Meghan Rafferty, who has served as the executive producer of NBC Nightly News for the past four years, is set to join Versant as Vice President of news standards. In her new position, which she will begin in September, Rafferty will play a pivotal role in establishing and upholding journalism standards across MSNBC and CNBC as both networks transition into the newly formed company, separate from Comcast.
Rafferty’s move aligns with Versant’s strategy to ensure high-quality news reporting, with Brian Carovillano, Senior Vice President of standards & editorial partnerships for news, expressing confidence in her ability to lead. “In this role, Meghan will be a key voice within both networks’ news leadership, helping to set and maintain the highest standards for our journalism,” he noted in a memo to staff.
While a successor has yet to be named for Rafferty at NBC Nightly News, Ben Mayer will take on the role of interim executive producer. During her tenure, Rafferty has been instrumental in driving the newscast to success, earning prestigious accolades including Emmy, Polk, and Murrow awards. Under her leadership, the program garnered notable recognition for impactful journalistic efforts, such as the Emmy awarded to Lester Holt for his interview with President Biden shortly before the latter’s reelection campaign conclusion.
Rafferty has a rich history in broadcasting, having previously worked at CNN for a decade, where she produced significant interviews and presidential debates. Her transition comes amid MSNBC’s strategic hiring efforts to bolster its news division—a response to their evolving operational framework following the shift of NBC News as a sister network. Recently, MSNBC has been actively recruiting, with plans to fill nearly 50 positions to enhance its news gathering and digital presence, indicating a commitment to strengthening their editorial capabilities.
With this change, both Rafferty and the networks she will work with seem poised for a bright future in journalistic excellence.