I can’t stop thinking about Tom Brokaw and the late Tim Russert in the aftermath of the astounding decision by NBC News and MSNBC to hire former RNC chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel as an analyst. Of course, it is something that would never have happened if either man was still at NBC because both men were pillars of probity and journalistic integrity. They could be trusted. They were on your side, and they would never ever abide a liar as spectacular as Ronna McDaniel appearing under the NBC logo.
Another dark moment in American journalism. This is not a journalistic decision, it is one of greed. It is about ratings. It is about dollars. For me, Chuck Todd ruined Meet the Press. I have not watched Meet the Press since. This coming Sunday will be no different. Going forward I will turn to CBS for my news. The panel shows on MSNBC after major events help me to make sense of what happened. Even their digesting of the primaries. I appreciate Michael Steele’s point of view. If they inject McDaniel in those panels, I will not be watching. If it’s Sunday, it’s Not Meet the Press.
“I can’t stop thinking about Tom Brokaw and the late Tim Russert in the aftermath of the astounding decision by NBC News and MSNBC to hire former RNC chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel as an analyst.”
Shocker! MSNBC hires a Trump shill. Let’s face it, the media, corporations and even our elite universities have become nothing more than clickbait, and a never ending series of 24 news cycles, ad nauseam.
Were we shocked when Harvard hired Sean Spicer as a professor? Mr. Trump’s inauguration was the biggest, bestest EVER????????
Were we shocked when CNN hired Rick Santorum and Kayleigh McEnany as a analysts? Mr. Same sex marriage leads to bestiality???? Or Ms. Liar, liar pants on fire McEnany, who propagated Trumps false election lies and claimed Obama didn’t give Trump a fair transitional period after the election.
America is a capitalist country, and maximizing profits in every institution has become the norm. So is it a wonder that Americans no longer trust anyone or any institution that doesn’t comport with its audience’s preconceived notions?
Do ethics actually exist anywhere in America. I guess this is a question for another day. However, being shocked is no different than Americans becoming anesthetized to all things and actions.
That said, I agree, the Bulwark is great. JVL is extremely talented and gifted. I was skeptical at first, because I’ve never been a republican, and mostly tuned out the voices from the right. Yet, JVL writes a great newsletter and I highly recommend a subscription; it’s worth it.
Puck and The Atlantic are two other periodicals I highly recommend as well.
I rarely watch the news, other than Deadline White House. I turned the TV off 3 years ago. I always had it on as background noise really, especially on the days I was working from home. But one day, I stopped. I realized I couldn’t stand the noise of it all any longer. I read the news, tune in to Deadline White House and will turn in on if there is an event. Otherwise, the quiet has become my friend during the day. By evening, the last thing I want is someone droning on. I decided I wanted to end my day on a more quiet and peaceful note.
Even with my limited watching, I find what NBC has done to be intolerable. Reading through social media yesterday afternoon one guy posted, “ what Goebbels wasn’t available.” I laughed, but thought it was a great point.
We are failing, Steve. It is amazing to me, but actions such as this just contribute to the failure.
OMG Steve- how can this possibly be happening!! When I think of how addicted I am to MSNBC I guess it's time for withdrawal! To think that Rachel, Ari Melber, Ali Velshi, Nicolle Wallace,etc. etc will have to deal with that piece of slime sends chills down my spine!!! I think that they should stage a walkout/ Tom Russert must be turning in his grave/ integrity is no longer a word that I can associate with MSNBC- so very sad 😢
I think you’re very wrong Steve - not about the supremely bad hire of Rhonna Romney - but about the journalists and opinion folks on MSNBC in particular.
I expect Rachel Maddow, or Chris Hayes, Katie Tur or anyone else to immediately have Rashida Jones’ latest prize on and reduce her to the steaming pile of shit she has apparently always been.
What can you say about a woman who is willing to change use of her actual legal name because Mr. Trump didn’t want her identified as “Romney“?
No one on NBC will do what needs to be done, but I expect a volcano to erupt on MSNBC. But instead of refusing to put her on their panels, hosts should invite her in for a one on one and challenge her on the wreck she has attempted to make of American democracy.
