Ali Velshi Joins MSNBC

By Mark Joyella 

CNN and Al Jazeera America veteran Ali Velshi is joining MSNBC, starting Wednesday.

“Ali’s sharp economic analysis will be a valuable asset to MSNBC as we dig deeper into every angle of the news and build on our ratings momentum in all dayparts,” said MSNBC president Phil Griffin in an internal memo announcing the hire. “He will join our strong bench of talented journalists and report to Janelle Rodriguez.”

Velshi left CNN in 2013 after 12 years, joining the startup Al Jazeera America as host of his own prime time business show.

Advertisement

AJAM’s struggles led the network to end operations in April. Velshi said despite the failure didn’t change the way he felt about leaving CNN. “Knowing what I know now–about the management struggles that would ensue, about the layoffs, about languishing in relative ratings obscurity, about facing challenges from critics who judged our book by its cover–I’d make exactly the same decision,” he said.

Here’s the full memo:

Team,

I’m pleased to announce Ali Velshi joins MSNBC beginning tomorrow.

Ali brings a unique mix of experience and perspective on both domestic and international issues. He was most recently a primetime anchor at Al Jazeera America and previously had a long career with CNN as an anchor and chief business correspondent.

Ali made a name for himself covering tragic events in Pakistan and Turkey, the debt crisis in Greece, and the impact of devastating hurricanes here at home. He has earned a first-rate reputation as a business expert through his reporting on the 2008 financial crisis, the U.S. government’s bailout plan, the automobile industry, and the debt ceiling and budget debates.

Ali’s sharp economic analysis will be a valuable asset to MSNBC as we dig deeper into every angle of the news and build on our ratings momentum in all dayparts. He will join our strong bench of talented journalists and report to Janelle Rodriguez.

Please join me in giving Ali a warm welcome to MSNBC.

Phil

Advertisement