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Topline
Chuck Todd will step down as host of NBC’s Meet The Press after almost a decade helming the longstanding politics show, Todd announced during Sunday’s broadcast—and White House Correspondent Kristen Welker will become the next host.
Chuck Todd announced he was stepping down as moderator of NBC News’ Meet the Press.
Key Facts
Welker, the second woman and first Black journalist to moderate the program, will begin her new role in September.
Todd, who has hosted the show since 2014, will become the network’s chief political analyst after wanting to spend more time with his family and work on long-form projects.
Todd praised Welker, calling her “the right person in the right moment.”
Welker, who has been with the network since 2010, took to Twitter after the announcement to thank Todd, writing “I’m humbled and grateful to take the baton and continue to build on the legacy of @MeetThePress.”
Key Background
Since it’s inception in 1947, Meet The Press has featured a number of big names in political journalism. Most notably, Tim Russert moderated the show from 1991 until his sudden death in 2008. Todd took over in 2014 and created a brand for the show by adding a daily version of Meet The Press that initially aired on MSNBC and then moved to the network’s streaming platform. During his tenure, particularly after former President Donald Trump took office, Todd was sometimes criticized for a lack of follow-up questions or for an interviewing style that some critics saw as insufficiently sharp. Todd addresses some of those critiques during Sunday’s show. “If you do this job seeking popularity, you are doing this job incorrectly,” Todd said. “I take the attacks from partisans as compliments. And I take the genuine compliments with a grain of salt when they come from partisans.”
Tangent
Todd’s departure follows reports of declining ratings. From the news-filled 2020-2021 season to the 2021-2022 season, Meet The Press saw a 22% decline in ratings, according to Deadline. Meanwhile the program’s competitors, CBS’ Face The Nation and ABC’s This Week, saw 13% and 12% drops respectively.
Further Reading
Chuck Todd Will Depart NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’; Kristen Welker To Become Host (NBC)