Steve, this is outrageous. They screw over a superb journalist like Mehdi Hasan and hire a serial liar like Rona. I've gotten to the point where I watch cable news less and less. We'll see how Rachel and Lawrence handle this.
For those of us who have been wondering what happened to the MSM, this is it. No Edward R Murrows telling the truth on prime time. When the story of this time is written, the cowardice of the media will be a critical part of the tragedy.
I stopped watching the news, including MSNBC, years ago. Despite top people like Maddow and O'Donnell, as a whole, the station wasn't telling the story clearly or accurately enough. I learn more from independent journalists. But McDaniels on MSNBC surprises me. This will cost them viewers, so I'm not sure where they're coming from. Is there foreign or MAGA infiltration at many corporate news offices, not just Fox, Newsmax, etc.?
I had the same WTF reaction to the hiring of Ronna McDaniel. I count on MSNBC for news analysis, inasmuch as I realize the network is a narrow, rickety plank over shark infested waters.
For years they've stayed within the boundaries of a safe center left perspective. I get that. Medhi Hasan was the last anchor to learn that you can't be the "Last DJ" on MSNBC and "play what you want to play and say what you want to say". Outspokenness makes advertisers jittery. With that said, the hiring of Ronna McDaniel signals an ominous shift at the worst possible time. C'mon NBC! Do you really think the hiring of a MAGA stooge will really extend your advertising appeal beyond Jardiance or Kathie Lee snake-powder pills?
Through the horrifying deterioration taking place in all three branches of our government, I have clung to the fourth branch of government, a free press, as our hope for righting the wrongs. And through the devolution of the free press by corporate hack press workers like Fox and so many others (I can’t call them journalists), I have clung for sustenance to NPR, PBS, the BBC and - MSNBC. Frankly, this news breaks my heart. Has the Almighty Dollar finally eclipsed the bright sunshine of even the last standing, on-air patriots? Hell, NO! My money says there will be a massive walk-out of the best and brightest across the board at NBC and MSNBC. And if there isn’t, there must be a Couch Potato Revolution among us viewers, which should start with a national boycott of products advertised on their channels. Especially Liberty Mutual, whose ubiquitous commercials should be pulled anyway.
I hear things, and people are saying, Ronna and Kelly Ann should co-host a NBC show called the Narrow View. A look from inside the circle of the corrupt, deviant and crazy world of a fascist movement here in Amerika. They are truly qualified to host that show and you could have no problem imagining their guest list. A long line of malcontents and future residents of our penal system, if democracy holds.
In recent years, the landscape of media has undergone a profound transformation, marked by the rise of opinion-driven platforms and a departure from the traditional standards of unbiased reporting. From the emergence of Fox News to the proliferation of Radio Jocks and Newsmax, the once-respected bastions of journalism have become overrun with talking heads more concerned with espousing their own viewpoints than delivering factual, researched content.
Gone are the days when mainstream media (MSM) was considered the fourth arm of government, providing citizens with meticulously researched, unbiased reporting. Instead, many channels and outlets now prioritize sensationalism over substance, amplifying divisive rhetoric and political polarization.
The decline of esteemed programs like "Meet the Press" on NBC, symbolized by the replacement of Chuck Todd for Tim Russert, underscores this shift. Meanwhile, networks like MSNBC, once known for their insightful anchors, have devolved into platforms dominated by self-aggrandizing pundits fixated on the spectacle of personalities like Trump.
Faced with this erosion of journalistic integrity, many discerning individuals, like yourself, have sought refuge in alternative sources of information such as Substack, AP, Reuters, PBS, and NPR. These platforms prioritize factual reporting over sensationalism, offering a sanctuary for those seeking unadulterated news in a media landscape plagued by noise and bias.
I’m unsettled. I haven’t been watching news on the TV every day, all day, as I have in the past. When I do I generally watch MSNBC. Even my viewing time with MSNBC has vastly declined. Those reasons are legion and appropriate for a different discussion.
I can’t say I’ve heard anything about McDaniel’s hire except there. I watched Deadline: Whitehouse and nothing more today. I paid attention to the terror attacks in Moscow, not so much to other stories, which didn’t cover anything about McDaniels. The end of Deadline, I went out to run errands and came home to March Madness. (Our team won!)
