She’s back and better than ever!
When Joy-Ann Reid signed off from her primetime perch at MSNBC in February, she did so not with a goodbye, but with a promise: “We are not going to stop.” And she meant it.
After being ousted in a network shakeup, the pioneering journalist and sharp-tongued truth-teller is taking her voice and vision into her own hands. On June 9th, Reid will launch “The Joy Reid Show,” a brand-new podcast and YouTube series created and produced through her own media company, Image Lab Media Group, Variety reports. Co-founded with her husband, former Discovery Networks editor Jason Reid, the venture is more than just a comeback, it’s a declaration of independence.
Broadcasting three days a week — Monday, Wednesday, and Friday — from Washington, D.C., Reid’s new platform promises to be unfiltered, unapologetic, and deeply rooted in the very essence that made her a household name. The debut episode will feature none other than comedian Amber Ruffin and former South African ambassador to the U.S. Ebrahim Rasool, signaling the show’s blend of culture, commentary, and global perspective.
“This podcast gives me the space to be all of me — smart, skeptical, curious, joyful, and sometimes just plain fired up,” Reid shared via a statement. “It’s a platform where I can unpack the headlines, sit with brilliant thinkers, challenge power, and also just vibe with the culture. ‘The Joy Reid Show’ is where real conversations happen — without the limits of traditional TV. I’m excited to go deeper, laugh louder, and speak more freely than ever before.”
The show will begin with two days focused on analysis and interviews with newsmakers, while Fridays will be dedicated to a more casual and interactive freestyle session, a chance for Reid to connect with her ever-growing base of supporters, including her 160,000+ Substack subscribers.
Reid’s next chapter emerges at a time when major networks are watching their brightest stars break free. From Don Lemon to Mehdi Hasan, former anchors are staking claims in the creator economy, carving out independent spaces that invite loyal audiences to follow them wherever they go. Reid’s move echoes a cultural shift: power is no longer just in the building, it’s in the people.
While MSNBC continues to explore digital media under new leadership, Joy Reid is already there, leading, creating, and expanding. And she’s not slowing down. Plans are already underway to scale the show to five days a week and to roll out original documentaries through Image Lab Media Group.
Reid has always been a voice that challenged systems and elevated our stories. Now, with full creative control and a vision all her own, she’s building something that can’t be cancelled, because it’s rooted in truth, community, and the courage to speak both boldly and unapologetically Black.
She’s not just reclaiming her mic, she’s redefining the platform.
Cover photo: Joy-Ann Reid Returns to the Mic With New Podcast “The Joy Reid Show”/Photo credit: Getty Images/Essence
