NBC News White House correspondent Peter Alexander announced on Saturday that he was leaving the network after 22 years, explaining that the long workweeks were keeping him away from his family. But that might not be the whole story.
A report from Page Six suggested that Alexander, who was often double-booked as NBC’s White House correspondent and co-anchor of “Saturday Today,” was also feeling the strain after being repeatedly passed over for several of the hottest anchor gigs in the legacy network’s lineup.
Alexander made the announcement during Saturday morning’s “Today” broadcast, explaining that he was ready for the next challenge and describing the rigorous schedule that often had him in Washington, D.C., during the week and in New York City every weekend.
“I’ve been away from home more than 80 nights in the last seven months. More than 200 Friday nights away from my family in the last seven years,” Alexander explained during Saturday morning’s broadcast. “So, in this limited window before my daughters lose interest in hanging out with me … I’m eager to carve out a better balance between my personal and professional lives.”
Alexander’s final appearance on NBC News was Saturday.
But sources told Page Six that Alexander was also likely looking at the network lineup and realizing that his chances for moving up had all but evaporated.
His former partner on the White House beat, Kristen Welker, had made the transition to hosting the network’s flagship Sunday show, “Meet the Press.” His former co-anchor on “Saturday Today,” Craig Melvin, was moved to weekdays and has cemented himself as the top male voice on “The Today Show.” With Tom Llamas holding down the fort at “NBC Nightly News,” the opportunities for internal advancement have steadily dried up.
“He’d be the first to say he’s had ambitions for the top anchor jobs, and with all of those spots recently filled, he’s going to try something new,” one source told Page Six.
In a memo to staff, NBC News Washington Bureau Chief Chloe Arensberg, and Matt Carluccio, executive producer of weekend broadcasts of “Today,” hailed Alexander as “a trusted presence with great range across NBC News, and a friend to so many across the Washington Bureau, ‘Today’ and the broader NBC News team.”
It’s unclear where Alexander will go next. Variety reported that Alexander has not revealed any potential future plans, but the Los Angeles Times reports that Alexander is leaving to join MS NOW, the recently rebranded MSNBC, where he “will serve as an anchor and chief national reporter,” host “a weekday program” and “handle breaking news coverage throughout the day.”
Neither Alexander nor MS NOW have officially announced the move, but MS NOW host Joe Scarborough — who just signed a four-year contract alongside “Morning Joe” co-host and wife Mika Brzezinski — congratulated Alexander for the move on X, perhaps signaling that the transition is a done deal.
