‘We Need to Do Better’: Comcast, NBC, and MSNBC Brass Address ‘Insensitive’ Charlie Kirk Coverage

Comcast and NBCUniversal top brass executives issued a joint company-wide memo following backlash to MSNBC’s handling of coverage surrounding the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk which resulted in the firing of one network contributor.

MSNBC’s senior political analyst Matthew Dowd was fired on Wednesday after on-air remarks that were criticized for appearing to blame Kirk for his own assassination, just a short time after news of the activist’s death had broken.

Dowd suggested Kirk was “one of the most divisive” figures in American politics and speculated that he may even have been shot by a supporter firing a “gun off in celebration.” The remarks drew swift condemnation across the political spectrum.

By Wednesday evening, MSNBC confirmed Dowd was “no longer an MSNBC political analyst” after network president Rebecca Kutler apologized publicly.

In the letter sent to staff and published online on Friday, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts, President Mike Cavanagh, and Versant CEO Mark Lazarus reiterated on the apology and condemned Dowd’s comment as “unacceptable and insensitive.”

Noting that the company had “ended” its association with Dowd, the executives continued: “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,” they added.

Speaking of Kirk, the executives said that “regardless” of whether people “agreed with his political views” that the activist’s “words and actions underscore the urgency to maintain a respectful exchange of ideas – a principle we must champion.”

Read the memo in full below:

A Message from Brian Roberts, Mike Cavanagh and Mark Lazarus

Dear Comcast NBCUniversal Team,

The tragic loss of Charlie Kirk, a 31-year-old father, husband, and advocate for open debate, whose faith was important to him, reminds us of the fragility of life and the urgent need for unity in our nation. Our hearts are heavy, as his passing leaves a grieving family and a country grappling with division. There is no place for violence or hate in our society.

You may have seen that MSNBC recently ended its association with a contributor who made an unacceptable and insensitive comment about this horrific event. 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.

Charlie Kirk believed that “when people stop talking, really bad stuff starts.” 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. We believe in the power of communication to bring us together. Today, that belief feels more vital than ever. Something essential has fractured in our public discourse, and as a company that values the power of information, we have a responsibility to help mend it.

As employees, we ask you to embody our values in your work and communities. We should engage with respect, listen, and treat people with kindness.