Cesar Conde, the chair of NBCUniversal News Group, is under fire for his decision to hire former Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel as a paid network contributor. The hiring has sparked outrage among NBC News and MSNBC personalities, who have openly expressed their displeasure on air.
The controversial decision has caused a five-alarm fire within the NBCU News Group, with many questioning Conde’s judgment in approving McDaniel’s hiring. NBC employees have objected to McDaniel not just as a Republican, but as someone who actively sought to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
Despite NBC’s reasoning that McDaniel was hired for her insider perspective on national politics, many find this explanation absurd. The backlash has turned into a public relations nightmare, with Conde remaining silent amid the chaos.
MSNBC’s top stars have criticized the decision on air, and the NBC News Guild has condemned Conde for prioritizing an election denier over its reporters. Rachel Maddow has offered Conde a way out of the situation by suggesting he acknowledge the mistake and reverse the decision.
Many believe that Conde should have foreseen the controversy and acted promptly to save face. The crisis shows no signs of abating, as the hiring of McDaniel continues to be a point of contention among staff and viewers alike. Stay tuned to KP INSIDER for the latest updates on this developing story.