Jon Stewart Blasts MSNBC & Says it Needs to Be More Like Fox News

Jon Stewart thinks MSNBC needs to take a page out of the Fox News playbook. The Daily Show host argued this during the latest episode of his podcast The Weekly Show. It came up during a discussion with guest Jen Psaki, a former press secretary for President Joe Biden who now has her own MSNBC show. Their conversion centered on the intersection between media and politics. 

Stewart spoke about the aggressive lengths Fox News executives went to help get President Donald Trump back in office. Where the right succeeded is in his eyes where the left failed in efforts to get Kamala Harris elected.  “This is absolutely corrupt, but this is how the f—ing world works,” were strong words laid down by Stewart, who acknowledged Fox News’ success and influence. 

“They’ve certainly created a machine, and nobody is building that machine [on the left] as far as I can tell,’ Stewart said of the difference between the two networks. Stewart used the opportunity of having someone on the MSNBC payroll to gain insight on the inner-workings at the news organization. He asked if the people there come to her to provide their opinion on what they think is “important to preserve and fight for.” 

Psaki revealed the hosts determine “here’s what I’m going to cover today, and here’s what I’m going to talk about, and here’s what I think is important.” She continued, ‘There is an independence-ish of that, and…you’re not waiting to be told what to say about anything. You’re going to say what you think.”

She then turned the tables on him asking Stewart what MSNBC should do as they find their footing in this new MAGA administration. The opinionated host called for a more cohesive message among the programming.  

The two did come together when Fox News under the late Roger Ailes emerged a mouthpiece for the Republican party.  That said, Stewart made sure to clarify he didn’t think MSNBC should be that for the Democratic Party. He explained, “it should be a check on the excesses. It should be muckraking in the best sense of the word. But effective muckraking needs organization and a leader. And it can’t just be left to everybody’s random show.”

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Stewart did not hold back and went in with a criticism where he found the shows “wildly redundant and to not really have a macro view.” He added, ‘I think it can stand for something more coherent and be more effective in its execution of that by doing so.’ He found the only way to turn the tide for the “progressive” is to better organize their think tanks and media apparatus. 

Psaki began hosting Inside with Jen Psaki in March 2023. She has also served as a contributor for CNN for a few years prior. Along with Biden, Psaki worked under President Barack Obama. 

What did you think of Stewart’s thoughts on MSNBC? Let us know in the comments section, below.