NBC Drops Former RNC Chief Ronna McDaniel Amid Backlash

NBC News cut ties with Ronna McDaniel mere days after it hired the former Republican National Committee chairwoman as a contributor, a dramatic about-face that followed a very public rebuke from some of its biggest stars. 

The move, which was announced Tuesday in a memo, caps a frantic four days for NBC News, which had looked to bring in a conservative voice to its political coverage ahead of the presidential election but instead became the target of broad condemnations from observers and employees alike. 

“No organization, particularly a newsroom, can succeed unless it is cohesive and aligned,” Cesar Conde, NBCUniversal’s News Group chairman, wrote in the memo. “Over the last few days, it has become clear that this appointment undermines that goal.”

The fallout is the latest example of the power that on-air talent can have over their employers. It also shone a light on the complex decision-making structure inside NBC News.