After more than two decades together, Fox Business anchor Liz Claman and MSNBC executive Jeff Kepnes have officially gone their separate ways.
Their split has been quietly unfolding, with keen-eyed viewers noticing Claman had stopped wearing her wedding ring. Now, sources confirm that the media power couple ended their marriage in 2023.
A Career-Driven Couple
Claman, known for hosting The Claman Countdown on Fox Business, has built a reputation as the “CEO whisperer,” securing interviews with industry heavyweights like Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Jamie Dimon.
Meanwhile, Kepnes, 51, holds a significant role at MSNBC as managing editor and also oversees Morning Joe.
His extensive career includes a long tenure as a senior producer at CNN from 2003 to 2017, as well as a brief stint at Fox News.
Their journey together began in Beverly Hills in 1999, when they tied the knot while Kepnes was working on The News with Brian Williams, a CNBC/MSNBC show.
At the time, Claman had already established herself as a standout figure in financial journalism alongside Brian Williams before his transition to Nightly News.
Family Life and Signs of Separation
The couple shares two teenage children, a son and a daughter.
While their family appeared united in past social media posts—last seen together in 2018—Claman and Kepnes haven’t been publicly photographed together since.
Page Six, which first broke the news, reported that their separation was amicable, with sources saying they simply grew apart over time.
Shifts in the Media Landscape
As Claman and Kepnes navigate their personal lives, their respective networks are experiencing shifts of their own.
Fox News has been riding a wave of increased ratings, averaging 3.09 million primetime viewers in early 2025—marking a 50% rise from the previous year.
Meanwhile, MSNBC has seen a decline, dropping 16% year-over-year to an average of 1.13 million viewers in primetime.
The decline has impacted shows like The ReidOut, which was recently canceled after its viewership fell to around 770,000—a steep drop from the 1.4 million it once pulled in during 2024.
The Future of MSNBC and CNBC
In addition to the ratings battle, major corporate restructuring is in the works.
Comcast, which owns NBCUniversal, is spinning off several of its networks into a new publicly traded company known as SpinCo.
This move will separate MSNBC, CNBC, and channels like USA, Oxygen, E!, SYFY, and the Golf Channel from NBCUniversal’s core assets, including NBC News and the NBC broadcast network.
Longtime NBCU executive Mark Lazarus is set to lead the new entity, and discussions are underway regarding its future editorial strategy.
The spin-off is expected to be finalized later this year, potentially reshaping the landscape of cable news and entertainment.
What’s Next?
For Claman and Kepnes, the focus now seems to be on their respective careers and family life post-separation.
With Claman continuing to land high-profile interviews and Kepnes overseeing MSNBC’s strategic direction, both remain key players in the ever-evolving media industry.
As their networks adapt to shifting audiences and corporate changes, their personal and professional journeys will undoubtedly be ones to watch.