I’m should be sound asleep but I’m paying attention to this. I’m taking a wait and see stance for the moment. I remember YEARS ago the program, GRETA!, was new to the afternoon lineup. I didn’t know one thing at all about her except I didn’t like her. REALLY didn’t like her. She didn’t last long and now Ari Melber has been host of that time spot for a long time and is among my top favorite hosts.
My MSNBC viewing has become very selective. I will wait to see how this shakes out. “Commentator”is one thing. But “Host” is a billion levels greater than commentator. In my humble opinion, she needs to be tested as a guest before becoming “an MSNBC commentator” and well before, even before guest host!!!
This is NOT a promising bedtime mindset for sweet dreams!
Real journalism and real journalists are on life support. It is truly the rare breathe of fresh air these days. It’s hard to find a journalist or even a newspaper or news agency that will drill down on any subject of worth. The Sunday shows are garbage in , garbage out. The guests now are irrelevant blowhards, media whores with nothing cogent to say. What’s worse are the hosts pretending to be journalists that never really challenge their guests to get the truth or to dispel their lies.
The networks are hollow corporations just out there to make a buck. Networks play to the lowest common denominator. Ronald McDonald McDaniel is just another example of “the news” pretending they have integrity. Fox is at least honest in a sense that they have been outed as liars, propagandists. They don’t care, it makes them money and that is only what they care about.
It’s the phony news media like CNN MSNBC ABC CBS NBC that try to disguise their ineptitude and pandering to the lowest common denominator. They too are about money not integrity.
The days of Walter Cronkite, Huntley and Brinkley, are of a bygone era.
In another year it won’t matter, it will be simply state run TV. News organizations should have a higher standard to present the news, to present the facts . They had a duty to get all the facts. Sadly there is only a colonel of news smothered in opinions.
News organizations have long ago broken their trust to report the facts and get to the truth. Now it’s headlines, irrelevant people, and opinions disguised as news.
We are the losers for not demanding a higher standard. We are to blame for allowing Rupert Murdock for poisoning our airwaves and CNN and the others to pollute our water with toxins low bar journalism
Another dark moment in American journalism. This is not a journalistic decision, it is one of greed. It is about ratings. It is about dollars. For me, Chuck Todd ruined Meet the Press. I have not watched Meet the Press since. This coming Sunday will be no different. Going forward I will turn to CBS for my news. The panel shows on MSNBC after major events help me to make sense of what happened. Even their digesting of the primaries. I appreciate Michael Steele’s point of view. If they inject McDaniel in those panels, I will not be watching. If it’s Sunday, it’s Not Meet the Press.
“I can’t stop thinking about Tom Brokaw and the late Tim Russert in the aftermath of the astounding decision by NBC News and MSNBC to hire former RNC chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel as an analyst.”
Shocker! MSNBC hires a Trump shill. Let’s face it, the media, corporations and even our elite universities have become nothing more than clickbait, and a never ending series of 24 news cycles, ad nauseam.
Were we shocked when Harvard hired Sean Spicer as a professor? Mr. Trump’s inauguration was the biggest, bestest EVER????????
Were we shocked when CNN hired Rick Santorum and Kayleigh McEnany as a analysts? Mr. Same sex marriage leads to bestiality???? Or Ms. Liar, liar pants on fire McEnany, who propagated Trumps false election lies and claimed Obama didn’t give Trump a fair transitional period after the election.
America is a capitalist country, and maximizing profits in every institution has become the norm. So is it a wonder that Americans no longer trust anyone or any institution that doesn’t comport with its audience’s preconceived notions?
Do ethics actually exist anywhere in America. I guess this is a question for another day. However, being shocked is no different than Americans becoming anesthetized to all things and actions.
That said, I agree, the Bulwark is great. JVL is extremely talented and gifted. I was skeptical at first, because I’ve never been a republican, and mostly tuned out the voices from the right. Yet, JVL writes a great newsletter and I highly recommend a subscription; it’s worth it.
Puck and The Atlantic are two other periodicals I highly recommend as well.
