Phil Griffin, the president of MSNBC for the past twelve years, will step down shortly after President-elect
Biden's inauguration in January.
Rashida Jones, a senior vice president with a wide portfolio at NBC News and MSNBC, will become president of the network on February 1.
The Wall Street Journal, which broke the news of her appointment, said that Jones will be the first Black person to run a major cable news network.
The transition was announced by NBCUniversal News Group chair
Cesar Conde on Monday afternoon.
"She has an outstanding track-record and she leads with a laser-like focus and grace under pressure. I know she will be an excellent leader for MSNBC," Conde wrote in an internal memo.
Conde said that Griffin came to him shortly after the presidential election and spoke about "his desire to depart at a time of his choosing and when he felt confident about the strength of the network he loves."
Transitions in Washington, D.C. often lead to turnover in the news business as well.
Griffin, 64, "has many interests and passions outside news -- and he is energized right now by the prospect of being able to participate in them professionally," Conde said in his memo.
November was MSNBC's most-watched month in its 24-year history. But the channel finds itself in a challenging competitive landscape at the end of President Trump's time in office. In November the channel still ranked third in cable news behind CNN and Fox News, since cable news viewership was up across the board during the election period.
