[ [link removed]- ]Sign the petition to tell MSNBC: DO NOT cancel "The Mehdi Hasan Show"!
Dear MoveOn member,
MSNBC just shockingly announced that it is canceling "The Mehdi Hasan
Show," one of the highest-rated MSNBC shows on the weekend and one of the
most viral shows on the network.^1 Mehdi Hasan is a reputable and
celebrated journalist, and one of the few Muslim broadcasters currently on
air. The decision to cancel his show is a blow to audiences who look to
Hasan for his fair and sharp political analysis and interviews. [ [link removed]- ]We need
to urgently make our voices heard and demand that MSNBC continue "The
Mehdi Hasan Show" in the coming year! Will you add your name to the
petition?
"The Mehdi Hasan Show" has been running for three years, first on MSNBC
and now on its sister streaming network Peacock. John Nichols from The
Nation called Mehdi Hasan "the best interviewer in American news right
now."^2 Following the announcement, there has been a public outcry to
renew "The Mehdi Hasan Show," but disappointingly the show is set to
sunset by the end of the year.
[ [link removed]- ]Save "The Mehdi Hasan Show" and sign the petition to demand MSNBC and
Peacock renew it immediately.
MSNBC also recently came under fire in October, when it temporarily
removed three of its Muslim broadcasters, including Hasan, from their
hosting spots after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israelis and the
Israeli military's escalating campaign of bombardment against
Palestinians.^3 It is unacceptable for a trusted major news network like
MSNBC to silence Muslim broadcasters by limiting their reporting
perspectives when their expertise is both relevant and needed, and this
latest decision to cancel “The Mehdi Hasan Show” is especially concerning.
By canceling "The Mehdi Hasan Show," MSNBC is sending a dangerous message
about whose voices should be heard at this moment—and whose voices it will
silence.
[ [link removed]- ]Sign the petition to demand that MSNBC renew "The Mehdi Hasan Show" and
commit to supporting all its Muslim broadcasters!
We value the expertise of Mehdi Hasan. Add your name and show MSNBC that
audiences want "The Mehdi Hasan Show" renewed immediately!
[5]Sign the petition
Many of Hasan's high-profile interviews have gone viral, and he was most
recently praised for his quick and sharp interview with Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's senior advisor Mark Regev. There are
concerns that the decision by MSNBC to cancel "The Mehdi Hasan Show" is
backlash related to Hasan’s vocal criticism of Netanyahu and the Israeli
government’s brutal military attacks that have killed nearly 16,000
Palestinians over the past two months.^4,5 Given the current humanitarian
crisis, it is unacceptable for a trusted major news network like MSNBC to
remove a show like Hasan's, which has been a critical source of
information and political analysis in this moment.
[ [link removed]- ]The integrity of American media rests on journalists and news
broadcasters being able to ask probing and difficult questions. MSNBC and
Peacock should value the expertise of their Muslim broadcasters in this
moment, not sideline or silence them. Add your name to the petition.
Biased media reporting is not only unethical and immoral—it's dangerous.
Both Jews and Muslims are among the most frequently targeted groups for
religiously motivated hate crimes.^6 And disturbing research has linked
negative news portrayals of Muslims and Muslim Americans with increased
hostility toward Muslim Americans.^7 With heightened concerns about
discrimination and violence, major news outlets need to be especially
responsible in their journalism and refrain from bias that could stoke
hate in viewers.
[ [link removed]- ]Add your name to demand that MSNBC reverse its decision to cancel "The
Mehdi Hasan Show" and affirm its commitment to fair and balanced reporting
NOW.
In 2020 there was public outrage after MSNBC news host Joy Reid made
anti-Muslim remarks on air.^8 The public pressure resulted in a public
acknowledgement from Reid and an entire extended segment of her show
addressing media stereotypes about Muslims.^9 [ [link removed]- ]Public dissent worked
then, and it can work now. Add your name to the petition and call on MSNBC
to do the right thing!
People in our country depend on news and media outlets for informed and
balanced reporting. We need MSNBC to live up to its standards of
journalism and ethics, and that starts by supporting Mehdi Hasan and all
its Muslim broadcasters. [ [link removed]- ]Will you sign the petition and then share with
three friends to help spread the word?
Thanks for all you do.
–Aliya, Mana, Jensine, Chloe, and the rest of the team
Sources:
1. "Sunday, June 18 Scoreboard: Fox News Is No. 1 in Total Viewers; Mehdi
Hasan Climbs to No. 1 at 8 PM Among Adults 25-54," TV Newser, June 1, 2023
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2. "American Discourse Needs More Mehdi Hasan, Not Less," The Nation,
December 1, 2023
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3. "The Fight Over MSNBC’s Cave-in to Islamophobia," The Nation, October
16, 2023
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4. "MSNBC draws backlash for canceling Mehdi Hasan show," The Washington
Post, November 30, 2023
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5. "Israel-Hamas war live: World Food Programme says 'catastrophic hunger
crisis' is intensifying in Gaza," The Guardian, December 5, 2023
[link removed]-
6. "Report to the Nation 2023: Faith Under Fire," Center for the Study of
Hate & Extremism, accessed December 5, 2023
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7. "Yes, Muslims are portrayed negatively in American media—2 political
scientists reviewed over 250,000 articles to find conclusive evidence,"
The Conversation, May 27, 2022
[link removed]-
8. "Uh, What Did Joy Reid Just Say About Muslims on MSNBC?" Slate,
September 1, 2020
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9. "Joy Reid Devotes Segment To Muslim Stereotypes In Media After Outcry
Over Her Comment About 'Radicalizing People,'" Deadline, September 2, 2020
[ [link removed]- ][link removed]-
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