The president of NBC News has been forced to hold a meeting with staff outraged over the network's decision to hire Jen Psaki as a...
The president of NBC News has been forced to hold a meeting with staff outraged over the network's decision to hire Jen Psaki as an MSNBC host.
Noah Oppenheim held the call with staffers at the network's Washington DC bureau over their fears that hiring the White House press secretary will tarnish the brand.
According to CNN, Oppenheim told his journalists that Psaki would only appear on MSNBC, which is known for its left-wing opinion shows, and not NBC News itself, which bills itself as a neutral news network.
She is said to have informally agreed to host an MSNBC show that'll be screened on the Peacock streaming service.
One person who was on the call said: '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.
MSNBC's decision to court White House press secretary Jen Psaki as a host has angered staff at the sister NBC News network, over fears her presence will tarnish the brand
'People wanted answers on what NBC's role was in this and NBC News had no role in this. This is MSNBC's perspective programming.'
NBC News are said to have been particularly perturbed at news of Psaki's hiring emerging while she remains the White House's top spokeswoman.
She has yet to formally confirm she is leaving, but did not deny it when grilled by an NBC reporter at a White House briefing last week, and insisted she had acted ethically.
CBS News journalist Ed O'Keefe and NBC NEWS Kristen Welker took Psaki to task over news of her planned move in the White House briefing room on April 1
Is it ethical for you to continue conducting this job while negotiating with a media outlet?
NBC News boss Noah Oppenheimer, pictured at South by Southwest in March, reassured staff that the White House press secretary would be joining opinion-heavy MSNBC, and not NBC News, which bills itself as a neutral news network
I have always gone over and above the stringent ethical and legal requirements of the BA and i take that very seriously. As is standard for every employee of the White House, I have received vigorous ethics counseling, including, as it relates to, any future employment.
I've complied with all ethics requirements and gone beyond and taken steps to recuse myself from decisions as appropriate.
And so I hope all of you would judge me for my record and how I treat all of you in the briefing room and otherwise.
And I try to answer questions from everybody across the board. I know that not everybody in the back of the room may not be pleased with me, but I'll try to continue with that.'
Welker then followed-up, asking: 'How can you continue to be an effective briefer if you do, in fact, have plans to join a media outlet?'
Psaki answered: 'Well, I have nothing, again, to announce about any conversation, or any future plans.
'And at whatever time I leave the White House, I can promise you the first thing I am going to do is sleep, and spend time with my three and six year-old, who are my most important audiences of all.'
'But I would say, Kristen, that again, I have taken the ethics, legal requirements, to the highest, very seriously in any discussions, any future considerations about any future employment, just as any White House official would, and I have taken steps beyond that to ensure there is no conflict.'
Clearly unhappy with Psaki's answer, Welker pushed again, asking: 'And I understand what you're saying, but I guess the question is, how is it ethical to have these conversations with these media outlets while you continue to have a job standing behind that podium?'
Psaki answered: 'Well, there are a range of stringent ethical and legal requirements that are imposed on everybody in this administration and many administrations past about any conversations you're having with future employers.
'That is true of any industry you're working in. I have abided by those and tried to take steps to go beyond that'
NBC, whose New York headquarters is pictured, bills it NBC News division as politically-neutral - but its MSNBC rolling news network broadcasts liberal programing
But Welker continued to probe Psaki, asking: 'And broadly speaking, is it the policy of this White House to allow staffers to have discussions, even if indirectly, with institutions that impact and affect their jobs and your job here?'
The press secretary answered: 'Well, it is the policy of this White House to ensure that anyone who is having conversations about future employment does so through consultation with the White House counsel's office, ensuring they abide by any ethics and legal requirements.
'And those are conversations that I have taken very seriously, and abided by every component of.'
Other White House press secretaries have gone on to media roles after leaving.
Donald Trump's press secretaries Sarah Sanders and Kayleigh McEnany both became Fox News contributors after stepping down - but neither bagged a presenter role.
NBC News staffers are also said to be uncomfortable that some of the news department's biggest hosts - including Chuck Todd and Hallie Jackson - appear on both NBC News and MSNBC, further narrowing the distinction between the two brands.
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