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Monday, March 25, 2024

NBC News Faces Controversy Over Ronna McDaniel Hiring


Chuck Todd, the former moderator of “Meet the Press,” publicly criticized NBC News for hiring Ronna McDaniel as a contributor. 

During a Sunday segment, Todd expressed his outrage over the decision to put Kristen Welker in a position to interview McDaniel after her hiring. 

He even stated, “I think our bosses owe you an apology for putting you in this situation.” Todd highlighted the discomfort felt by many journalists at NBC News due to their past dealings with the Republican National Committee (RNC), which often involved gaslighting and character assassination. 

He praised Welker for her handling of the situation but criticized NBC’s decision-makers for creating an “impossible situation” for her. 

McDaniel, who had previously criticized the media and supported former President Donald Trump’s claims about the 2020 election, faced backlash from various voices both within and outside the company. The Wall Street Journal also reported that McDaniel would not be appearing on MSNBC as part of her role.

President Rashida Jones told employees there were no plans to have the former Republican National Committee chairwoman on the cable network, seeking to address internal backlash in the wake of an internal Friday announcement by NBC News regarding McDaniel’s hiring as an on-air contributor. 

MSNBC is part of the NBC News division. A number of MSNBC anchors and producers have voiced concern internally about McDaniel’s ties to former President Donald Trump and the RNC’s role in his efforts to challenge the 2020 election results. 

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