MSNBC president Rebecca Kutler has been diagnosed with breast cancer and will be taking a short leave from the network for a few weeks, the network said, according to multiple reports. Kutler, 46, shared her breast cancer diagnosis with MSNBC employees during an editorial call on Wednesday morning.
Kutler, who took the helm in February after Rashida Jones' exit, told her colleagues that her doctors have given her an encouraging outlook, and she expects to be away from work for only a few weeks. The mother of three had already informed NBCUniversal leaders, MSNBC executives, and some of the network's top anchors about her condition before making the wider announcement.
Unexpected Diagnosis
Kutler, who is expected to undergo surgery next month, encouraged her team to prioritize their own health, even while managing the pressures of an intense news cycle, according to reporter Brian Stelter. MSNBC declined to comment further on her situation.
Kutler took on the role of president during a pivotal moment for the network, which has been navigating challenges amid Comcast's $7 billion plan to spin off its cable assets. Under this restructuring, MSNBC — along with other Comcast-owned channels like CNBC, the Golf Channel, and SportsEngine — will become part of a new company called Versant.
The new company, Versant, will be led by NBCUniversal executive Mark Lazarus, with the transition expected to wrap up by the end of the year.
For Kutler, one of the biggest tasks ahead will be strengthening MSNBC's own reporting resources, as the network will no longer be able to depend on NBC News for coverage once the split is finalized.
As part of the rebrand, MSNBC will adopt a new name — MS NOW, which stands for My Source News Opinion World. The network's familiar rainbow peacock logo will also be replaced with a fresh design featuring a blue background and a red-and-white striped flag.
An Illustrious Career
Kutler joined MSNBC in 2022 after spending 12 years at CNN, where she worked her way up from executive producer on programs like Inside Politics with John King to senior vice president. She later took charge of programming for CNN's short-lived streaming service, CNN+, before it was shut down that same year.
Kutler initially took over on an interim basis AFTER former MSNBC president Rashida Jones stepped down in January following a four-year tenure. Her leadership was made permanent the following month.
Since taking the helm, Kutler has begun reshaping the network's programming strategy — a move that included letting go of left-leaning host Joy Reid and canceling her show as part of a broader effort to refresh MSNBC's lineup.
"Since joining the network, Rebecca has played a pivotal role in the development of many of the network's recent program launches, has been a driving force behind MSNBC's nonlinear growth and strategic investments, and has introduced new and innovative audience-focused products," Lazarus wrote in a memo to employees in February.
At the time, Kutler told her team that the year ahead would bring "a really exciting but also challenging" period for the network, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
"I think it's important that we as leaders are honest about that and about the challenges ahead. Our jobs are hard on a normal day, and these are not normal times," she continued.
