Joy-Ann Reid isn’t slowing down after leaving MSNBC. The Emmy-nominated journalist has already launched her own production company and built a thriving YouTube presence. Her new venture, The Joy Reid Show, has attracted over 300,000 subscribers in just a few months.
This marks an exciting new chapter for Reid. For the first time in her celebrated career, she’s calling all the shots.
From MSNBC’s The ReidOut to Independent Media Success
MSNBC canceled Reid’s primetime show, The ReidOut, in February 2025. The announcement came while she was celebrating two NAACP Image Award wins. The news brought disappointment to Reid, her colleagues, and her devoted fans.
However, Reid hasn’t missed a beat since her departure. She and her husband launched Image Lab Media, their own production company. Both are longtime media professionals who decided to build something together.
The timing turned out to be perfect. “I can’t imagine having to be at one of these major media companies right now,” Reid explained. She noted that mainstream outlets are “all capitulating and falling like dominoes to the current administration.”
Joy-Ann Reid’s YouTube Strategy Reaches Digital Audiences
Reid’s new show offers in-depth programming completely free on YouTube. She also packages her content for TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms. “You want to be able to meet them where they are,” she said.
The strategy is working remarkably well. Her YouTube channel gained 300,000 subscribers within months of launch. The rapid growth proves her audience followed her beyond traditional television.
Reid maintains her commitment to quality journalism across all platforms. “I’m giving you trusted, factual, researched information,” she promised viewers. No matter how people consume her content, the standards remain the same.
Building a Portable Brand in Modern Media
Reid emphasized the importance of owning your personal brand. “It’s really important not just to do your job in media, but to build your brand,” she advised aspiring journalists. She held onto her social media presence even when employers discouraged it.
This strategy proved essential for her transition to independence. “You have to have a brand that’s portable,” she explained. The brand you build at work belongs to you, not your employer.
Now Reid channels all her resources into her own company. “Rather than using them to benefit a corporation, I’m using them to benefit my own corporation,” she said. The company belongs to her and her husband—her business partner in every sense.
From News Junkie Family to Emmy-Nominated Journalist
Reid’s mother shaped her passion for current events from childhood. The six o’clock news was appointment viewing in their household. They followed it with Nightline and spent Sunday mornings watching The McLaughlin Group and Meet the Press.
“We were just news people,” Reid recalled. Her father, who was from Congo but lived in South Africa during apartheid, also influenced her worldview. “My parents were very informed about the world. They were citizens of the world.”
Her mother set a powerful example of resilience too. After her parents separated, “she didn’t miss a beat,” Reid said. She earned her PhD, raised three kids as a single mom, and balanced teaching with working as a dietitian.
The Amateur Pundit Blog That Changed Everything
Reid paid her dues in local TV news, talk radio, digital media, and newspapers. The work was demanding and the pay modest. She often juggled multiple jobs and pulled double shifts.
During this time, she ran a blog called the Amateur Pundit. “I was just doing it for fun because I had thoughts and feelings about everything that was happening,” she explained. The blog had only 400 readers.
That small audience included the assistant news director at NBC’s Miami affiliate. He called her in for an interview after she sent her resume. He hired her that same day as a digital editor.
Working on Obama’s Historic Presidential Campaign
Reid joined Barack Obama’s presidential campaign team. She helped him achieve a landmark victory as America’s first Black president. Suddenly, campaign staffers found themselves in high demand.
“Everyone wanted to talk to us, everyone wanted to interview us,” Reid remembered. The exposure opened new doors quickly. “Suddenly, I was a pundit on CNBC and then MSNBC.”
The experience taught her valuable lessons. Quality matters more than quantity in building an audience. “It’s not how many people are reading it, it’s who’s reading it,” she noted.
The Joy Reid Show Features Powerhouse Political Guests
Reid continues hosting thought-provoking discussions on her independent platform. Her guest list includes former Vice President Kamala Harris and Senator Elizabeth Warren. NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has also appeared on the show.
The programming maintains her signature style of unapologetic commentary. She remains committed to speaking truth to power and standing up for justice. Her loyal audience appreciates her refusal to compromise her values.
Reid also offers crucial advice for emerging journalists. “Do your best at your day job that’s paying your bills,” she said. “But also find time to do something that makes you happy, that gives you joy.”
Adapting to the Ever-Changing Media Landscape
The media industry continues evolving at a rapid pace. Reid understands that survival requires flexibility and innovation. “You have to be adaptable if you’re gonna be in the media business,” she warned.
Her MSNBC departure ultimately became a blessing in disguise. She no longer faces pressure to “appease the president” or navigate corporate politics. She’s relieved to avoid those compromises.
Instead, Reid charts her own course in this new chapter. She leverages decades of experience and an established brand to enrich public discourse. Most importantly, she does it all on her own terms.
