(Julianna Frieman, Headline USA) Billionaire Elon Musk weighed in on calls for him to buy struggling leftist news channel MSNBC, prompting an explosion of discussion on social media Friday.
Comcast, the parent company of NBCUniversal, announced Wednesday that MSNBC, the home of Trump-bashing hosts like Rachel Maddow, Joy Reid and Joe Scarborough, will be separated from NBC News and offloaded into a new company.
Donald Trump Jr. raised awareness to Musk Friday about MSNBC on the market by suggesting Musk buys the cable news channel the same way he took over Twitter, which he eventually rebranded as X. The president-elect’s son wrote, “Hey @elonmusk I have the funniest idea ever!!!”
How much does it cost?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 22, 2024
Musk asked Trump Jr. how much buying MSNBC would cost, harking back to the interaction that catapulted his acquisition of Twitter in 2022.
Round 2. pic.twitter.com/CL9slnBH0b
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) November 22, 2024
Several X users took aim at MSNBC’s declining value, including former Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake, who called the network “nearly worthless.” On Nov. 13, MSNBC plummeted to an average of only 599,000 total viewers — its smallest audience since June 26, 2016, according to Fox News, which averaged 2.3 million viewers on the same day.
It can’t be much—nearly worthless. They’ve run it into the ground.
Buy it cheap and build it into a Media Behemoth.
— Kari Lake (@KariLake) November 23, 2024
Podcaster Tim Pool suggested Infowars host Alex Jones become a host on what many called the prospective “MXNBC.” Left-wing satirical website The Onion recently won the bankruptcy auction to buy Jones’s media empire, allowing the families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims to collect more than $1 billion in defamation judgements.
Alex jones hosting would be the most entertaining outcome
— Tim Pool (@Timcast) November 22, 2024
Megyn Kelly egged Musk on, writing, “Omg DO IT.”
Omg DO IT https://t.co/W17VpZBNBo
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) November 22, 2024
Musk reposted his interaction with President-elect Donald Trump’s son for his 205.7 million followers to see.
“The most entertaining outcome, especially if ironic, is most likely,” Musk wrote.
The most entertaining outcome, especially if ironic, is most likely 😂 https://t.co/YX2EznXfoF
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 22, 2024
Popular podcaster Joe Rogan threw his support behind Musk’s potential bid for the leftist network, saying he would impersonate Maddow and take over her time slot.
“If you buy MSNBC I would like Rachael Maddow’s job,” Rogan wrote. “I will wear the same outfit and glasses, and I will tell the same lies.”
If you buy MSNBC I would like Rachael Maddow’s job. I will wear the same outfit and glasses, and I will tell the same lies.
— Joe Rogan (@joerogan) November 22, 2024
Donald Trump Jr. called dibs on imitating MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell — but said “the castration” is “a bridge too far.”
Ok @elonmusk & @joerogan. Since this is getting interesting I’ll throw my hat in the ring as well. I’ll mimic Lawrence O’Donnell… minus the castration of course. That’s a bridge too far. https://t.co/nYUQTYJKdn
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) November 23, 2024
Several social media users celebrated the idea of conservative personalities usurping MSNBC’s leftist kingdom, such as commentator Ashley St. Clair, who constructed her own host lineup.
Elon Musk buys MSNBC
Joe Rogan opens for Rachel Maddow’s old spot to christen the new Media
Megyn Kelly takes a prime time slot
Scott Jennings given free rein to clown everybody
A version of The View without the rabies
The Babylon Bee makes their own late night show
— Ashley St. Clair (@stclairashley) November 23, 2024
“Elon Musk buys MSNBC. Joe Rogan opens for Rachel Maddow’s old spot to christen the new Media. Megyn Kelly takes a prime time slot. Scott Jennings given free rein to clown everybody. A version of The View without the rabies. The Babylon Bee makes their own late night show,” she wrote.
Julianna Frieman is a freelance writer published by the Daily Caller, Headline USA, The Federalist, and The American Spectator. Follow her on Twitter at @JuliannaFrieman.
