Friday, July 25, 2014

Meet the Press host to be replaced?

"But the Page Six item—which suggested that Turness will replace Gregory at MTP shortly after the midterm elections in November—prompted an energetic round of speculation among network insiders about who planted it, for what reason, and which ambitious on-air personality will dislodge Gregory from the anchor chair of the third-place Sunday show.        

In multiple conversations that I had with people inside and outside NBC after the item appeared, it was taken as a given that Gregory is toast. The Post reported viewership has sunk an alarming 43 percent—and in recent months MTP has been beaten consistently by ABC’s This Week With George Stephanopoulos and CBS’s Face the Nation, hosted by Bob Schieffer—since Gregory assumed the unenviable position of taking over for the late Tim Russert, who turned the show during his 16 years as moderator into No. 1 must-see Sunday television.

The principal pretenders to the MTP throne are NBC News’ chief White House correspondent and political director, Chuck Todd—who anchors The Daily Rundown, MSNBC’s weekday 9 a.m. show—and the cohosts of the three-hour-long Morning Joe program that precedes it, Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski."

The Daily Beast

15 comments:

Unknown said...

OT: Speaking of obstruction.
Putin's tactics and obstruction remind me of Holder and Hillary.

Unknown said...

A replacement from /Comedy central?
Or someone's spouse from the Obama admin?

Unknown said...

Should re-name for freshness and honesty: "Meet the State Run Media".

Michael Haz said...

They'll replace David Gregory with another Obama sycophant. Jay Carney, perhaps. Or Chris Matthews.

Whoever NBC chooses, don't look for any change in the political perspective.

Unknown said...

Agreed. David Gregory isn't leftwing enough. Must get someone worse.

Lydia said...

Love the line later in the linked article about Meet the Press being a "public affairs program that aspires to be strictly nonpartisan and down the middle."

These people really do just talk to one other, don't they?

ricpic said...

Meet The Depressed, Slay The Nation, The Stephi Stephawallopus Show: what difference does it make which is up in the ratings, which is down? They're all organs of state propaganda.

ndspinelli said...

The never should have moved Howdy Doody from his Saturday morning slot to Sunday morning.

William said...

It's partially an acting job. The host is not actually expected to be a non-partisan journalist, but he is expected to act like one. I'm not convinced that Tim Russert was non partisan, but he certainly gave a convincing impression of an honest man in search of the truth...Perhaps they could hire Sam Waterston. He's reliably liberal, but he knows how incorporate the mannerisms of an honest man into his performance. Plus he's got excellent hair.

Icepick said...

I'm not convinced that Tim Russert was non partisan, but he certainly gave a convincing impression of an honest man in search of the truth.

See, Russert always seemed like an old-time liberal from a bygone era to me. And shockingly cheerful, too.*

But he went after everyone if they were evasive, obfuscating or lying. And THAT'S the job. I really don't care if the person has a political bias (because who doesn't?), as long as they can perform the job credibly.

* Seriously, it's Sunday morning and he's talking politics with politicians. That sounds simply horrible.

edutcher said...

No loss.

If they had any guts, they'd get Miss Sarah or Mark Levin.

The Dude said...

Is Charlie McCarthy available?

rcocean said...

Meet the Press is the way it is, not because of Dick Gregory, but because of the suits who hired Dick Gregory.

The NBC exces are still there. Expect someone even more liberal and stupid to be hired if DG goes. What about Kieth Olbermann?

deborah said...

The thought of Joe and Mika is horrifying. Todd would do a great job.

AllenS said...

edutcher said...
If they had any guts, they'd get Miss Sarah or Mark Levin.

Bingo! Rating would go through the roof.