After a four year run at MSNBC, Al Sharpton is moving. Okay, it's a figurative move in some respects. MSNBC is moving Sharpton's weekday show, Politics Nation, from its 6pm ET weekday time slot to a Sunday morning 8am ET time slot. It's sort of like moving from an office in the executive suite of offices to a room next to the janitor's storage and supply room. You're still in the building, but the view is definitely diminished.
Sharpton's last weekday show will be on September 4th. Sharpton's new cable slot will begin on October 4th, an interesting delay. This is either a rebirth or reinvention of Sharpton at MSNBC or the last step to show Sharpton the door after the 2016 election or sooner. Sharpton has personally had a good run, but his ratings numbers have never been good and have only gotten worse over time as the blush has definitely worn off the black rose.
What's been interesting with Sharpton is that MSNBC has allowed Sharpton air time while Rev. Al has also been a very strident activist on black issues from Ferguson, MO, to Baltimore, MD, to Charleston, SC, to #BlackLivesMatter and every other demonstration and issue in between. I can't remember a news network ever allowing an on air host of a supposed news program to actively pursue a partisan political agenda. MSNBC should have amended its logo to include a reference to the Democratic National Committee as their media and public relations consultant.
For reader amusement, the latest cable news ratings breakdown can be seen here.
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