NBC has cut ties with former RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, saying the decision to hire her was too divisive for the network’s newsroom staff.
NBC has announced it’s cutting ties with Ronna McDaniel, saying that the decision to bring her on board as an NBC News contributor outraged some staff and undermined newsroom cohesion.
“After listening to the legitimate concerns of many of you, I have decided that Ronna McDaniel will not be an NBC News contributor,” Cesar Conde, Chairman of the NBCUniversal News Group, wrote in an email to staff on March 26, which was viewed by The Epoch Times.
The decision means that Ms. McDaniel, who resigned from her position as chairwoman of the Republican National Committee (RNC) earlier this month, was part of the NBC team for just four days.
NBC officials said when she was hired last week that they hoped Ms. McDaniel would provide an insider’s perspective on national politics and the Republican Party, and that the move was in line with the network’s stated commitment to viewpoint diversity.
Mr. Conde said in the memo that the decision to hire Ms. McDaniel was driven by a “deep commitment to presenting our audiences with a widely diverse set of viewpoints and experiences.” However, the decision to bring her aboard proved too controversial for NBC staff.
One of those who criticized the move to hire Ms. McDaniel was NBC News “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd, who alleged “credibility issues” and said many NBC journalists were uncomfortable with the move because their contacts with the RNC under her tenure were met with “gaslighting” and “character assassination.”
Mr. Conde said the decision to hire her proved too much for too many at NBC.
“No organization, particularly a newsroom, can succeed unless it is cohesive and aligned,” Mr. Conde wrote. “Over the last few days, it has become clear that this appointment undermines that goal.”
Ms. McDaniel was not immediately reachable for comment.
By Tom Ozimek
