NBC News staffers reportedly miffed about MSNBC's planned Psaki hire


NBC News staffers are apparently "troubled by" by MSNBC's decision to hire Jen Psaki upon her departure as White House Press Secretary, people familiar with the matter told CNN.
In an attempt at addressing some of their concerns, NBC News president Noah Oppenheim reportedly held an impromptu phone call with "vexed" Washington bureau employees on Friday, some of which have complained that "the tentative hiring tarnishes the NBC News brand," CNN writes.
In the call, Oppenheim reportedly made the case that NBC News did not have a role in hiring Psaki, nor should journalists feel hires made for MSNBC's opinion arm are related to their work.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"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 individuals on the call with Oppenheim explained to CNN, who also held discussions with Psaki.
NBC News journalists should just do their jobs as usual, Oppenheim reportedly added.
Psaki is said to be leaving the White House around May for a hosting gig on NBCUniversal's streaming platform, though the deal is not yet final. She'd also be appearing on various MSNBC shows.
The frustartion around Psaki's hiring also threatens to widen an already-present rift between NBC News and MSNBC, CNN notes.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
"This has been a slow boil for a while," one staffer said. NBC News journalists have also "watched closely" as MSNBC's prioritized commentary and perspective shows over hard news reporting since MSNBC President Rashida Jones took control a little over a year ago, CNN writes.
"Rashida is unapologetic with what she's doing with MSNBC," one network employee told CNN. "She has been clear about the network's direction."
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to Trump
Speed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raids
Speed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raid
Speed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'
Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearing
Speed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mount
Speed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers
-
Epstein accusers urge full file release, hint at own list
speed read A rally was organized by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who are hoping to force a vote on their Epstein Files Transparency Act
-
Court hands Harvard a win in Trump funding battle
Speed Read The Trump administration was ordered to restore Harvard's $2 billion in research grants