NBC News has provided glowing coverage of Walmart and PepsiCo, two companies for which a top network executive holds board positions.
NBCUniversal News Group Chairman Cesar Conde, who oversees NBC News, CNBC, and MSNBC, has been facing intense scrutiny following NBC's hiring – and swift firing – of former RNC chair Ronna McDaniel, who sparked outrage from the network's liberal stars when she was signed.
But it appears the McDaniel melodrama isn't Conde's only headache, as his additional jobs outside the Comcast-owned company are raising other questions.
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Conde joined PepsiCo's board of directors in 2016 and Walmart's board of directors in 2019. The following year, he was tapped to lead NBC's entire news operation.
According to the Associated Press, which cites Salary.com, Conde "earned $275,018 from Walmart in 2022 and $320,000 from PepsiCo, in a combination of cash and stock."
An NBCUniversal spokesperson previously told The Wall Street Journal in 2021 that Conde would recuse himself from weighing in on stories involving the two companies, and there's no evidence Conde had a role in any specific stories about the companies.
Under his tenure as NBC's news chief, however, NBC has aired several bubbly reports about Walmart and Pepsi, according to a review of the network's YouTube pages.
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In July 2020, NBC News reported Walmart's decision to close on Thanksgiving Day and to give bonuses to employees. In September 2020, NBC News aired a lengthy report about Walmart's partnership with TikTok and how the retail giant would be featured on the app. In August 2022, NBC boasted about how Walmart was expanding its abortion coverage for employees. In July 2023, "NBC Nightly News" aired a report on how Walmart was benefiting from AI.
In November 2023, flagship morning show "Today" offered free airtime to a Walmart Black Friday ad that reunited the cast of "Mean Girls," showing viewers the commercial almost in its entirety. That month "Today" also aired an "exclusive" behind-the-scenes look at a Walmart warehouse last November.
NBC landed multiple "exclusive" interviews with Walmart CEO John Furner, one in February 2021 promoting Walmart's COVID vaccination efforts for customers and employees, and another in November 2021 with him arguing Walmart is the more affordable option during rising inflation.
NBC even went to great lengths in giving Walmart favorable treatment compared to its direct competitors. In September 2020, it reported how Walmart was "stepping up its Ecommerce game" with its delivery service subscription rivaling Amazon. In November 2022, "Today" gave Walmart's pre-Black Friday deals top billing ahead of Target, Amazon and Best Buy. Just last month, NBC suggested Walmart had the superior subscription service over Target and Amazon since it had "a few bells and whistles."
Also notable is NBCUniversal's announced direct partnership with Walmart in November allowing Bravo viewers to shop online while watching the streaming service Peacock for merchandise seen in its programming.
PepsiCo similarly benefited from NBC's on-air coverage. In March 2021, "Today" plugged the soda giant's limited edition Peeps-flavored Pepsi. In December 2021, NBC promoted Pepsi's Super Bowl Halftime Show app. In December 2022, "Today" put a spotlight on the viral "Pilk" trend inspired by a Pepsi ad featuring Lindsay Lohan seen drinking a glass of milk combined with Pepsi. In February 2023, "Today" offered a "sneak peek" into Pepsi's Super Bowl ad starring Steve Martin. Weeks later, "Today" plugged another Pepsi ad, this one featuring Ben Stiller reprising his iconic "Zoolander" character.
"Today" offered heavy promotion of Pepsi just last month alone, showing a viral video of a 15-month-old boy who "really, really wanted to try a Pepsi" and hyping fast food chain Subway's "head-turning" decision to switch to Pepsi from Coca-Cola starting next year.
Pepsi's ties to NBCUniversal appear to go far beyond friendly reports on "Today." In 2021, Pepsi was a sponsor of NBCUniversal's Upfront, the annual industry event networks hold to promote their programming to advertisers.
In 2019, while Conde served as the chairman of NBCUniversal International Group and NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, PepsiCo provided "Pepsi Sparkling Rosé" for the company's "BravoCon." In 2015, one year before Conde joined its board, Pepsi partnered with NBCUniversal International for a "Back to the Future" campaign to promote its brand. There's no evidence to show the two events were related, however.
The AP reported Thursday that Conde's involvement in Walmart and Pepsi "has raised some ethical concerns," citing media experts.
"It seemed to me that this was an additional instance of NBC management not understanding the rules by which news leaders are supposed to play," former NBC News executive vice president Bill Wheatley told the AP.
Conde came under fire from staffers for the handling of the McDaniel debacle last month, with one MSNBC insider saying he looked like he didn't understand his own organization after not seeing the blowback coming.
Neither NBC nor its parent company Comcast responded to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.
Fox News' Brian Flood contributed to this report.
