RUFFLED PEACOCK
NBC’s bedlam revealed in botched Ronna hire
Media executives and industry experts close to NBC said the Ronna McDaniel fiasco exposed the chaos in the upper ranks at the Peacock network — with one top honcho telling The Post that “a head needs to roll.”
The hiring and abrupt firing of the former chair of the Republican National Committee under intense pressure from NBC and MSNBC talent, led by Chuck Todd and Rachel Maddow, revealed the power vacuum at the network, multiple sources told The Post on Thursday.
“Someone needs to pay for the clear lack of leadership on this issue,” said one media bigwig, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “A head needs to roll.”
“There are some serious conversations happening in Philadelphia,” the source added, referring to the headquarters of NBC-parent Comcast. “If I’m [Comcast president] Mike Cavanagh, I’d be like what the f--k!”
A possible fall guy could be NBC News Group Chairman Cesar Conde, who took “full responsibility” for signing off on the reported two-year, $600,000 deal that landed McDaniel as an on-air contributor at NBC and MSNBC last Friday.
‘Inexplicable’
Four days later, his tune changed after Maddow called the hire “inexplicable,” Todd returned to “Meet the Press” to denounce McDaniel’s “credibility issues” and Mika Brzezinski of “Morning Joe” slammed her as an “election denier.”
McDaniel is reportedly in talks with high-powered media lawyer Bryan Freedman and weighing a defamation and harassment lawsuit over the treatment she received from her short-time colleagues.
The black mark that the McDaniel episode has put on Conde’s sterling resumé is a “self-inflicted, hemorrhaging wound,” noted a former exec at a rival network.
“For starters, Conde needs to show up in the office to deal with the problem head-on instead of cowering in Brickell Miami,” the source said.
Currently, Conde lords over what sources have described as a collection of “fiefdoms.”
Libby Leist oversees “Today;” Janelle Rodriguez is in charge of “NBC
A head needs to roll. — Top media executive
Nightly News” and the “NBC News Now” streaming service; Rebecca Blumenstein, who in January 2023 was named president of editorial, oversees bookings for “Meet the Press” and “Dateline;” and Rashida Jones runs MSNBC.
McDaniel’s hiring was a team effort, with Blumenstein and NBC News senior vice president of politics Carrie Budoff Brown reportedly leading the process and Jones pushing to get the former RNC chair a more lucrative contract to appear on MSNBC.
After Conde sent out a memo Tuesday announcing McDaniel’s dismissal, MSNBC prime-time hosts Joy Reid, Chris Hayes and Alex Wagner gushed over the ouster.
“That leadership was willing change on this, I’m grateful them,” Maddow chimed in.
“The inmates are taking over the asylum,” the rival media exec countered. “There’s no clear leader at the network, especially the way Conde set things up.”
However, a source close to NBC said Conde will survive any upheaval.
“Cesar still has full support and confidence of Comcast/NBCU leadership,” the insider told The Post.
Conde, NBCU, Comcast and NBC News declined to comment.