MSNBC grabbed one of the top executives from rival CNN on Tuesday, with the cable network hiring Marcus Mabry to be its new senior vice president of content strategy.
Mabry joins MSNBC as new president Rebecca Kutler looks to bolster the cable channel’s digital team, while at the same time helping MSNBC prepare for life after it splits with NBC News later this year. Kutler, in a memo to staff, said he will be “responsible for how MSNBC connects and builds community with non-linear audiences.”
The media veteran joins MSNBC after eight years at CNN, where he was the network’s senior VP of digital editorial and programming for the final three years of his stint; prior to that, he worked at Twitter and The New York Times.
Mabry, Kutler said in her memo, “will lead the development of new, innovative consumer experiences for MSNBC, including identifying new revenue streams for the network, and will oversee the network’s growing direct-to-consumer, subscription and premium businesses.”
He joins MSNBC months after Kutler was named the new president. The channel’s ratings took a big hit following the 2024 election, but rebounded a good amount following President Trump’s inauguration, as viewers looked to see what anchors like Rachel Maddow had to say about Trump’s return to office. Still, MSNBC’s primetime ratings were down 10% during the first quarter when compared to last year.
Kutler said Mabry is joining the channel at a “pivotal moment” for MSNBC as it is enjoying “across-the-board growth in non-linear spaces.” She added Mabry is a lifetime member of the NABJ and co-founded the organization’s LGBTQ+ Task Force.
Mabry comes aboard as MSNBC is preparing to separate from NBC News, as part of parent company Comcast spinning off its cable networks. On that front, MSNBC last week hired Sudeep Reddy, Politico’s senior managing editor for the past eight years, to spearhead its new Washington, D.C., news bureau.
