"I think of commentators such as [the late] Alan Colmes, Juan Williams, Harold Ford, and Jessica Tarlov. They All have represented the liberal viewpoint on Fox shows by assignment. Though the resulting arguments can be heated, these Democrats generally seem to be treated courteously by their fellow talent and are well-supported for book promotion and other outside projects. . .
Ronna McDaniel and the Peacock Network - Henry F. Smith, Jr. "Is there any rational person who still believes that the National Broadcasting Company is in any way a reliable source of news?
"The network of Chet Huntley, David Brinkley, Harry Reasoner, Roger Mudd, and Tom Brokaw has now abandoned all pretense of impartiality. This is thanks to their atrocious treatment of former RNC chair Ronna McDaniel.
"It has been quite obvious that all of the original networks tilt to the Left and have done so quietly for many years if not decades. But NBC is unique in that it also produces MSNBC, an unabashedly leftist news/commentary product. Its commentators often move back and forth between the main network and the upstart. The hiring of Ms. McDaniel by NBC proper was probably considered a good move to maintain a thin veneer of bipartisanship.
"On the surface, she looked like a good fit. Though not openly disloyal to ex-president Trump, as the niece of NeverTrumper Mitt Romney, her loyalty to the party was suspect among some Republicans. Her failures in the 2020 and 2022 elections ultimately forced a change in party leadership more clearly aligned with the Republican nominee. As an NBC contributor, I think she would have probably felt comfortable offering both support and criticism to her party. This should be what the network would want.
"But then the wildly Left-leaning on-air talent at MSNBC had a “hissy fit” and demanded her firing. This was said to be due to her (tepid) support of President Trump's voter fraud claims for the 2020 election. The protesters included Chuck Todd, who is NBC’s “Chief Political Analyst” and the former host of that sacred bastion of impartiality “Meet the Press.” Good luck with getting any reasoned political analysis from NBC." . . .
Henry F. Smith MD is a Pulmonary and Sleep Physician. He blogs at Henrysmithscottage.com
MSNBC is Straight Up a Cult
The use of caricature, fear, an aversion to disobedient facts, and a strange common smugness create a well-defined but small and self-limited audience. It is a cult that thinks it is speaking to the nation. The weird thing is that a show in which articulate conservatives and non-zombie liberals conducted respectful, focused debates with informative interviews of real experts could probably double or triple MSNBC’s net audience in the evening slots; even allowing for the departure of most of their bubble-dwelling regulars, who would be triggered, offended and horrified. But there is a greater probability of LGBTQ+ concerns being debated on Saudi or Iranian news channels than such an event happening on MSNBC.
UPDATE: Mutiny on the MSNBC - Don Surber (substack.com)
. . ."The executive who hired Ronna overlooked the fact that while she worked against Trump’s election behind the scenes, she publicly praised him. As superficial as that was, the media is superficial. The Mutiny on the MSNBC delighted Trump supporters because we know what she didn’t do at the RNC — help Trump — and we know what Democrats plan to do to everyone: destroy us. Let her feel some of that pain first.
"She was done in by the presenters of the two MSNBC shows that attract an audience: Rachel Maddow’s at night and Joe Scarborough’s fare in the morning, which is prime time for news channels.
"That both shows are showcases for Democrats is no surprise because that drives audience numbers but most importantly to network executives the shows drive ideology. The morning show is to the Maddow show’s left and is so loyal to the Biden administration that it embarrasses the DEI hire that is Biden’s propagandist." . . .