Peter Alexander Departs NBC News for MS NOW After Two Decades
Peter Alexander announced his departure from NBC News on a recent Saturday morning broadcast of "Today" after a 20-year tenure with the network. He is transitioning to MS NOW, where he will serve as an anchor and chief national reporter, including hosting the 11 a.m. Eastern weekday hour. Alexander cited a desire to spend more time with his family as a reason for his decision, while sources also indicated an interest in new professional challenges.
Departure and New Role
Mr. Alexander confirmed his departure from NBC News during a Saturday morning broadcast of the "Today" show. He is scheduled to join MS NOW, a cable news channel, in a new capacity as an anchor and chief national reporter.
His responsibilities at MS NOW will include hosting a weekday program at 11 a.m. Eastern. This slot was previously held by Ana Cabrera, who is departing the network in June due to programming changes. MS NOW has not yet issued a statement regarding Mr. Alexander's new role.
His agreement with Versant, MS NOW's parent company, also includes potential contributions to sports coverage on USA Network and the Golf Channel.
Career Highlights at NBC News
Mr. Alexander joined NBC News in 2004. During his time with the network, he held prominent positions, including co-anchor of the Saturday edition of "Today" since 2018 and chief White House correspondent. His duties frequently involved working in Washington, D.C., during the week and traveling to New York City for weekend broadcasts.
White House Coverage
He served as a White House correspondent from 2012 until his departure in 2024. Initially, he was co-chief White House correspondent alongside Kristen Welker. He became the sole chief White House correspondent when Ms. Welker transitioned to moderator of "Meet the Press." Over this period, he covered four presidential administrations.
Key Reports and Interactions
During his tenure, Mr. Alexander covered various domestic and international stories and notably reported on the Republican presidential race in 2012. He questioned President Trump during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic regarding what he would say to concerned Americans, and was publicly criticized by President Trump on separate occasions regarding questions asked during news conferences.
Prior to joining NBC News, Mr. Alexander worked as an anchor at KPCQ in Seattle.
Context of Network Realignment
Mr. Alexander's move occurs following a recent organizational change where MS NOW underwent a rebranding and spun off from Comcast, forming a new company named Versant. This separation resulted in MS NOW discontinuing its direct relationship with NBC News, requiring journalists to select a primary affiliation.
Other personnel movements related to this realignment include Jacob Soboroff and Ken Dilanian transitioning from NBC News to MS NOW, while Steve Kornacki remained with NBC News. Willie Geist continues to work for both networks. Mr. Alexander is the first NBC journalist to transition to MS NOW since this organizational split.
Personal Motivations and NBC's Plans
In his announcement, Mr. Alexander stated an interest in spending more time with his two young children as a reason for his decision, noting he had missed over 200 Friday nights due to his weekend role. Sources also indicated that he had expressed a desire for new professional challenges recently.
Chloe Arensberg, NBC News' Washington Bureau Chief, and Matt Carluccio, executive producer of weekend "Today" broadcasts, acknowledged his contributions to the network in a memo to staffers. NBC News plans to utilize various staffers to temporarily fill Mr. Alexander's former roles.