NBC News journalists are reportedly not happy with MSNBC’s decision to hire Biden’s White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki.
Jen Psaki last Friday was asked about her plans to join MSNBC.
Psaki is reportedly set to leave the Biden White House for MSNBC.
White House reporters have known these negotiations were going on behind the scenes but they acted surprised and concerned last week.
“Is it true that you are leaving the White House to work for MSNBC?” a reporter asked Psaki.
Another reporter followed up with a separate question about Psaki joining MSNBC.
“How is it ethical to have these conversations with media outlets while you continue to have a job standing behind that podium?” NBC reporter Kristen Welker asked.
“I have abided by [ethical and legal requirements] that are imposed on this administration,” Psaki said.
Apparently NBC News reporters aren’t very happy about Psaki’s move to MSNBC.
CNN reported:
NBC News journalists are troubled by and have expressed dismay to network executives about MSNBC’s intention to hire White House press secretary Jen Psaki when she exits the Biden administration, people familiar with the matter told CNN.
Noah Oppenheim, the NBC News president, even held an impromptu phone call Friday so that he could address the matter with vexed staffers from the Washington bureau, some of whom have complained to their superiors that the tentative hiring tarnishes the NBC News brand.
Oppenheim, attempting to quell the anger, reaffirmed the distinction on the call between NBC News and MSNBC’s opinion programming, some of the people familiar with the matter said.
Oppenheim’s call, however, hasn’t fully stamped out the frustration among NBC News journalists, the people who spoke to CNN said.
As was first reported by Puck, Psaki engaged in talks with several television networks, including CNN, about potential jobs she could take after exiting the White House. While she has not officially signed a contract with MSNBC, the talks with the network are in the advanced stages and the two sides essentially have a handshake deal.
Psaki declined to comment on Wednesday. But a White House official previously told CNN that she had recused herself from interviews on NBC News and MSNBC.
