We all feel bad when our favorite shows are canceled. But these Black talk show hosts weren’t canceled; they were silenced.
#1: Joy Reid – In February 2025, MSNBC canceled The ReidOut — one of its highest-rated shows — ending one of the few spaces on cable news led by a Black woman with an unapologetically political lens. Reid has said the show’s cancellation reflected racism among the network’s new leadership.
#2: Tamron Hall - In 2017, Tamron Hall was pushed out of her Today Show position to make room for conservative commentator Megyn Kelly. Hall was offered another more minor role, but refused. She left the network and started another talk show on her terms.
#3: Don Lemon — After 17 years at CNN, Lemon was abruptly fired in 2023. His show often tackled issues affecting the Black community, a rarity in mainstream cable.. Today, he continues his work as a journalist and hosts his own show on YouTube.
Networks can cancel shows, but never the truth. It's more important than ever to support Black-owned and Black-led media, because when we control our narratives, no one can silence us. How will you support independent Black media today?