After the White House Correspondents' Dinner in D.C. Saturday night, MSNBC talent and celebs headed to the Embassy of Italy for the after party! Check out some great pics from the fabulous party below!

Mike Loccisano (Getty)

Mike Loccisano (Getty)

MSNBC After Party at the Embassy of Italy

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The Roots take the stage at the MSNBC WHCD After Party

Mike Loccisano (Getty)

Rachel Maddow bartending at the MSNBC WHCD after party

Mike Loccisano (Getty)

Modern Family's Eric Stonestreet with MSNBC President, Phil Griffin

Mike Loccisano (Getty)

The Root's QuestLove with MSNBC party DJ, Biz Markie

Mike Loccisano (Getty)

MSNBC's Tamron Hall, Alex Wagner, Chris Jansing

Mike Loccisano (Getty)

The Cycle's S.E. Cupp and Krystal Ball

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MSNBC's Thomas Roberts with husband, Patrick Abner

Mike Loccisano (Getty)

Willie and Korie Robertson from Duck Dynasty with NBC News Capitol Hill Correspondent, Luke Russert

Mike Loccisano (Getty)

The Cycle's Toure with MSNBC President, Phil Griffin and his lovely wife Kory Apton and Willie Geist

Mike Loccisano (Getty)

MSNBC's Rev Al Sharpton and party guest

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1600 Penn's Josh Gad with party goer

Mike Loccisano (Getty)

Michael Douglas

The Hollywood Reporter

Current issue of The Hollywood Reporter with multiple covers

The Hollywood Reporter unveiled it's third annual list of New York's most powerful people in media and YES! MSNBC has made that list!

MSNBC President Phil Griffin, Morning Joe's Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, and Rachel Maddow are among the 35 named in this month's special issue!

Pick up the latest copy of The Hollywood Reporter (with 4 different covers!) to read the entire feature or you can click here!

Congratulations everyone!

Karen Finney has been named host of a new MSNBC program to air on weekends from 4-5 p.m. EST. Finney has been an MSNBC political analyst and guest host on the network since 2009.

"Karen's rich background in both education policy and politics will add a unique point of view to our expanding live weekend programming," said Phil Griffin, President of MSNBC.

You can read the full press release here! And don't forget to follow Karen on Twitter!

Congratulations Karen! and welcome to MSNBC weekends!

The New Republic - Rebecca Dana

In The New Republic's latest issue, network President Phil Griffin shares the inside story of his career and of MSNBC. In his in-depth profile, Griffin talks about his early years at NBC News, his relationship with Jeff Zucker, how some of your favorite MSNBC programming and anchors got their start on the network as well as the vision he has for the future of MSNBC!

Click here to read the entire story! Or pick up the latest issue of the New Republic!

If you think you know Ed Schultz, think again! 

Ed Schultz was the cover story in the latest issue of the Columbia Journalism Review. The feature chronicles Ed's journey to TV and radio, and touches on moments in his past you probably didn't know! (Spoiler: Ed played professional football in Canada!)

To read the full story, click here!

And don't forget to watch Ed weekdays at 8 p.m. EST and to follow his show on Twitter!

Phil Griffin, MSNBC President

This month, MSNBC's President, Phil Griffin was part of a panel hosted by Times TV reporter Scott Collins. The panel featured leading East Coast TV executives to discuss the technology-driven shifts that are rattling the industry. Among the panelists were: Charlie Collier, president of AMC, Michele Ganeless, president of Comedy Central, and Norby Williamson, executive vice president of programming and acquisitions for ESPN.

You can read an edited transcript and watch a brief video of the discussion here!

MSNBC President, Phil Griffin is featured in this week's "Executive Suite" column in "The Hollywood Reporter." When ask about the recent success of MSNBC's ratings, Griffin said, "It’s obviously our time, this period between the conventions and the election. It’s bigger than any time in our history."  To check out more of the interview click, here.

MSNBC was recently honored as the 2012 media recipient of a DANDI Award, which honors organizations that are promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace. The awards ceremony took place on July 31 in New York City and MSNBC Vice President and Executive Editor Yvette Miley accepted it on behalf of the network. You can see the full list of DANDI Awards nominees on the organization's site: http://thedandiaward.com/

Take a look at the video below to learn more about MSNBC's diversity and inclusion efforts both on-air and behind the cameras, straight from MSNBC President Phil Griffin himself.

