NBC News staffers are angry and “troubled” about White House press secretary Jen Psaki’s television deal with MSNBC, according to the network’s competitor CNN.
Psaki’s tentative deal to move over as an MSNBC opinion host has “perturbed staffers” because Psaki has become a news story while still lecturing from the White House podium as press secretary. Staffers are reportedly angered by a conflict of interest that allegedly violates NBC News’s so-called journalistic standards.
The fact that Psaki is slated for an opinion role at MSNBC and not a “more typical post-White House role, such as a political analyst offering opinion and analysis on another person’s program,” has caused outrage among NBC News staffers.
On Friday, NBC News president Noah Oppenheim quickly tried to suppress the frustration among employees by holding a phone conversation with those who feel Psaki’s hiring “tarnishes” the NBC News brand.
Oppenheim claimed to staffers that NBC News is not involved in hiring Psaki. Oppenheim also stated the opinion arm at MSNBC should take the blame and that Psaki’s hiring is irrelevant to the “journalism” of NBC News.
President of NBC News Noah Oppenheim speaks at The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on October 10, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California. (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
“Here’s what he was saying: They have perspective programming. This was done on the perspective programming side. Not anything that reflects on NBC News,” one of the persons on the call with Oppenheim explained.
“People wanted answers on what NBC’s role was in this and NBC News had no role in this,” the person continued. “This is MSNBC’s perspective programming.”
Psaki declined to comment Wednesday on CNN’s report, but a White House staffer allegedly told CNN that Psaki has “recused herself” from conducting interviews on MSNBC or NBC News for the time being.
Psaki is a former CNN commentator who transitioned to work in politics for President Joe Biden. She is now looking to cash out from her White House position and move into the private sector.
Outside of the Psaki drama, there seems to be some bad blood between NBC News and MSNBC. Because there is some cross-pollination between the two networks, staffers at NBC News are unhappy they are exposed to MSNBC’s opinion and radical content. Some NBC News talent fear MSNBC’s perspective will end up reflecting on them.
Both NBC News and MSNBC are owned by NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast.
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