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NY Post, TVWeek

Brian Williams May Switch Time Slots at MSNBC

Mar 1, 2019  •  Post A Comment

Brian Williams may be headed to a new time slot at MSNBC after putting in his time in late-night. The New York Post’s Page Six cites insiders at 30 Rock saying Williams may be upgraded to an earlier slot, possibly as a replacement for Chris Matthews at 7 p.m.

The former “NBC Nightly News” anchor was booted over to MSNBC in 2015 after barely surviving a controversy over his embellishment of his personal exploits.

“But despite his tarnished reputation and graveyard-adjacent time slot, Williams has made his ’11th Hour With Brian Williams’ show a legit hit, beating CNN and Fox News for three months straight,” The Post reports, adding: “Multiple sources told us that execs think Matthews’ ‘Hardball’ has gone soft, and they’re looking for relief from the bullpen.”

“Industry rumors suggest that bosses are unimpressed with Chuck Todd’s ‘Meet the Press’ spinoff, ‘MTP Daily,'” the report adds. “Around MSNBC watercoolers, there’s also a wild theory that Williams could one day replace the hugely successful ‘Morning Joe’ broadcast, should host and former pol Joe Scarborough revive his political career or exit for any reason.”

Could Williams ever find his way back to a plum evening news spot at the broadcast network? No way, according to The Post.

“An NBC News source told us that while Williams’ ratings have been noted, ‘a lot of [NBC journalists] think Brian should’ve lost his job. He’s kind of forgotten at NBC News,'” the paper reports.

51 Comments

  1. I miss Chris Matthews?. Where is he? Bring him back! My day is not complete without his commentary ☹️

  2. Where is Chris Matthews? I wish he wouldn’t tell, but I love his being up front and asking pointed questions, and keeping guests accountable. Bring him back!
    Thank you.

  3. Miss Chris Matthews, he is still good at what he does. Feels like ageism.

  4. Chris where are you we miss you hurry back

  5. I am a caregiver in north bethesda md my self, and client, who is 91 year’s old is worried about mr Mathews she keep asking me when his he coming back we are msnbc viewer

  6. Where is Chris Matthews? Miss his energy. Please come back to Hardball.

  7. So glad to see Bri returning after his doghouse years. Happy to see the spittle-spewing Matthews finally retiring? Williams at least knows how to shut up and listen.

  8. Where are you, we need you

  9. I love Harball + hope this report isn’t true

  10. Brian still has the gravitas that is needed in news broadcasting. I enjoy his commentary and his interview skills.Too bad his past mistakes will haunt him forever. Chris Matthews is fine but talks over his guests way too often. I do believe Chris should always have a place in political commentary.

  11. Steve Kornacki who has been filling in for Chris Matthews just announced “Chris will be back from his vacation on Monday” (March 4)

  12. there is nothing on tv in any form I hate more than Chris matthews bull shit—I trade him to Fox

  13. If you are considering a replacement for Chris, why not Stephanie Rule or Ali Velshi? Not Brian Williams.

  14. Coming back from vacation next week.

  15. Yes, I was increasingly becoming concerned. I googled him. Fortunately, I discovered he and his wife have been vacationing in New Zealand. Yes I love Hardball with Chris Matthew’s as host.

  16. We miss Chris!

    • Yay… he shall be back Monday

  17. Chris Matthews will be back on Monday March 4th, he was on vacation in New Zealand.

  18. While I wish Chris no I’ll will, I’m so glad he’s gone. He is rude. He does not listen because he loves listening to himself and he speaks like he has marbles in his mouth. I go to CNN Erin Burdett when Hardball comes on.

    • I agree. Actually, I like him as a person and his varied pundits but absolutely hate the way he over talks his guests, never letting them finish a sentence. Agree with the marbles comment, reminds me of Barney Rubble. I too have turned to Erin Burnett.

  19. We miss you Chris Matthews
    Hurry back

  20. Miss Chris Matthews. Where is he?

  21. I hope that msnbc is not trying to get rid of Chris Matthew if so I will have to stop watching. My tv does not change from msnbc, but if they get rid of Chris I will have to stop watching msnbc.

  22. Hardball is a favorite and Chris Matthews can’t be replaced. The one that needs replacing is Steve Kornacki. His only place is in front of the blackboard on Election Day. He loves those election results and can’t wait to get in front of a board any chance he can.

  23. I was hoping he wasn’t coming back, I think he is rude and often doesn’t let his guests finish their statements before he rudely interrupting! Alas, he’s returning ;(((
    Hardball is one show I skip on my recording for sure!

  24. Yes Chris seems to be slipping a little bit but he’s still good. Bring him back. On behalf of RPCVs everywhere I humbly request this.

  25. Missing Chris Matthews. Love his rough and tumble manner!

  26. I’ve stopped watching a long time ago. Chris is very knowledgeable about a lot of things, but tell him to shut up and listen to what other people have to say otherwise why are you having guests on. I wish him luck

  27. MISS YOU CHRIS

    HOW ABOUT TAKING MORNING JOE SLOT,
    THIS HARDBALL

  28. Love Chris! Hardball is my fav msnbc show! I

  29. Miss Chis Matthews. Look forward to Hardball and Chris every evening at 7:00. Not the same without him. I hope he is only on vacation.

