Comcast executives sent a letter to their employees on Friday, September 12, urging them to be respectful in their coverage of Charlie Kirk. The letter comes after MSNBC contributor Matthew Dowd was fired for comments he made on-air shortly after the conservative activist’s death.
Kirk died on Wednesday at age 31 after he was shot while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University. Authorities arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson on Friday in connection with the shooting.
“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,” the letter, obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, began. “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.”
“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,” it continued. “We should be able to disagree, robustly and passionately, but, ultimately, with respect. We need to do better.”
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The letter, signed by Comcast CEO Brian Roberts, President Mike Cavanagh and Versant CEO Mark Lazarus, also called Dowd’s comments “unacceptable and insensitive.”
Dowd’s controversial statement came when anchor Katy Tur asked him about “the environment in which a shooting like this happens.”
“He’s been one of the most divisive, especially divisive younger figures in this, who is constantly sort of pushing this sort of hate speech or sort of aimed at certain groups,” Dowd, 64, replied. “And I always go back to, hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions. And I think that is the environment we are in. You can’t stop with these sort of awful thoughts you have and then saying these awful words and not expect awful actions to take place. And that’s the unfortunate environment we are in.”
MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler issued an apology via the network’s PR account on X, calling Dowd’s comments “unacceptable.”
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“We apologize for his statements, as has he,” the statement read. “There is no place for violence in America, political or otherwise.”
Dowd, for his part, also apologized with a statement via X.
“My thoughts & prayers are w/ the family and friends of Charlie Kirk,” he wrote. “On an earlier appearance on MSNBC I was asked a question on the environment we are in. I apologize for my tone and words.”
He continued, “Let me be clear, I in no way intended for my comments to blame Kirk for this horrendous attack. Let us all come together and condemn violence of any kind.”
