As protests from on-air talent mounted, NBC News reversed its decision to hire former Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel. After a meeting among NBC bosses March 26, including NBCUniversal News Group chairman Cesar Conde, NBC News has cut ties with McDaniel.
“No organization, particularly a newsroom, can succeed unless it is cohesive and aligned,” Conde said in a memo to staff. “Over the last few days, it has become clear that this appointment undermines that goal.”
She had been hired as a political analyst March 22, with NBC News hoping she would offer a conservative perspective on current issues. Her deal was said to be worth around $300,000.
Several on-air figures within NBC News, including Chuck Todd, chief political analyst; Rachel Maddow, host of The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC; and Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, hosts of Morning Joe on MSNBC; denounced McDaniel’s hiring on the air, pointing out her efforts to deny the results of the 2020 presidential election.
McDaniel stepped down as RNC chair March 8, after Donald Trump expressed his desire for new committee leadership.
McDaniel’s appearances at NBC News were limited to Meet the Press March 24, and her booking on that program happened before she’d been hired at NBC.
Conde said in the memo, “I want to personally apologize to our team members who felt we let them down. While this was a collective recommendation by some members of our leadership team, I approved it and take full responsibility for it.”
