Media

NBC Has Cozy Financial Relationship With BuzzFeed

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

David Krayden Ottawa Bureau Chief
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NBCUniversal is a heavy financial partner with left-wing media outlet BuzzFeed.

As FoxNews reports, NBC, the first national radio network in the United States, has injected $400 million into BuzzFeed — though neither media service is too obvious about the “strategic partnership” that may strike some as a curious relationship.

BuzzFeed confirmed the link to Fox on Tuesday, with a spokesperson saying, “NBCU is indeed an investor and a great strategic partner, but I’m afraid you’d have to ask them about how and when they disclose that information.” (RELATED: BuzzFeed Doubles Down On Trump Story But Won’t Discuss Documents Or Sources)

NBCU doesn’t appear to have disclosed that information when both NBC News and MSNBC have been so uncritical in their reporting of BuzzFeed’s journalism, including the coverage of BuzzFeed’s discredited report on how President Donald Trump was supposed to have counseled lawyer Michael Cohen to lie to Congress.

President Trumps lawyer Michael Cohen exits the US Federal Court on April 16, 2018, in Lower Manhattan, New York. President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen has been under criminal investigation for months over his business dealings, and FBI agents last week raided his home, hotel room, office, a safety deposit box and seized two cellphones. Some of the documents reportedly relate to payments to porn star Stormy Daniels, who claims a one-night stand with Trump a decade ago, and ex Playboy model Karen McDougal who also claims an affair. / AFP PHOTO / EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ (Photo credit should read EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ/AFP/Getty Images)

President Trumps former lawyer Michael Cohen exits the US Federal Court on Apr. 16, 2018, in Lower Manhattan, New York. PHOTO: EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ/AFP/Getty Images)

Throughout its coverage of the “bombshell” news, MSNBC repeatedly recommended that impeachment for the president was in order — until a firm denial from special counsel Robert Meuller’s team shut down the story. (RELATED: Trump Jr Draws Parallels Between Sunken BuzzFeed Story And Catholic Schoolboy Feeding Frenzy)

Jeffrey McCall, a professor and media critic at DePauw University, suggested to Fox News that when one media giant reports on another outlet, it should “explain its financial interests and connections.”

McCall said few viewers would have any idea that NBC has such a tight financial relationship with BuzzFeed and that it is incumbent upon the station to be transparent about it.

Screen Shot Chris Matthews (MSNBC: Feb 8, 2018)

Screen Shot Chris Matthews (MSNBC: Feb 8, 2018)

“Even with the news operations being editorially independent from each other, reporting by NBC/MSNBC of BuzzFeed content should be put in context, just so viewers can have a full and transparent basis on which to assess the story.”

The Daily Caller has reached out to NBC News for comment.

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