The year 2024 was marked by several major controversies in the media industry. One of the most notable was the hiring and subsequent firing of Ronna McDaniel, former chair of the Republican National Committee, as a contributor to NBC News. McDaniel’s hiring was met with resistance from many NBC News staff, particularly from its liberal cable arm MSNBC, who argued that her support for President Trump and alleged actions to block the certification of Michigan’s election results in 2020 made her unfit for the role. Despite initially standing by the decision, NBC News ultimately terminated McDaniel’s contract just four days later.
Another significant controversy emerged when Uri Berliner, a veteran editor at NPR, blew the whistle on the liberal dogma that had captured his news organization. Berliner claimed that NPR had turned a “blind eye” to several major stories, including the Hunter Biden laptop scandal and the COVID lab leak theory, and had also promoted Rep. Adam Schiff as a credible source. Berliner’s claims sparked outrage and criticism from NPR’s leadership, who suspended him for violating company policies.
In the realm of debate coverage, ABC News was criticized for its aggressive fact-checking of former President Trump during a presidential debate, while allowing Vice President Kamala Harris to go unchallenged. The debate moderators were also accused of allowing Harris to make false claims about Trump’s policies and record.
Several high-profile media personalities faced scrutiny in 2024, including New York magazine reporter Olivia Nuzzi, who was embroiled in a scandal over her alleged “sexting” relationship with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whom she had been covering as a reporter. Nuzzi was placed on leave by her employer and eventually resigned.
Other controversies included a “pay to play” scheme involving MSNBC host Rev. Al Sharpton, who received $500,000 from the Harris campaign ahead of a friendly interview on MSNBC. Sharpton’s nonprofit organization had received the donations without disclosing them to the public or to his bosses at the network.
ABC News was also forced to pay President-elect Trump $15 million in a defamation settlement after Stephanopoulos made false claims about Trump’s alleged liability for rape during an interview. The settlement marked a major blow to ABC News and its reputation.
Overall, 2024 was a year marked by significant controversy and upheaval in the media industry, with several high-profile outlets and personalities facing scrutiny and criticism over their handling of various issues and scandals.