Top execs at NBCUniversal are embroiled in a feud over NBC’s decision to host a town hall with President Donald Trump at the same time ABC has one planned with former Vice President Joe Biden, Politico reports.
Three high-ranking sources told Politico that MSNBC head Phil Griffin disagreed with NBC News President Noah Oppenheim’s choice to move ahead with the town hall during the scheduled time slot.
“Each side thinks the other is ruining the other‘s brand, and this just ripped it open,” said one of the sources.
The network leaders take different approaches in how they share their news, Politico reports. Sources say MSNBC leans toward featuring more left leaning commentary and NBC News tries to present a mid-line approach.
Critics have blasted NBC for agreeing to broadcast the town hall after the president refused to participate in a second virtual debate that was supposed to take place on Thursday.
“This is completely insane. We’re rewarding Trump’s bad behavior and playing his game,” a top source at NBCUniversal told Politico. “The fact is this shows how NBC always helps the Trump brand. He was created here on ‘The Apprentice.’ He got a W-2 from here just like I do.”
NBCUniversal News Group Chairman Cesar Conde addressed the decision to hold the town hall in a statement.
"We share in the frustration that our event will initially air alongside the first half of ABC’s broadcast with Vice President Biden,” Conde said. “Our decision is motivated only by fairness, not business considerations. We aired a town hall with Vice President Biden on October 5 at 8 p.m. If we were to move our town hall with President Trump to a later timeslot we would be violating our commitment to offer both campaigns access to the same audience and the same forum. We hope voters will watch both discussions – ours will be available at any time, free and on-demand on YouTube, Peacock and all our digital news platforms."
NBC has also hired an independent third-party firm to make sure town hall attendees represent a variety of voters, a source told Politico.
During last week’s Biden town hall, moderator Lester Holt told viewers that “we are surrounded by dozens of undecided voters” but all of the questioners appeared to back Biden, according to Politico.
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