Top of the Ticker: CNN’s Saturday morning program First of All with Victor Blackwell celebrated its 100th episode this past weekend. To mark the occasion, the staffers of the weekly show, which is also available via podcast, treated themselves to a celebratory cake.
Launched in 2024, First of All covers national headlines affecting communities of color, with some of the subjects recently covered including Anti-ICE protests, a racist video posted on Donald Trump’s social media page depicting the Obamas as apes, environmental justice in Alabama, and disappearing DEI initiatives.
Blackwell, on the show’s milestone, said, “Every week, the news cycle reaffirms why an hour that focuses on communities of color is necessary.” He added, “I think what we do best is find the unique angles and approaches to the big stories everyone is talking about—and elevate the stories and voices that should be part of the national conversation.“
First of All’s executive producer, Sidney Wright IV, said, “When so much of the conversation focuses on the loudest voices, this show speaks to those communities that aren’t being heard. I believe that’s our biggest strength. Communities of color are impacted just as much as everyone else. We try to find voices in those communities and give them a chance to weigh in on the conversation.”
From left to right: Seated Sidney Wright IV, EP, Victor Blackwell, Darian Billington, Editorial Producer, and Hyan de Freitas, Senior Producer.
Job cuts: CNBC this week laid off less than a dozen personnel as part of a reorganization that brings together its digital and TV news operations.
“The changes made today are to align CNBC’s newsroom structure for the future. They are not driven by cost-cutting,” said a CNBC spokesperson to TVNewser. “We expect to hire more than 40 new editorial roles over the next year across TV, digital, and direct-to-consumer platforms.”
Reuters reports that these layoffs are part of an overhaul led by David Cho, the network’s editor-in-chief, who is preparing to introduce a paywall on its website.
Revolving door: Meanwhile, CNBC announced on Monday that Matt Peterson will be joining the business network as a senior economics writer. Beginning March 2, Peterson will provide step-back analysis and exclusives on policy and the broader economy for CNBC. He was most recently at Barron’s, where he was the politics, policy, and ideas editor.
Also, this past Monday, NBC News revealed that Emily Ngo has been named the network’s newest newsletter writer/editor. In this position, Ngo will focus on NBC News’ daily newsletter, The Inside Scoop. She was previously at Politico, where she was a political reporter and co-author of New York Playbook.
Personal news note, part 2: It’s my first day at @NBCNews as a writer and editor of the Inside Scoop newsletter! Sign up here for a free trial (and then subscribe): https://t.co/QmAa2YbYtl Let’s go!!! pic.twitter.com/Ru3HAQhAQ9
— Emily Ngo (@emilyngo) February 23, 2026
Spotlight feature: To mark her one-year anniversary as MS NOW president, Rebecca Kutler had her first sit-down interview with the Los Angeles Times. In the profile, Kutler spoke on the network’s ratings under her watch, saying that the daily audience has grown to 613,000, up +25% compared to the same period a year ago, according to Nielsen. Weeknight primetime is up +27% to 1.2 million viewers. She also singled out the network’s 7 p.m. ensemble program, The Weeknight, which saw its audience level rise by +30% in January compared to the same time in 2025.
Election coverage: MS NOW has revealed that it will provide special primetime coverage of the March 3 primary elections in Arkansas, North Carolina, and Texas. Rachel Maddow will lead coverage beginning at 7 p.m. ET, joined by Nicolle Wallace, Ari Melber, Chris Hayes, Lawrence O’Donnell, Stephanie Ruhle, Jen Psaki, Symone Sanders Townsend, Michael Steele, and Alicia Menendez.
📣 @ms.now to feature special coverage of the March 3 primary elections in Arkansas, North Carolina, and Texas.
Special coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 3 on @ms.now .
Read more: bit.ly/46Xbe0s
— MS NOW Public Relations (@msnowcomms.bsky.social) February 25, 2026 at 4:14 PM