“It’s Ari Emanuel’s Network Now”

Ari Emanuel in 2010
Photo by Bobby Bank/WireImage
Dylan Byers
January 28, 2022

Never underestimate the power of a well-timed leak. Late Wednesday night, Axios scooped that MSNBC‘s 9 a.m. host Stephanie Ruhle would be taking over Brian Williams‘ former chair at The 11th Hour. It was a notable and well-deserved accomplishment for Ruhle, a rare talent and generous colleague who will undoubtedly thrive in her new perch. But the headlines about Ruhle’s promotion arguably obscured the more remarkable news: Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski had succeeded in convincing Jeff Shell to give Morning Joe yet another hour of real estate on the network. Scarborough & Co. now own 25 hours per week, or more than 25 percent of the entire MSNBC weekday lineup.