Breaking Barriers, Building Futures: Rashida Jones Redefines Leadership in Media
On February 18th, Princeton’s Entrepreneurship Club hosted Rashida Jones, the outgoing president of MSNBC. The interview and open discussion style panel allowed Jones to share her career insights and aspirations with students and faculty. Stepping down from a four-year tenure, Jones is taking the experience of deliberating tough decisions in the broadcast journalism industry to the confidence that’s secured her for her next project: entrepreneurship.
Jones, the first Black woman to lead the cable news network, opened the conversation with her trajectory to journalism and entrepreneurship. Her love for journalism, which began in elementary school, followed her through high school, where she juggled roles in student government, soccer, and the school newspaper. “I knew I wanted to be a storyteller,” she said. These experiences, she explained, instilled in her a love for leadership and teamwork, essential skills that later shaped her approach to media. Halfway into pursuing print journalism at Hampton University, the allure of immediacy in television reporting would shift her focus to broadcast journalism — and define her career for the next 25 years.
As she discussed her tenure at MSNBC, Jones acknowledged the significance of being the first Black woman to lead a major news network. “I knew it was a big deal, but I didn’t realize how much people would latch on to it,” she admitted. Despite the weight of this milestone, she remained committed to using her platform to amplify diverse voices and cultivate an inclusive newsroom. Jones emphasized the responsibility that comes with leadership: “When you have that power, use it wisely.” At MSNBC, she created a newsroom that reflected its audience — diverse background and thought. More importantly, she focused on paving the way for future leaders, ensuring she was not the last person of color to hold such a position.
Jones’s departure from MSNBC marks a new chapter in her career — one driven by entrepreneurial ambition. “I’ve been in the industry for 25 years. It’s time to shake things up,” she said. She shared her fascination with emerging technology, particularly artificial intelligence, as a transformative force in media and business. “AI is where the heat is,” she remarked, discussing how AI-driven innovations are revolutionizing marketing, storytelling, and content creation. She encouraged students to embrace technological advancements, emphasizing the importance of adaptability in an evolving digital world.
In reiterating the importance of confidence in professional settings, Jones shared an anecdote from a recent NBA All-Star Weekend panel, where she entered a room full of industry heavyweights who initially underestimated her. However, by the end of the discussion, the dynamic had shifted. “That’s what confidence brings,” she said. “You walk in like you belong — because you do.”
Jones emerges not just as a media executive but as an architect of institutional transformation. She reveals that leadership is less about maintaining existing structures and more about creating ecosystems that can thrive amid constant change. "Leadership isn't about being in charge,” Jones said. “It's about taking charge of creating possibilities that didn't exist before."