Hasan says launching own media company means 'I'm my own boss'
Former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan touted his new media company Friday evening, saying one benefit to going solo is that "I'm my own boss."
“I can't say I've ever been a fan of having bosses.. one of the appeals of doing this, is that now I'm my own boss, which is a scary thought, I know, to me and many people who know me,” Hasan said in an interview on NewsNation’s “Cuomo” Friday.
Hasan’s new company, “Zeteo” will cater to the progressive left and will seek “answers for the questions that really matter, while always striving for the truth,” according to a Substack website for the company.
During the interview with host Chris Cuomo, Hasan said his wife questioned him about starting the company, arguing that he is not “an entrepreneur” and doesn’t know “how to run a business.”
“And she’s right, but I've surrounded myself with a good team of people,” he countered. “I have a very clear idea and a clear message.”
The progressive commentator also recently told The Washington Post that he has raised $4 million for the venture.
“This is one of the biggest news years of our lives, and that’s why I wanted to do something like this,” Hasan told the Post. “I’m not a businessman. I’m not an entrepreneur. I’ve never done anything like this before. It’s a huge gamble."
"But if I wasn’t confident, I wouldn’t be doing this," he added.
Hasan announced his departure from MSNBC in January, after the media company canceled his late night opinion talk show amid a weekend shakeup.
The Guardian also announced last week that Hasan would join the team as a columnist. He kicked off his work with the outlet via a column asking President Biden to push Israel to agree to a cease-fire in Gaza amid its war with Palestinian militant group Hamas.
“I have been poring over columns in the Guardian since I was a teenager. Now I get to write some of my own, in what is perhaps one of the busiest and biggest news years of my lifetime,” Hasan said in a statement. “It’s a huge honor and a privilege.”
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