Ronna McDaniel, the former chair of the Republican National Committee, has made just one appearance on NBC News since taking on a new role as a political news contributor. This move has already prompted senior executives to review her position.
NBC News’ top brass convened on Tuesday to address the controversy surrounding McDaniel’s recent appointment. This meeting aimed to quell a burgeoning revolt within the NBCUniversal unit’s editorial team. In the past few days, notable anchors including Chuck Todd and Rachel Maddow have publicly criticized the decision on NBC News’ “Meet The Press” and MSNBC. They accuse NBC News executives of offering McDaniel a platform despite her role in supporting former President Donald Trump’s attempts to challenge the 2020 presidential election’s legitimacy.
The internal backlash against McDaniel’s hiring suggests that NBC News might reconsider its contributor agreement with her, as the uproar makes it unlikely that many producers and anchors will want to feature her on their shows.
Requests for comments from NBC News spokespersons went unanswered.
Journalists, known for their contentious nature, often challenge their employers’ editorial decisions. However, the reaction to McDaniel’s hiring has sparked an unusual level of discord. On Sunday, Chuck Todd expressed his frustration on “Meet The Press,” telling moderator Kristen Welker about the difficult position she was put in due to McDaniel’s paid appearance, highlighting the awkwardness of the situation.
Lawrence O’Donnell and Rachel Maddow joined a chorus of disapproval on MSNBC, with Maddow dedicating a 30-minute, commercial-free monologue on her Monday evening show to criticize McDaniel’s hiring, comparing her to figures who have sought to undermine U.S. democracy.
Despite the controversy, all of NBC News’ senior executives approved McDaniel’s hiring. However, due to a unique corporate structure, most of these executives are not directly involved in managing McDaniel’s interactions with various programs and producers. Since Noah Oppenheim’s departure as NBC News President in January of the previous year, the organization has been divided into smaller, independently managed units. This structure separates the management of different franchises and platforms, including MSNBC and CNBC.
Carrie Budoff Brown, the NBC News executive responsible for “Meet The Press” and political coverage, announced McDaniel’s hiring. However, Budoff Brown reports to Rebecca Blumenstein, president of editorial for NBC News, and has limited influence over McDaniel’s integration into other NBC platforms like “Today,” MSNBC, “NBC Nightly News,” or the streaming service “NBC News Now.”
Further developments are anticipated.