  30. Hardball lacks a fastball without Chris

  31. I would love to see Brian Williams at 7 pm. why can’ you tape Chris Matthews for showing at 11 pm?

  32. Love your show chris pay us a visit in Trinidad.

  33. He’s back on Monday.

  34. If msNBC insists on retaining Chris Mathews, move him to an afternoon slot so as not to disrupt the rhythm of the night time sequence. Mathews adds little compared to others, is frequently incorrect, and despite the attempts, knows nothing of history and has little to add to the evening narratives . While William past is unforgveable, he is so good that he should be part of the prime time narrative. Mathews needs to be move to an mid afternoon slot or dropped completely. He adds little.

  35. I love Hardball and Chris Matthews. His talking over guests is part of his charm. Chris must be doing something right because if Hardball is on when my son comes to visit he rants until I turn the sound off. My son hates Chris Matthews. My son is also the only Republican in our family. Chris must be doing something correctly if the other side hates him.

  36. I wish Chris Matthews would stop talking over his guests. It’s one thing to interrupt someone who’s shoveling large piles of manure, but sometimes he’s just inconsiderate.

  37. Don’t EVER get rid of Chris

  38. Get rid of Katy Tur & Chris Matthews. Both are insufferable.

  39. My brother and I look forward to Chris Matthews and his informative and intellectual commentary every night. We have missed him the last 2 weeks. Please, MSNBC, don’t cancel Chris!

  40. I was very disappointed to see Chris Matthews, and not Brian Williams, hosting Hardball. And if Matthews’s well-known narcissism and rudeness isn’t bad enough, he is a rotten interviewer. Typically he asks a question, the guest starts to answer, then Matthews buts in and in his irritating, high-pitched voice, shouts the guest down and answers his own question.

    He usually has interesting guests, whose knowledge exceeds that of the host, and whose opinions are therefore better informed than those of Matthews.

    I simply do not understand how folks like Chris Matthews and, oh by the way, Al Sharpton (but don’t get me started on the mystery of MSNBC’s hiring and retaining of an individual, who struggles with the English language and possesses absolutely no qualifications for the job.)

  41. I would really like to see Brian Williams get a better time slot. He has proven his worth. Also need to remove Chuck Todd from the news all together. Maybe Brian Williams would be a good fit. I turn the channel when Todd is on.
    I also turn the channel when Matthews is on because he is loud & very rude. I hate it when he continually interrupts his guests. He never lets them finish talking before he starts chiming in. I feel sorry for his guests because you can see their frustration with his constant interruptions. He needs to go or put in a different time slot.
    Your worst hosts are Chuck Todd & Chris Matthews. Please do something to improve those time slots.

  42. Is Brian sick? On vacation? It would be nice if MSNBC would announce this info at the top of the broadcast, or anywhere in the broadcast, for that matter

  43. Good riddance to a closet fascist.

  44. Brian William’s is still the very best!

  45. I think Brian Williams is the best newsman, pundit, personality that msnbc has!

    Nobody wants a fox retread!

    Adore Steve kornacki, but feel that Brian Williams should replace Matthews!

    Please…..give Brian Williams another chance or he may go over to cnn…..he’s so much better than argumentative cuomo it’s not even a contest!

  46. I quit recording this time slot because Chris is no longer the Anchor. I looked forward to seeing his show each evening. When or if he was off a day or so, I wouldn’t watch the fill in on that night. Out of ALL the others on NBC/MSNBC WHO HAS LIED And done despicable things, they are still holding their slots. I no longer watch the 6’pm CST slot, I have switched over to CNN. MSNBC, be careful. Nothing could have been so serious to cause your to remove Chris. Each day I check in hoping that just maybe he might be back in his chair!!!

  47. I quit recording this time slot because Chris is no longer the Anchor. I looked forward to seeing his show each evening. When or if he was off a day or so, I wouldn’t watch the fill in on that night. Out of ALL the others on NBC/MSNBC WHO HAVE LIED And done despicable things, they are still holding their slots. I no longer watch the 6’pm CST slot, I have switched over to CNN. MSNBC, be careful. Nothing could have been so serious to cause your to remove Chris. Each day I check in hoping that he might be back in his chair!!!

  48. I love Chris Matthews. I have watched him for years. However he does tend to over talk his guests. They could have worked on that part but he was fair-minded and a great keeper of politics and the history thereof. I do hope Brian Williams gets an earlier slot because I totally enjoy his speaking style, his interview skills and his decorative language, We’ve lost Keith Olberman who would have dissected T/rump’s administration to shreds, and now Chris?! If Brian doesn’t get a better slot, I’m done, I do love A.M. Joy as well. She’s awesome. Morning Joe is like my coffee, a must have!

  49. It has been very disappointing that Chris Matthews is no longer on MSNBC with his show Hardball. I looked forward watching his program every evening during the week .
    Brian is excellent as well and please give him a second chance , he has such a funny sense of humor and I stay up just to watch his show .
    Chuck Todd is overrated and it has come to pass .
    I like Ayman at 3:00 pm and won’t watch as he is not there .

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