Have a great weekend all…:)
I rarely watch the news, other than Deadline White House. I turned the TV off 3 years ago. I always had it on as background noise really, especially on the days I was working from home. But one day, I stopped. I realized I couldn’t stand the noise of it all any longer. I read the news, tune in to Deadline White House and will turn in on if there is an event. Otherwise, the quiet has become my friend during the day. By evening, the last thing I want is someone droning on. I decided I wanted to end my day on a more quiet and peaceful note.
Even with my limited watching, I find what NBC has done to be intolerable. Reading through social media yesterday afternoon one guy posted, “ what Goebbels wasn’t available.” I laughed, but thought it was a great point.
We are failing, Steve. It is amazing to me, but actions such as this just contribute to the failure.
OMG Steve- how can this possibly be happening!! When I think of how addicted I am to MSNBC I guess it's time for withdrawal! To think that Rachel, Ari Melber, Ali Velshi, Nicolle Wallace,etc. etc will have to deal with that piece of slime sends chills down my spine!!! I think that they should stage a walkout/ Tom Russert must be turning in his grave/ integrity is no longer a word that I can associate with MSNBC- so very sad 😢
I think you’re very wrong Steve - not about the supremely bad hire of Rhonna Romney - but about the journalists and opinion folks on MSNBC in particular.
I expect Rachel Maddow, or Chris Hayes, Katie Tur or anyone else to immediately have Rashida Jones’ latest prize on and reduce her to the steaming pile of shit she has apparently always been.
What can you say about a woman who is willing to change use of her actual legal name because Mr. Trump didn’t want her identified as “Romney“?
No one on NBC will do what needs to be done, but I expect a volcano to erupt on MSNBC. But instead of refusing to put her on their panels, hosts should invite her in for a one on one and challenge her on the wreck she has attempted to make of American democracy.
Feeding her to the lions is the right course.
Steve, this is outrageous. They screw over a superb journalist like Mehdi Hasan and hire a serial liar like Rona. I've gotten to the point where I watch cable news less and less. We'll see how Rachel and Lawrence handle this.
For those of us who have been wondering what happened to the MSM, this is it. No Edward R Murrows telling the truth on prime time. When the story of this time is written, the cowardice of the media will be a critical part of the tragedy.
I stopped watching the news, including MSNBC, years ago. Despite top people like Maddow and O'Donnell, as a whole, the station wasn't telling the story clearly or accurately enough. I learn more from independent journalists. But McDaniels on MSNBC surprises me. This will cost them viewers, so I'm not sure where they're coming from. Is there foreign or MAGA infiltration at many corporate news offices, not just Fox, Newsmax, etc.?
I had the same WTF reaction to the hiring of Ronna McDaniel. I count on MSNBC for news analysis, inasmuch as I realize the network is a narrow, rickety plank over shark infested waters.
For years they've stayed within the boundaries of a safe center left perspective. I get that. Medhi Hasan was the last anchor to learn that you can't be the "Last DJ" on MSNBC and "play what you want to play and say what you want to say". Outspokenness makes advertisers jittery. With that said, the hiring of Ronna McDaniel signals an ominous shift at the worst possible time. C'mon NBC! Do you really think the hiring of a MAGA stooge will really extend your advertising appeal beyond Jardiance or Kathie Lee snake-powder pills?
Through the horrifying deterioration taking place in all three branches of our government, I have clung to the fourth branch of government, a free press, as our hope for righting the wrongs. And through the devolution of the free press by corporate hack press workers like Fox and so many others (I can’t call them journalists), I have clung for sustenance to NPR, PBS, the BBC and - MSNBC. Frankly, this news breaks my heart. Has the Almighty Dollar finally eclipsed the bright sunshine of even the last standing, on-air patriots? Hell, NO! My money says there will be a massive walk-out of the best and brightest across the board at NBC and MSNBC. And if there isn’t, there must be a Couch Potato Revolution among us viewers, which should start with a national boycott of products advertised on their channels. Especially Liberty Mutual, whose ubiquitous commercials should be pulled anyway.
I hear things, and people are saying, Ronna and Kelly Ann should co-host a NBC show called the Narrow View. A look from inside the circle of the corrupt, deviant and crazy world of a fascist movement here in Amerika. They are truly qualified to host that show and you could have no problem imagining their guest list. A long line of malcontents and future residents of our penal system, if democracy holds.
