious about potential sensitivities. They wanted to avoid any guest on “Morning Joe” inadvertently saying something that could offend viewers. Consequently, the network maintained a rolling breaking-news format, with anchors like Savannah Sellers, Joe Fryer, and Kate Snow leading the coverage
Interestingly, the absence of “Morning Joe” was notable, especially given that the Republican National Convention was set to begin. The show is popular among Beltway insiders and has a strong following in the Biden White House. While most of MSNBC’s RNC coverage was scheduled to start on Tuesday, with Rachel Maddow leading a two-hour primetime special, the network’s decision to prioritize breaking news on Monday underscored the gravity of the situation
For more context, you might also be interested in knowing that “Morning Joe” expanded to a fourth hour earlier in the year, and the demand for additional content has been physically challenging for host Joe Scarborough. Additionally, MSNBC has experimented with virtual-reality sets, such as emulating the Supreme Court bench during deliberations related to the Trump insurrection
