His performance impressed executives at NBC parent company Comcast. In May 2020, Jeff Shell, then NBCUniversal’s chief executive, put Mr. Conde in charge of NBC News Group, replacing veteran journalist Andrew Lack.
Privately, Mr. Shell acknowledged that Mr. Conde had a different background than his predecessor.
Mr. Shell said there were three types of executives who ran news organizations, according to two people familiar with his comments. “Journalists, politicians and business people,” Mr. Shell said the two people recalled. “Cesar is a politician.”
Under Mr. Conde’s leadership, the news division expanded its digital efforts and flagship television programs MSNBC and NBC continued to perform well. Speaking in the media on Friday, Mike Cavanagh, Comcast’s president, praised Mr. Conde’s responsibility “at a time of transition.” “News Group’s performance is a testament to his great leadership, particularly in difficult times,” he said in a statement.
Some of Mr. Conde’s moves caused a stir in the NBC newsroom.
He arranged for lists of on-air guests to be forwarded to his office so that he could stop by and greet influential and influential visitors. When Mr. Bush was interviewed on “Today” in 2021 by his daughter Jenna Bush Hager, Mr. Conde asked his office to forward his biography to the former president in advance, according to two people familiar with the arrangement. (Mr. Conde often speaks admiringly of his time working for Secretary of State Colin Powell under Mr. Bush.)
Mr. Conde also retained his directorships at Pepsi and Walmart, earning him compensation of more than $640,000 last year, according to financial filings. News executives typically strive to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest. Mr. Conde has stated that he stays away from any editorial decisions affecting the two companies. (He is also a trustee of the Aspen Institute, which sponsors the Ideas Festival; in 2021, NBC News Group, under Mr. Conde, signed a partnership as the Institute’s media partner.)
Source link
2024-03-30 01:20:43
www.nytimes.com
