Chuck Todd, moderator of NBC’s Sunday Morning Talk Show “Meet the Press” since 2014, leaves the scene September. He is likely to pass the baton to colleague Kristen Welker.
Todd, who made the announcement on Sunday morning’s edition of the show, made some explanations: “When I took over ‘Meet the Press,’ it was a Sunday show that had a lot of people questioning whether it still could have a place in the modern media space”. Todd who will become NBC’s chief political analyst, also said: “Well, I think we’ve answered that question and then some.”
Todd was credited with expanding the “Meet the Press” brand, hosting a daily show on MSNBC that ended in 2022.
It is not that Todd did not come under regular criticisms for some of his editorial decisions. On Sunday, Todd nodded to the criticisms, which he said he took in stride. “If you do this job seeking popularity, you are doing this job incorrectly. I take the attacks from partisans as compliments.”
He also addressed some of the broader critiques of his performance as a moderator and interviewer.
“We didn’t tolerate propagandists, and this network and program never will. But it doesn’t mean sticking your head in the sand either; if you ignore reality, you’ll miss the biggest story.”