In an online article, Bloomberg Businessweek asks: "Has CNN's All-News Strategy Become Old News?" Yes. The proof? MSNBC’s prime-time lineup has topped CNN in the 25-to-54 audience for three consecutive years. Phil Griffin, president of MSNBC, explains how the network has successful grown its audience.

“In the old model, breaking news was the lifeblood of cable news networks. But chasing one legal story after another, we found we didn’t have an identity. Today the lifeblood is being true to who we are.”

It is the political analysis and captivating personalities at MSNBC that have propelled it past CNN.

Read the Bloomberg Businessweek article here.

MSNBC's own Mika Brzezinski, Joe Scarborough, Phil Griffin, and Rachel Maddow landed on The Hollywood Reporter's list of the 35 Most Powerful People in Media. THR prefaced the list by calling those who make the list "the fastest and smartest player... [who] drive the national conversation."

Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough have been hosting their dynamic morning show for four years now. What makes the duo so interesting to watch? "While we both come from different ideological standpoints, our objective is to be objective,” said Mika.

Mika and Joe's opposing views make for news coverage and analysis that even the Hollywood A-list can't resist. Joe explained that Morning Joe does not artificially appeal to Hollywood elites, instead, “without aiming directly for the Hollywood audience, it seems like we are getting [those viewers] — even if they have to TiVo it or watch at ungodly hours.”

Check out THR's piece on Mika and Joe here.

"Morning Joe" airs weekday mornings 6-9AM ET.

Phil Griffin, president of MSNBC, credits MSNBC's success to the "really smart, deep dialogue" on air. “Much of the debate about our times is going on in cable news. We’re part of the national dialogue,” he says.

With the addition of four new shows this year, "NOW with Alex Wagner," and Al Sharpton's "PoliticsNation" on weekdays, and "Up w/Chris Hayes," and "Melissa-Harris Perry" on weekends, all signs point to MSNBC continuing to thrive.

Click here for THR's piece on Phil Griffin.

When she's not hosting MSNBC's top rated show, Rachel Maddow likes to create and taste cocktail recipes. Mixology must be a welcome escape from the incredible pace of her show.

As the lead anchor for political coverage, Maddow is particularly drawn to election years that could "end up changing American history."

Click here for more on THR's piece on Rachel Maddow.

"The Rachel Maddow Show" airs weeknights at 9pm ET.

Last night in 30 Rock, NBC News and MSNBC employees gathered for the much-anticipated annual holiday party. Studio 8H was decked out in red and white, with peppermint cocktails and an awesome flipbook booth with life-size Brian Williams and Matt Lauer cut-outs as props.

Here are some pics from the party! I'll post more later - still uploading.

Anthony Quintano

"Ed Show" Executive Producer Rich Stockwell, Lawrence O'Donnell, MSNBC President Phil Griffin, and MSNBC Publicist Weesie Vieira

Anthony Quintano

MSNBC President Phil Griffin, Rachel Maddow, and GOP Strategist Steve Schmidt

Big thanks to @MegPianta and @LaurenSko for planning the evening! And thanks to @WitherspoonC for playing DJ!

MSNBC President Phil Griffin

In Jerusalem yesterday, MSNBC President Phil Griffin participated in a tree planting ceremony in honor of the life of Jeff Gralnick, a former NBC Universal executive and contributor to the launch of MSNBC Israel. Gralnick passed away on May 9th, 2011 after enjoying a successful career in the media industry for nearly 50 years. Phil and MSNBC Israel planted 100 carab trees at the KKL-JNF tree planting center in the Jerusalem Mountains.

At the ceremony Phil Griffin said, "Jeff Gralnick was an extraordinary man whose last great act was to bring MSNBC to Israel, as part of his vision that MSNBC needed to go international. Planting trees in his memory is a perfect way to celebrate a man who had such an impact on modern-day media."

MSNBC's Deb Finan, Vice President of Production and Programming, and Jeremy Gaines, Vice President of Communications, also assisted in the tree planting.

For more news on MSNBC, follow us on Twitter @msnbctv