Still, family always has to come first.
The Family Life Behind the Decision
While his decision has come as a shock, the journalist has always placed a huge importance on his home life.
In a profile, Alexander spoke about his wife, Starling, and their daughters. He described the kind of presence he wanted to have when he was actually home, and his advice to other working parents was direct:
“Put your phone down. Easier said than done, but being truly present for 20 minutes is better than being distracted for an hour.”
Reflecting on the importance of dedicated time with his girls, Alexander emphasized that small, everyday moments meant the most to him. One favorite memory involved his daughter Ava, who loved driving around with the windows rolled down while playfully calling out for more wind.
The same profile also included the story of how he and Alison got together. They were apparently rivals in competing Seattle news stations 15 years ago, and she had ignored his advances for nearly ten years until he eventually convinced her to give him a chance.
While family is a vital part of his life, another factor allegedly played a role in his decision to leave.
The Other Reason That Surfaced After the Goodbye
According to Page Six, Alexander was leaving because he wanted more time with his children. But the outlet also noted his frustration regarding his career growth. He felt tired of NBC passing him over for lead roles on their high-profile broadcasts, such as “Nightly News” and “Today.”
Peter Alexander appears on “Meet the Press” on June 23, 2024, in Washington, D.C. | Source: Getty Images
A source revealed, “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.”
And it looks like he will be fulfilling his ambitions soon enough somewhere else.
What Comes Next
The Los Angeles Times stated that Alexander is leaving NBC News to join MS NOW as an anchor and chief national reporter. The report indicates that he will host a daily weekday show while managing the network’s breaking news reports as they happen.
The same source mentioned that he will likely take over the 11 a.m. Eastern time slot, replacing Ana Cabrera once the network updates its daytime schedule this June.
His deal with Versant is also said to give him the chance to contribute to sports coverage on USA Network and Golf Channel.
That move carries broader significance because MS NOW is the cable channel formerly known as MSNBC. After the split from Comcast into the new company Versant, MS NOW ended its relationship with NBC News, and journalists who had worked across both sides had to choose where they wanted to stay.
According to the report, Alexander is the first journalist to make the move from NBC News to MS NOW since the two divisions separated.
The LA Times also observed that while Jacob Soboroff and Ken Dilanian transitioned from NBC News to MS NOW, Steve Kornacki remained at NBC News due to his ongoing responsibilities with NBC Sports.
Meanwhile, Willie Geist stands out as a unique case, as he maintains his role as a co-host on “Morning Joe” while simultaneously anchoring “Sunday Today.”
Why His Exit Landed the Way It Did
By the time the fuller picture came into view, Alexander’s departure had two clear reasons attached to it. One came directly from him. The other came from reporting that surfaced after his sign-off.
He said the job had taken him away from home too often, especially on Friday nights, and he tied that directly to the time he still has with Ava and Emma.
The other reports added that he had also grown tired of being passed over for the top anchor jobs he wanted. Taken together, those two reasons explain why this was not only an emotional goodbye but also a professional turning point.
After nearly 22 years at NBC, Alexander left as a journalist with a long résumé, a visible role, and a personal reason he no longer wanted to push aside. At the same time, the anchor already has a reported next move ahead, so his admirers won’t have to miss him at all.
