Tiffany Cross Speaks Out About MSNBC Show’s Cancellation: ‘I Am Disheartened’
Former MSNBC host Tiffany Cross says she’s “disheartened” that the cable news channel canceled her Saturday commentary show, The Cross Connection, but she assured followers that her work is not done.
“I am disheartened to learn of MSNBC’s decision to cancel The Cross Connection, at such a crucial time — four days before the midterm elections,” Cross wrote in a statement she shared on Twitter on Friday, November 4. “From the beginning, we were intentional about centering communities of color, elevating issues and voices often ignored by the mainstream media, and disrupting the echo chambers. As a result, viewers consistently made The Cross Connection MSNBC’s highest rated weekend show.”
On Friday, it was announced that MSNBC chose to sever ties with Cross instead of renewing her contract, adding that her production staff found out about the Cross Connection cancellation that morning. Sources told Variety that executives thought some of Cross’ commentary fell short of MSNBC and NBC News standards and that they had concerns about Cross’ statements about hosts at other cable news networks.
“Fresh off the heels of a ‘racial reckoning,’ as so many have called it, we see that with progress there is always backlash. Now is not the time to retreat to politics or journalism as usual,” Cross wrote in her statement.
Acknowledging her surprise that her MSNBC journey ended abruptly, Cross also said that her work “is not done.”
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— @tiffanydcross (@TiffanyDCross) November 5, 2022
“Political violence is increasing, and it’s becoming inherently more dangerous to speak the truth,” the former BET Washington bureau chief wrote. “But, after more than 20 years in journalism, I will not stop. The attacks on me from other outlets and former hosts will never control my narrative.”
At the end of her statement, Cross thanked her community and fans as well as her “more than 4.6 million months viewers” and vowed to see her fans soon.
MSNBC’s decision to nix The Cross Connection isn’t the only recent shakeup in cable news. CNBC, another channel under the aegis of NBCUniversal, announced on Thursday, November 3, that Shepard Smith will leave the network when his now-canceled show The News With Shepard Smith ends this month. And in August, Brian Stelter announced he’d be leaving CNN following the cable network’s decision to end his show Reliable Sources.
