“THE WEEKNIGHT” TO DEBUT ON MSNBC ON MONDAY, MAY 5
Symone Sanders Townsend, Michael Steele, and Alicia Menendez Join MSNBC’s Primetime Lineup Five Nights a Week at 7 p.m. ET
(Washington, D.C. – April 23, 2025) – Beginning Monday, May 5, MSNBC will debut “The Weeknight,” co-hosted by Symone Sanders Townsend, Michael Steele, and Alicia Menendez, airing from 7 to 9 p.m. ET on Mondays and from 7 to 8 p.m. ET on Tuesdays through Fridays.
The move to primetime follows the trio co-hosting the network’s marquee weekend program, “The Weekend,” since January 2024. Since its launch, Sanders Townsend, Steele, and Menendez have covered some of the most consequential moments in American politics together, including the 2024 presidential election and breaking news moments from around the world. Over the last 18 months, the co-hosts have interviewed major news and policy makers on “The Weekend,” including former Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts, and more.
Since launch, “The Weekend” has improved viewership in its time slot by 35% in total viewers and 32% in the demo during its first year on the air. The program also led to MSNBC beating CNN on weekend mornings for the first time in 12 years. In the first quarter of 2025, “The Weekend” averaged a 37% lead over its time slot competitors on CNN among total viewers.
The trio will now join the ranks of fellow MSNBC primetime hosts Rachel Maddow, Nicolle Wallace, Ari Melber, Chris Hayes, Lawrence O’Donnell, Stephanie Ruhle, and Jen Psaki, who will also expand her primetime role starting Tuesday, May 6 as she helms the 9 p.m. ET hour Tuesdays through Fridays.
Prior to her role at MSNBC, Symone Sanders Townsend served as a senior advisor for President Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign, as well as Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to and Chief Spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris. A veteran communications and campaign expert, she also served as the national press secretary for U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign. In 2020, she wrote her first book “No, You Shut Up: Speaking Truth to Power and Reclaiming America.”
Michael Steele is the former Lt. Gov. of Maryland and Chairman of the Republican National Committee, and was the first African American to hold either office. Prior to his hosting duties, Steele served as a longtime MSNBC Political Analyst and is also the host of “The Michael Steele Podcast.”
A longtime journalist and MSNBC host, Alicia Menendez previously served as a correspondent on PBS’s “Amanpour & Company” and at VICE News, as well as the host of “Alicia Menendez Tonight” on Fusion. She is also the creator of the popular “Latina to Latina” podcast. This Friday, Menendez will be honored with the “Truth in Journalism Award” by Voto Latino.
“The Weeknight” debuts as MSNBC continues to surge in viewership, with double-digit growth across all day parts since Inauguration Day 2025. The network has also seen a meteoric rise across non-linear platforms, ranking as the #1 news brand on YouTube and TikTok last month.
# # #
PRESS CONTACTS:
Richard.Hudock@nbcuni.com
Natalie.Munio@nbcuni.com
