Veteran political reporter Andrea Mitchell announced that she will leave her namesake MSNBC show after the inauguration, but will remain as a correspondent at NBC News.
Mitchell, who held the anchor chair at the left-leaning network for nearly two decades, will continue in her role as NBC News’ chief foreign affairs correspondent and chief Washington reporter.
The anchor — who turns 78 on Wednesday — broke the news to viewers on MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports” on Tuesday.
“And after sixteen years in the anchor chair every day, I want time to do more of what I love most: more connecting, listening and reporting on the ground,” Mitchell said. “Especially since whoever is elected next week will take on the monumental task of dealing with two foreign wars and political divisions here at home.”
She continued: “So after the inauguration next January — I’ve been looking for the opportunity to continue covering those stories, but from a different perspective — still with NBC News and on MSNBC, and still as the Washington chief and foreign affairs correspondent. Just not on a daily show schedule.”
Launched in 2008, Mitchell’s MSNBC show has been the network’s longest-running daytime show. The network has not announced what will replace the show.
In the third quarter, “Andrea Mitchell Reports” averaged 753,000 viewers, trailing Fox News’ “Outnumbered” overall but ahead of CNN’s “Inside Politics,” according to Nielsen.
The move comes as television networks are beefing up their anchor lineups and talent salaries amid shrinking budgets.
At CBS News, Norah O’Donnell will step down as anchor on “The Evening News” after the election and move into the role of correspondent. Meanwhile at CNN, Jake Tapper and Wolf Blitzer were reportedly denied raises, while Chris Wallace was asked to take a pay cut.
Media insiders told The Post that more changes are expected after the election.
Mitchell, who joined the Peacock network in 1978, has covered every presidential campaign for NBC News since 1980. According to Deadline, she has also covered every political convention since 1972, as well as seven presidential administrations.
The reporter told viewers “come next year, you’ll still see me in your living rooms, on your mobile devices and on other platforms — and maybe even in your hometowns and cities, still asking questions to get the answers you deserve “.
In a note to staff, NBCUniversal executives Rashida Jones, Rebecca Blumenstein, Janelle Rodriguez and Libby Leist wrote: “Andrea remains one of the nation’s leading and most trusted experts on foreign and domestic policy. Her deep sourcing and ability to land interviews with the biggest names in news is unmatched. Her contributions to NBC News over the past 46 years have been invaluable to the network, and we are so pleased that she will remain an essential part of the News Group for years to come.
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