NBC News leans into bridging partisan divide

"I turned off news all together.

- BY STEPHEN BATTAGLIO

NBC News "MEET THE PRESS" moderator Kristen Welker speaks with Reps. Sam Liccardo (D-San José), center, and Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin).

“Just talk to each other more.”

“Report things from both sides.”

Those are some of the responses NBC News received when it conducted consumer research for a new marketing campaign that promises “Facts. Clarity. Calm.”

But the comments also led NBC News Group Chairman Cesar Conde to greenlight the launch of a new editorial franchise, called “Finding Common Ground,” pairing public figures from opposite ends of the political spectrum to discuss issues where they can find agreement.

NBC News announced Thursday that it will feature the segments across its programs “Today,” “NBC Nightly News With Tom Llamas” and “Meet the Press,” and on its streaming channel NBC News Now. Live events are planned as well, with “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie moderating a conversation between Govs. Spencer Cox (R-Utah) and Josh Shapiro (D-Pa.) this week at the Washington National Cathedral.

“The audience tells us what they want is less partisanship, less of a focus on extremes and more of a focus on civil, solutions-oriented dialogue,” NBC News President Rebecca Blumenstein said in an interview. “We're going to make it a huge focus of our efforts in the coming year.”