PHILADELPHIA — MSNBC is getting a new president and, for now, it’s someone with Pennsylvania roots.

Rashida Jones announced Tuesday morning that she was leaving the cable channel, stepping down as its president after four years in the role. In a note to staffers, Jones said she’d be staying on until March as part of a transition process.

Rebecca Kutler, a Philadelphia native currently serving as the network’s senior vice president of content strategy, will take over as MSNBC’s interim network president. Kutler was recruited to MSNBC from CNN by Jones in 2022. The promotion is effective immediately according to leadership.

Kutler has not publicly commented as of publication time.

Who is Rebecca Kutler?

MSNBC’s new interim president currently serves as a content strategy senior vice president. In that role, she oversees MSNBC’s dayside programming and additional brand content, like podcasts, films, live events, and streaming platforms.

Since joining MSNBC in 2022, Kutler has been praised for leading development and expanding several of MSNBC’s marquee programs, including "Inside with Jen Psaki" and "The Weekend."

According to the network, Kutler, 45, led the launch of the "MSNBC Live" event series which features high-profile interviews, panel discussions, and conversations with MSNBC hosts including Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O’Donnell, and Chris Hayes. She also led the network’s mobile app relaunch and its premium podcast subscription service.

Where is Kutler from?

Before she joined MSNBC, Kutler was born in Pennsylvania, growing up in Philly’s Center City and later, Montgomery County along with other parts of the Northeast. She earned her bachelor’s degree from George Washington University and her master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University, according to her LinkedIn profile.

What’s Kutler’s career history?

The bulk of her career was spent at CNN, with two decades of credentials including producer, executive producer, and later, Vice President of Content Development and Senior Vice President and Head of Programming for CNN+. Kutler helped build CNN’s team of talent which included Abby Phillip, Van Jones, David Axelrod and Laura Coates.

In a 2020 interview with the Columbia Journalism Review, Kutler was hailed as a “pundit czar” for her ability to recruit and court winning contributors.

She’s a mother of three and met her husband when the pair were attending George Washington University together. The family lives in Bethesda, Maryland.

“Rebecca is the ideal leader to guide us through this moment, and I look forward to collaborating with her as we shape our collective future together,” said Mark Lazarus, the incoming CEO of SpinCo (Comcast’s new NBC spinoff company). Lazarus went on to call Kutler a “catalyst for growth” at MSNBC and a “highly respected industry veteran.”

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