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JOY REID

Philadelphia mayor blasts double standard in policing of Black and White protesters

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, reacting to the violence on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, drew a stark contrast between how government and police respond to demonstrations held by Black protesters and White protesters. Those demonstrations against police brutality often included standoffs with riot police, the presence of U.S. National Guard members and counter-protesters. In one incident in June, armed members of the D.C. National Guard wearing camouflage were staged at the Lincoln Memorial during a peaceful protest against police brutality. Mike Theiler | ReutersRioters had already occupied the Capitol building, delaying the electoral count for hours, before D.C. National Guard was sent to help secure the campus. US President Donald Trumps supporters gather outside the Capitol building in Washington D.C., United States on January 06, 2021.

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Conventions highlight aggressive fact-check efforts

Both Maddow and CNN's Daniel Dale aired lightning-round fact-checks following President Donald Trump's acceptance speech on Thursday night. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File)NEW YORK Rachel Maddow ended her fact-check mission with a lightning round after President Donald Trump's nomination acceptance speech 12 corrections in about a minute. You can't win.Some of the efforts also stretch the definition of fact-checking, like when MSNBC interviewed Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan after a convention speech where South Dakota Gov. There he goes, lying again, anchor Sean Hannity said in cutting off a speech by former President Bill Clinton. Maddow's anchor colleague, Joy Reid, said as the convention's third night was coming to a close that she saw why it was necessary.

Democrats hope unconventional travelogue entices viewers

(Democratic National Convention via AP)NEW YORK An unexpected travelogue connected as a television event during the second night of the Democrats' virtual convention, livening up a show that so far is struggling in the ratings. Four years ago, opening night drew just under 26 million viewers. NBC's telecast drew 2.28 million viewers, down from 4.29 million four years ago, Nielsen said. The left-leaning MSNBC, where Rachel Maddow, Joy Reid and Nicolle Wallace were anchors, led the way Monday with 5.1 million viewers, up from four years ago. Fox News Channel's audience was unimpressed; the 2.1 million viewers it reached for its hour of convention coverage compared poorly with the 3.4 million viewers that time slot occupant Laura Ingraham had on an average July day.

TV's unconventional night capped by raves for Michelle Obama

(Scott Olson/Pool via AP)NEW YORK After a night in which television struggled to keep up with the Democrats' virtual convention, networks were rewarded with the most traditional of political events a powerful speech. This will not be like any convention we have seen before, ever, CNNs Anderson Cooper said at the opening of his networks coverage. Segments spent on broadcast networks previewing speeches by Obama and Sanders seemed like time-wasters when there were other things to show. Wallace's colleague, Dana Perino, stumbled into an unfortunate word choice in an effort to convey enthusiasm for Obama's address. Four years ago, when Hillary Clinton was nominated, 25 million people tuned in to the first night.

Coronavirus upends conventions, changes TV coverage

LOS ANGELES The Democratic and Republican conventions will lack for crowds but not television coverage. The Democratic meeting will be virtual, with Biden planning to make his acceptance speech from Wilmington, Delaware. Broadcast networks ABC, CBS and NBC plan an hour of nightly coverage of the conventions at 10 p.m. EDT. CNN's commentators for the Democratic meeting include Van Jones, Jennifer Granholm, Andrew Yang, and Scott Jennings. Commentary for the Republican convention will be handled by Rick Santorum, David Urban, Amanda Carpenter and Granholm.

MSNBC appoints Joy Reid as Chris Matthews' replacement

FILE - In this April 20, 2018 file photo, Joy Reid attends the Tribeca TV screening of "Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story" during the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival in New York. MSNBC has picked Reid to fill the 7 p.m. hour that was vacated by longtime host Chris Matthews in early March. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK MSNBC says Joy Reid will move into the early evening time slot vacated in March by former Hardball host Chris Matthew's retirement in March. I'm honored and thankful for this opportunity, Reid said in a statement. Matthews retired on-air in early March following a series of gaffes and an article written by journalist Laura Basset that accused him of making inappropriate comments to her and other women who were on his show.

NBC News sets goal of a workforce that is half mnority

NEW YORK NBC News leader Cesar Conde, in one of his first public acts in the job, has committed to building a workforce at the news organizations he supervises where at least half of the employees are minorities. Conde set no deadline for achieving his 50 Percent Initiative.He also wants women to comprise half the employees at NBC News, MSNBC and CNBC, and he's already nearly there. The plan, first reported by the Los Angeles Times, makes Conde a leader in the current movement to diversify the news business. Given where NBC currently stands, particularly with Black employees, Truong said she understands why the initiative has no deadline and is glad that progress will be checked regularly. What I would like to hear is whether other people at NBC are committed to this moving forward, she said.