By Kimberly Wilson ·December 8, 2020December 8, 2020
Black women are making moves in news — both on and off the camera.
And while it may come as no surprise that the dedication and hard-work of Black women is finally paying off, the road to the top of news television is no easy feat. That’s what makes the milestones that much sweeter. Current SVP of special news at NBC and MSNBC, Rashida Jones, for instance, was recently announced as the highest-ranking Black executive in cable television — and the first Black woman to run a major cable news network when she takes over as president of MSNBC in February. But she’s not the only one making power moves in major networks across the country.
Below are a few of the women working to amplify the stories that matter the most for the Black community, and looking fly on (and off) camera when doing so!
01Joy ReidJoy Reid became the Black woman to host a primetime talk show on a major network when she took over Chris Matthews’ 7 p.m. MSNBC weeknight slot this summer with The ReidOut. 
02Abby PhillipAbby Phillip is a White House correspondent with CNN. Prior to this role, she was a national political reporter covering the White House for The Washington Post. The anchor has been praised for her poised presence during CNN’s election coverage and hard-hitting news coverage. 
03Rashida JonesRashida Jones was recently named president of MSNBC, becoming the first Black leader of a news network. Prior to her title of “Madam President,” Jones was the senior vice president of special news across NBC and MSNBC, and is taking over for the longtime President Phil Griffin starting in February. 
04Tiffany CrossTiffany Cross frequently offers critical political analysis on MSNBC, CNN and SiriusXM, and is finally getting her big break. The political analyst and former resident fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics, will anchor MSNBC on Saturdays between 10 a.m. and noon, sharing the weekend hosting duties formerly held by Joy Reid’s AM Joy. Last summer she released the book, Say It Louder! Black Voters, White Narratives and Saving Our Democracy. 
05Kristen WelkerKristen Welker has been a household name for quite some time now, but her selection as moderator of the final presidential debate on between President Donald Trump and then Democratic nominee Joe Biden has skyrocketed her to the forefront of the most recent election cycle. The TV journalist is a NBC News White House correspondent and co-anchor of Weekend Today. 
06Yamiche AlcindorYamiche Alcindor is the White House correspondent for the PBS NewsHour, a role she began in January 2018. She also contributes political content to NBC News and MSNBC. The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) awarded her with its 2020 “Journalist of the Year” honor. 
07Zerlina MaxwellNBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service added some #BlackGirlMagic to its recent programming slate with Zerlina, hosted by Zerlina Maxwell, appearing at 6 p.m. ET. She is the head of progressive programming for SiriusXM, co-host of the SiriusXM show Signal Boost and a regular contributor to MSNBC. Her recent book, The End of White Politics: How to Heal our Liberal Divide, was released in May. 
08Brittany Packnett CunninghamBrittany Packnett Cunningham is an MSNBC contributor, 2020 Fellow at Harvard’s Institute of Politics, and former co-host of “Pod Save the People.” She also hosts a new weekly podcast for The Meteor called Undistracted. 
09Ayesha RascoeAyesha Rascoe is a White House reporter for NPR. In her current role, she covers breaking news and policy developments from the White House. Prior to joining NPR, she covered the White House for Reuters, chronicling President Barack Obama’s final year in office and the beginning days of the Trump administration. 
TOPICS: Black News brittany packnett Joy Reid
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