In recent years, the landscape of media has undergone a profound transformation, marked by the rise of opinion-driven platforms and a departure from the traditional standards of unbiased reporting. From the emergence of Fox News to the proliferation of Radio Jocks and Newsmax, the once-respected bastions of journalism have become overrun with talking heads more concerned with espousing their own viewpoints than delivering factual, researched content.
Gone are the days when mainstream media (MSM) was considered the fourth arm of government, providing citizens with meticulously researched, unbiased reporting. Instead, many channels and outlets now prioritize sensationalism over substance, amplifying divisive rhetoric and political polarization.
The decline of esteemed programs like "Meet the Press" on NBC, symbolized by the replacement of Chuck Todd for Tim Russert, underscores this shift. Meanwhile, networks like MSNBC, once known for their insightful anchors, have devolved into platforms dominated by self-aggrandizing pundits fixated on the spectacle of personalities like Trump.
Faced with this erosion of journalistic integrity, many discerning individuals, like yourself, have sought refuge in alternative sources of information such as Substack, AP, Reuters, PBS, and NPR. These platforms prioritize factual reporting over sensationalism, offering a sanctuary for those seeking unadulterated news in a media landscape plagued by noise and bias.
I was with you Steve, until you mentioned Hoda Kotb in your list of superb NBC journalists. You might as well have included my cat.
When integrity meets money you get intellectual mediocrity without a moral compass.
I’m unsettled. I haven’t been watching news on the TV every day, all day, as I have in the past. When I do I generally watch MSNBC. Even my viewing time with MSNBC has vastly declined. Those reasons are legion and appropriate for a different discussion.
I can’t say I’ve heard anything about McDaniel’s hire except there. I watched Deadline: Whitehouse and nothing more today. I paid attention to the terror attacks in Moscow, not so much to other stories, which didn’t cover anything about McDaniels. The end of Deadline, I went out to run errands and came home to March Madness. (Our team won!)
I’m should be sound asleep but I’m paying attention to this. I’m taking a wait and see stance for the moment. I remember YEARS ago the program, GRETA!, was new to the afternoon lineup. I didn’t know one thing at all about her except I didn’t like her. REALLY didn’t like her. She didn’t last long and now Ari Melber has been host of that time spot for a long time and is among my top favorite hosts.
My MSNBC viewing has become very selective. I will wait to see how this shakes out. “Commentator”is one thing. But “Host” is a billion levels greater than commentator. In my humble opinion, she needs to be tested as a guest before becoming “an MSNBC commentator” and well before, even before guest host!!!
This is NOT a promising bedtime mindset for sweet dreams!
Real journalism and real journalists are on life support. It is truly the rare breathe of fresh air these days. It’s hard to find a journalist or even a newspaper or news agency that will drill down on any subject of worth. The Sunday shows are garbage in , garbage out. The guests now are irrelevant blowhards, media whores with nothing cogent to say. What’s worse are the hosts pretending to be journalists that never really challenge their guests to get the truth or to dispel their lies.
The networks are hollow corporations just out there to make a buck. Networks play to the lowest common denominator. Ronald McDonald McDaniel is just another example of “the news” pretending they have integrity. Fox is at least honest in a sense that they have been outed as liars, propagandists. They don’t care, it makes them money and that is only what they care about.
It’s the phony news media like CNN MSNBC ABC CBS NBC that try to disguise their ineptitude and pandering to the lowest common denominator. They too are about money not integrity.
The days of Walter Cronkite, Huntley and Brinkley, are of a bygone era.
In another year it won’t matter, it will be simply state run TV. News organizations should have a higher standard to present the news, to present the facts . They had a duty to get all the facts. Sadly there is only a colonel of news smothered in opinions.
News organizations have long ago broken their trust to report the facts and get to the truth. Now it’s headlines, irrelevant people, and opinions disguised as news.
We are the losers for not demanding a higher standard. We are to blame for allowing Rupert Murdock for poisoning our airwaves and CNN and the others to pollute our water with toxins low bar journalism