Don't expect Rachel Maddow to leave MSNBC

Mediaite

"Rachel Maddow is going nowhere," Joe DePaolo says in response to The Daily Beast's report that Maddow is seriously considering leaving MSNBC when her contract expires early next year. Why? Because she wants the largest platform possible ahead of 2022 and 2024. "Maddow, undoubtedly, understands the stakes of the 2022 midterms, and the 2024 presidential race," says DePaolo. "With new voter laws making their way through Republican-controlled state legislatures across the country, a run of red in the next two elections could set the Left back for decades. Maddow wants to prevent that at all costs. The best way for her to do that is by going on MSNBC at 9 p.m. every night. Sure, Maddow is big enough that much of her audience would follow her wherever she goes. But she also figures prominently in MSNBC’s widely-watched breaking politics and election coverage. If she’s not aligned with a major cable or broadcast network, her words won’t often reach those viewers who aren’t her fans. And that’s the segment of the marketplace she’d truly love to capture ahead of these next two crucial votes." DePaolo also notes that Maddow has MSNBC "over a barrel" in negotiations because it doesn't have an obvious successor for her. Plus, she's got the toughest agent in her corner. "After years with Napoli Management Group, the MSNBC star made a shakeup to her representation ahead of her talks with the network," says DePaolo. "As revealed in the Beast report, Maddow enlisted Hollywood heavy hitters Ari Emanuel and Mark Shapiro of Endeavor to handle her next move. One does not call upon a power player like Ari Emanuel to broker an agreement with a non-traditional outlet. It’s a considerable waste of Emanuel’s talents. Hiring Ari Emanuel to negotiate your podcast deal is like hiring Tiger Woods to teach you mini golf. You just wouldn’t do it."