Primetime hosts like Tucker Carlson, Rachel Maddow and Chris Cuomo bring in some of the largest audiences, respectively, for Fox News, MSNBC and CNN. That latter type of programming has become critically important to the economics of TV-news outlets - and the media companies that own them. “They need help distinguishing” between news reports and extensions that rely more heavily on an anchor’s opinion or viewpoint. It’s what’s on in primetime, and people really do need the reminder,” he says. “Opinion and commentary programming have become so popular.

Making sure viewers understand the nature of news programming is sorely needed in the current era, suggests Jeffrey Layne Blevins, a professor and head of the journalism department at University of Cincinnati. MSNBC recently gave Mehdi Hasan, an outspoken anchor who also has a show on NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service, a new hour in MSNBC’s Sunday primetime lineup. While MSNBC is lending new definition to its news schedule, the network depends heavily on what its executives call “perspective” programming, and Jones has added new voices to that roster. MSNBC’s move comes early in Jones’ tenure as president, a role she took over in February. “We are doubling down on that approach, and our ‘MSNBC Reports’ rebrand is one part of that effort.” “The remarkable success of MSNBC’s dayside programming over the past seven years has been built on the unparalleled combined strength of NBC News and MSNBC’s journalism and reporting,” says Rashida Jones, MSNBC’s president, in a statement.

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