New Maddow, MSNBC Deal Includes Production Projects

Rachel Maddow, MSNBC’s highly rated host, has signed a new deal that will keep her at the network for the next several years, according to the Wall Street Journal citing people familiar with the matter.

The deal ensures that Ms. Maddow—host of “The Rachel Maddow Show” and a linchpin of MSNBC’s prime-time lineup—will remain at Comcast Corp.’s NBCUniversal News Group as it ramps up its video-streaming efforts.

Maddow, whose show airs weeknights on MSNBC, will continue to host her show on weekdays.

As part of the deal, Maddow will develop a variety of projects in a new partnership with NBCUniversal, the people said, though the details are still being finalized.

There are reports agreement also means that she will continue to host "The Rachel Maddow Show" weeknights at 9pm ET for the time being. But that's not the long-term plan. The five-day-a-week show will come to an end sometime next year as Maddow shifts gears to more of a weekly format.

The deal comes after speculation that Ms. Maddow might not renew her contract. Earlier this month, the Daily Beast reported that Ms. Maddow, 48, was seriously considering leaving the network and starting her own media company.

The renewal is key to maintaining viewership for MSNBC’s programming schedule, where Ms. Maddow’s show is a staple. “The Rachel Maddow Show” outperformed “Cuomo Prime Time,” its 9 p.m. time-slot competitor on CNN in July but lagged behind “Hannity” on Fox News, according to Nielsen data.

In addition to hosting her nightly show, Maddow has co-anchored NBC’s election-night coverage and served as a debate moderator in the run-up to the 2020 Presidential Election.