YOU’VE BEEN WARNED

MSNBC Bosses Warn Staffers to ‘Do Better’ After Charlie Kirk Comments

Executives sent a company-wide letter after the network’s controversial axing of analyst Matthew Dowd.

MSNBC executives have told talent “We need to do better” in the wake of the company firing analyst Matthew Dowd for his comments in the immediate aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

In a letter addressed to Comcast NBCUniversal employees sent Friday morning, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts, Comcast President Mike Cavanagh, and NBCUniversal spin-off VERSANT prospective CEO Mark Lazarus wrote the following:

“You may have seen that MSNBC recently ended its association with a contributor who made an unacceptable and insensitive comment about this horrific event,” they said. “That coverage was at odds with fostering civil dialogue and being willing to listen to the points of view of those who have differing opinions. We should be able to disagree, robustly and passionately, but, ultimately, with respect. We need to do better.”

WORDS MATTER

MSNBC Axes Analyst Who Blamed Charlie Kirk’s ‘Hateful Words’

Cameron Adams

During MSNBC’s coverage of the Charlie Kirk shooting Wednesday afternoon, Dowd, 64, first suggested someone could have been “firing their gun in celebration.” He then said of the 31-year-old Kirk, “He’s been one of the most divisive, especially divisive younger figures in this who is constantly pushing this sort of hate speech aimed at certain groups.”

He added, “I always go back to hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions. I think that’s the environment we’re in... You can’t stop with these awful thoughts you have and then saying these awful words and then not expect awful actions to take place.”

Republican politicians were quick to pounce on Dowd’s comments.

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The executives praised Kirk in their letter, saying, “Regardless of whether you agreed with his political views, his words and actions underscore the urgency to maintain a respectful exchange of ideas—a principle we must champion.”

There has been vocal disagreement online about how the media has covered Kirk in the wake of his killing. Ezra Klein wrote an obituary for The New York Times titled “Charlie Kirk Was Practicing Politics the Right Way” that similarly characterized Kirk as an organizer who wanted to “maintain a respectful exchange of ideas.” The piece led to vehement disagreement online and rebuttals from other publications.

FIRED UP

Fired MSNBC Contributor Says Right Wing Mob Came for Him

Wiktoria Gucia

Dowd believes MSNBC brass catered to right-wing mob attacks. In a Substack article published Friday, Dowd wrote that he couldn’t believe his thoughts could be misconstrued, and added “The Right Wing media mob ginned up, went after me on a plethora of platforms, and MSNBC reacted to that mob.”

In April, President Trump insulted Brian Roberts on Truth Social, saying, “Comcast, which also has the ailing network known as NBC, is trying to stay away from lawsuits by disassociating NBC from MSNBC, but it won’t work. Comcast, the owner of both, and it’s Chairman, Brian Roberts, are a disgrace to the integrity of Broadcasting!!!”

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Adam DownerBreaking News Reporter

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