NBC’s newsroom revolt isn’t the first over who should be given a platform

Mar 27, 2024

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Ian Kennedy (Video Editor)

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NBC has walked back its decision to hire Ronna McDaniel as a political contributor. The network fired her after top NBC and MSNBC personalities publicly aired grievances on their programs over the new addition to their team.

This isn’t the first time newsrooms have revolted over who and what should be allowed on their platforms.

In 2020, the decision to run an op-ed by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., in The New York Times led to staffers being fired following criticism from fellow employees.

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In the piece, Cotton said the military should be deployed to George Floyd protests. Times employees condemned their own paper on social media over publishing a divisive op-ed that they said put their lives at risk. This led to an editor’s note in the paper days later that said the piece never should have published.

Two opinion staffers were fired for letting it hit the press and another staffer resigned, criticizing the Times for bending the knee.

In another example of newsroom conflict, CNN staffers condemned the network for allowing former President Donald Trump to participate in a 2023 town hall. CNN’s Anderson Cooper and Christiane Amanpour were among those questioning former CEO Chris Licht over the decision to give Trump a platform, openly expressing concerns Trump “spread lies” to their audience — specifically over the 2020 election. Licht was fired weeks later.

Like Trump, McDaniel raised questions about election fraud in 2020. While she ultimately said Joe Biden won fair and square, she is still broadly seen as an “election denier.” It was for that reason NBC and MSNBC personalities said her affiliation with them would hurt their credibility.

MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow said McDaniel would not be featured on the channel for the same reason Trump isn’t allowed on the cable outlet either: their stance on election fraud claims surrounding the 2020 election.

Some Republicans are critical of NBC for firing McDaniel. They argue it’s the continuation of cancel culture and silences an important perspective.

NBC hosts said they welcome Republican voices but there’s a difference between a conservative and someone who is an “election denier.”

Tags: 2020 elections, CNN, Donald Trump, NBC, Ronna McDaniel, The New York Times, Tom Cotton

[KARAH RUCKER]

NBC HAS WALKED BACK ITS DECISION TO HIRE RONNA MCDANIEL AS A POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR –

FIRING HER AFTER TOP PERSONALITIES FROM THE NETWORK PUBLICLY AIRED GRIEVANCES ON THEIR PROGRAMS.

THIS ISN’T THE FIRST TIME NEWSROOMS HAVE REVOLTED OVER **WHO AND **WHAT SHOULD BE ALLOWED ON THEIR PLATFORMS.

IN 2020 – THE DECISION TO RUN AN OP-ED BY REPUBLICAN SENATOR TOM COTTON IN THE NEW YORK TIMES LED TO STAFFERS BEING FIRED FOLLOWING CRITICISM FROM FELLOW EMPLOYEES.

IN THE PIECE TITLED “SEND IN THE TROOPS” – COTTON SAID THE MILITARY SHOULD BE DEPLOYED TO GEORGE FLOYD PROTESTS.

TIMES EMPLOYEES CONDEMNED THEIR OWN PAPER ON SOCIAL MEDIA OVER PUBLISHING A DIVISIVE OP-ED THEY SAY PUT THEIR LIVES AT RISK –

LEADING TO AN EDITOR’S NOTE DAYS LATER SAYING THE PIECE NEVER SHOULD’VE PUBLISHED.

TWO OPINION STAFFERS WERE FIRED FOR LETTING IT HIT THE PRESS.

ANOTHER STAFFER RESIGNED – CRITICIZING THE TIMES FOR “BENDING THE KNEE.”

IN ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF NEWSROOM TURMOIL –

CNN STAFFERS CONDEMNED THE NETWORK FOR ALLOWING FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP TO PARTICIPATE IN A TOWN HALL LAST YEAR.

CNN’S ANDERSON COOPER AND CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR WERE AMONG THOSE QUESTIONING THE CEO’S DECISION TO GIVE TRUMP A PLATFORM –

OPENLY EXPRESSING CONCERNS TRUMP “SPREAD LIES” TO THEIR AUDIENCE – SPECIFICALLY OVER THE 2020 ELECTION.

THE CEO WAS FIRED WEEKS LATER.

LIKE TRUMP – RONNA MCDANIEL RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT ELECTION FRAUD IN 2020.

AND WHILE SHE ULTIMATELY SAYS JOE BIDEN WON FAIR AND SQUARE –

SHE’S STILL LABELED AS AN “ELECTION DENIER” AND IT WAS FOR THAT REASON NBC AND MSNBC PERSONALITIES SAID HER AFFILIATION WITH THEM WOULD HURT THEIR CREDIBILITY.

MSNBC’S RACHEL MADDOW SAID MCDANIEL WOULD NOT BE FEATURED ON THE CHANNEL. –

FOR THE SAME REASON SOMEONE ELSE ISN’T ALLOWED ON THE CABLE OUTLET EITHER.

SOME REPUBLICANS CRITICAL OF NBC FOR FIRING MCDANIEL SAY IT’S THE CONTINUATION OF “CANCEL CULTURE”.

NBC HOSTS SAY THEY WELCOME REPUBLICAN VOICES –

BUT ADD THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CONSERVATIVE AND SOMEONE WHO IS AN ELECTION DENIER.

THE POLITICAL DIVISION THAT WE’RE SEEING WITHIN THE MEDIA IS A REFLECTION FROM THE OUTSIDE.

WITH THE POLITICAL TEMPERATURE AROUND THE COUNTRY RUNNING HOT JUST MONTHS OUT FROM A 2020 REMATCH IN THIS YEAR’S GENERAL ELECTION.