‘Playing Games With Our Democracy’: Internet Explodes With Calls to #BoycottNBC After Network Hands Trump a Town Hall

“Happily giving a white supremacist a platform despite the impact on society”

Americans are angrily denouncing NBC News and MSNBC after network executives announced Wednesday they will hold a town hall for President Donald Trump on Thursday, directly competing with ABC’s town hall for Joe Biden. The two presidential nominees were to appear together in a town hall but Trump pulled out when the Commission on Presidential Debates announced due to his COVID-19 the event would be virtual.

In fact, NBC News seems desperately aware of the danger.

“Moderated by ‘TODAY’ anchor Savannah Guthrie, the event will take place outdoors and be socially distanced,” was the first sentence in the network’s announcement.

But the network seemed especially unaware of the anger it would generate by handing the former host of its own TV series, “The Apprentice,” airtime to compete with a scheduled election event. Many expressed frustration that NBC appeared to be forcing voters to choose between the competing events to learn more about the candidates, which is the presumed goal of town halls.

And the anger for many seems to be focused on a lack of respect for the democratic process.

Here’s what some are saying:

THIS IS HOW the media plays trumps game & I’m sick & tired of it. I will be watching @ABC. trump refused to take part in the scheduled debate with Biden so @nbc is giving him a town hall at the exact same time Biden is on @ABC #boycottnbc

— Rabbi Jill Zimmerman (@RabbiJill) October 14, 2020

NBC News @NBCNews

Shame on you! It was Trump who cancelled on scheduled debate. You KNOW this. If you broadcast against Biden Town Hall, you will be hounded till the end of your broadcast days. DO NOT SCHEDULE AGAINST the other Town Hall. Schedule ANOTHER TIME SLOT#BoycottNBC https://t.co/6OpNWtmghp

— Tomi T Ahonen Boycott NBC (@tomiahonen) October 14, 2020

#BoycottNBC is the top trending topic and they earned it. NBC could've scheduled its town hall with Trump LITERALLY any other date/time as the town hall previously scheduled with Biden for Thursday on ABC. But they choose the same time. Then again NBC gave us The Apprentice https://t.co/GICwLniWNW

— (((DeanObeidallah))) (@DeanObeidallah) October 14, 2020

You and the president clearly have a lot in common: You are driven entirely by money. There is no other explanation for this appalling decision. A long-time viewer of @MSNBC, @maddow and @Lawrence, I will switch to @CNN. #BoycottNBC

— Donna Arbogast (@DonnaArbogast) October 14, 2020

This is exactly how Trump won the election, media outlets hungry for audience happily giving a white supremacist a platform despite the impact on society. #BoycottNBC https://t.co/QGZQ5uL9hO

— Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) October 14, 2020

Hear hear.

NBC & MSNBC. You are REWARDING Trump for canceling debate. If you use same time slot as Biden Town Hall, you will be destroyed. You will lose ALL YOUR AUDIENCE.

Speak @Maddow @Lawrence @JoyAnnReid now. The timing is MADNESS. you cannot be this stupid#BoycottNBC https://t.co/DtqGS8Dcu2

— Tomi T Ahonen Boycott NBC (@tomiahonen) October 14, 2020

So NBC is rewarding trump's lack of sense by giving him a town hall at the SAME TIME as Joe Biden's town hall on ABC.

Guess I won't be watching NBC any more, because that is some STUPID scheduling. #BoycottNBC https://t.co/4bk357sr3B

— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) October 14, 2020

WTF?? Can I ever wake up and there's no shit to deal with???🤷🏾‍♀️
So…@nbc is still playing games with our democracy I see.
No problem.🖕🏾 Just another company added to the boycott list. 🙋🏾‍♀️🙋🏾‍♀️#BoycottNBC pic.twitter.com/0FGV90q4um

— Daphne L Portis🌊✈🇺🇸 (@MissLynneNYC) October 14, 2020

Why are they letting the trump propaganda hour air at the same time as Joe?
It's unconscionable.#BoycottNBC

— Vote Biden Harris 2020 (@KarenEDeering) October 14, 2020

So NBC I’ve been a faithful watcher (for some time) of your news network, but @nbc this is a new low. I will be boycotting NBC from now on. Our democracy is at stake and you are playing Trumps games with having a tower hall the same time @JoeBiden will be on @ABC #boycottnbc

— Mel 🌊🌊 (@tngaltravelin) October 14, 2020

NBC is wrong for this. There’s no reason to schedule Trump’s town hall during the same time slot as Biden’s, unless it’s to intentionally sabotage viewership.

NBC and all its affiliates, including MSNBC, are complicit with Trump’s games. They’re cancelled. #BoycottNBC https://t.co/IpZ4zDO8w4

— NBC Reps The Upside Down (@JuneSummer1) October 14, 2020

I will be watching Joe Biden's town hall on @ABC. It looks like I will be getting my election news from CNN from now on.#BoycottMSNBC#BoycottNBC https://t.co/q7rxb8hSz0

— Liz has a plan to vote (@Liz_is4Hillary) October 14, 2020

I'm sorry Rachel Maddow & Nicolle Wallace, but we must break up now. It's not you, It's not me. It's your network. #BoycottNBC

— Women SCARE Trump💪🌈🏴‍☠️ (@Ky_Gill28) October 14, 2020

Just saw #BoycottNBC trending because they're airing propaganda. Damn, how will Comcast and their 300 BILLION DOLLARS in assets ever recover. You can't just boycott NBC. They own the cable service. Internet. Phone. Home security. Theme parks.

You have to #BoycottComcast.

— Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) October 14, 2020

2016:

Trump hosts #SNL on NBC

Matt Lauer gives Trump softball questions at #CommanderInChief forum, while attacking Hillary

2020:

Trump humiliates himself at 1st debate, is too scare to attend 2nd debate

NBC offers Trump a Town Hall in competition with Biden.#BoycottNBC

— The Daily Edge (@TheDailyEdge) October 14, 2020

We all need to #BoycottNBC & #BoycottMSNBC for giving Trump a soapbox to lie from. It’s bad enough that they broadcast Republican shills like #MorningJoe & Mika along with Chuck Todd and his BS, but this is too far.

Tune into @ABC for Joes town hall instead. 👍 https://t.co/Vx5IJuCdGu

— COVIDon19 (@realTrumpClone) October 14, 2020

R.I.P.
NBC

The National Broadcasting Company died suddenly in 2020 after committing commercial suicide rewarding Donald Trump for canceling on a scheduled Presidential debate. At its peak NBC was known for stars like Johnny Carson & Tom Brokaw. There were no mourners#BoycottNBC pic.twitter.com/vheaQ4PHZ8

— Tomi T Ahonen Boycott NBC (@tomiahonen) October 14, 2020

It's encouraging that talent & staff at NBC, MSNBC, & CNBC realize what an assault on democracy it is for NBC to give Trump a town hall the same night as Biden. I hope they go public.

Keep up the pressure! It's not too late for NBC to reverse their capitulation.#boycottnbc pic.twitter.com/v46Up3mmyl

— Russell Drew (@RussOnPolitics) October 14, 2020