NBC Hired A Psychological Consultant To Fix 'Meet The Press'

[MohRokTah]

Tom Kludt – April 21, 2014, 9:32 AM EDT

Desperate to reverse the fortunes of one of its flagship programs, NBC commissioned a psychological consultant to interview the friends and family of "Meet the Press" host David Gregory.

According to the Washington Post, the work was done last year to help turn around the Sunday morning talk show that once dominated the genre but has fallen to third place behind its rivals on CBS and ABC.

A spokeswoman for NBC told WaPo the consultant, who even interviewed Gregory's wife, was brought in "to get perspective and insight from people who know him best.”

The psychological assessment "struck some at NBC as odd, given that Gregory has been employed there for nearly 20 years," according to WaPo.

<snip>

I can sum the problem up in two words. Smug asshole.

Talkingpointsmemo link.

[AngryAmish]

1. THey should get one for everyone who watches that crap

[alcibiades_mystery]

9. ROFL! DUzy

[spanone]

2. should have gone to the source and hired a new host...problem solved

[hlthe2b]

5. They are so stupid, they'd likely replace him with Chuck "the Toad" Todd

Perhaps the only choice more arrogant (and ignorant) than Gregory...

[eppur_se_muova]

3. Consultants are expensive -- could've asked DU for free. ;) nt

[MohRokTah]

4. Especially when they did this about a year ago and concluded they should double down...

on the smug asshole.

[Half-Century Man]

26. Have a revolving panel of selectees from DU as host.

It will be lively and probably a bit more profane...er profound.

[rurallib]

6. admit you made a mistake and fire Gregory

but they would rather spend millions to prove their fuck up was a good decision.
And down on the farm team they have one of the best journalists they have ever had in the person of Rachel Maddow.

I look for them to have Gregory retire and replace him with Luke Russert.

[Jesus Malverde]

8. LOL Thread win..

as if the weekend news shows are about "news" and not pumping peoples heads with talking points and advertising.

[Jesus Malverde]

7. I'm sure we'd all like to know what makes that dancing rove monkey boy tick..nt

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. Easier and cheaper to fire that wanker Gregory.

[PotatoChip]

12. That wouldn't be enough to make me watch it.

As much as I dislike Gregory, he's not their only problem.

They could also try having a more fair amount D's/lefties on the show.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

15. Quite true. But sacking Gregory would be a start.

Actually, I haven't watched any of those shows in ages, mostly because they are so heavily stacked with GOPers. If they made an honest effort to balance their guests (and sacked Gregory) they might get some audience back.

[PotatoChip]

17. I agree. (nt)

[brush]

11. All of this is just a prelude to . . .

He'll be gone soon.

[Trajan]

13. Gregory's psychological make up has nothing to do with a ratings slide

The fact that most people ARE more Liberal than what is claimed (loudly) by the media lies at the heart of their problems .... I've tried to watch over the years, and they don't even try to hide the fact that they have become a mouthpiece for a conservative corporate entity who's editor's have their own anti-tax agenda that identifies more with the other corporate rubes than it does connect to everyday Americans ...

They rarely present a liberal viewpoint any more ... always sullen, hateful conservatives, or weak-assed Democrats who spew pro-corporate, third way propaganda....

The general public ... who's mainstream views are essentially liberal, have no voice on that network ...

NBC NEWS can go to hell ...

[democrank]

14. Watching David Gregory on Meet the Press

is like watching paint dry. You just sit there and stare at a plain white wall, hoping someone will come on during the next segment and save him by hanging an interesting painting.

Gregory would be perfect in a room full of corporate politicians and media people, all dressed in the same suit, all reciting the same talking point....looking neither left nor right, not even blinking.

I gave up on Meet the press, just like I gave up om Morning Joe. Enough insider speak.

[WinkyDink]

16. This sounds phony.

[wheniwasincongress]

18. Why would they hire a psychological consultant?

Fill me in - I don't understand. What does interviewing his wife have anything to do with his (in)ability to manage fair and decent discussions, and whether viewers take to him as a host?

[magical thyme]

19. maybe it was part of his "Performance Improvement Plan?"

A necessary step prior to firing him without breaching a contract?

[MohRokTah]

20. You'd have to ask them.

I think they were looking for any excuse to prop up the stupid decision of putting Dancing Dave in that position.

[Enrique]

21. they might find he has a phobia of high ratings

[winter is coming]

25. I assume they're doing intense research

to figure out what cup size a co-host would need to possess to distract viewers from Gregory's shortcomings.

Yeah, it's nice they've finally noticed that MtP sucks, but I expect a totally shallow non-solution "solution" will be put forth.

[Jesus Malverde]

22. bump... nt

[Jim Lane]

23. NBC has denied it.

Per an update to the linked article, NBC says it hired a brand consultant, not a psychological consultant.

[rocktivity]

24. He's not the problem: ANY interviewer who conducted himself this way

would find themselves on a collision course with last place (thanks to DUer Babylonsister):

DAVID GREGORY: We’ve been talking about health care, and here’s the challenge. The president’s out there making the case that, “Run on this. Make the argument. Accuse the Republicans of trying to take this away.” But you have vulnerable Democrats who are...basically saying, “The law is flawed and we should fix it” ...To me, that’s not a ringing endorsement to get people out there to vote.

REP. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: Well, that’s Legislation 101. I mean, that is how we have handled laws and their evolution throughout American history...(O)ur candidates, our incumbents...understand that this is a law that’s working for millions of people. And as we discover there are problems, we should work together...to solve those problems.

GREGORY: But you’re making an argument on the merits, as the president is doing...A lot of people simply don’t understand it, and they don’t understand fully what the impact is going to be...(D)o you not have a turnout problem that you’re worried about?

WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: ...(O)ur turnout operation...ran circles around the Republicans in 2012 and in 2008...(T)here’s 14 open seats in the House, 11 of which Democrats have an advantage...You have the Republican Party who is strangled by the Tea Party...(T)hat’s the advantage we will have going into this election.

GREGORY: Right. But do you have an historic disadvantage?

The problem is not Gregory, but that Gregory's predecessor was successful for the wrong reasons.

Between the right wing having more control over the national media and the blogosphere providing weak competition, it was easier to conceal that Meet The Press was the biggest right-wing shill-fest this side of Fox News. But now, as they begin another year of peddling the same smelly old fish, fewer people are buying it.

If your message has no credibility, it doesn't matter who your messenger is.


rocktivity

[Submariner]

27. The Cure: Fire Rove's dancing partner and hire Rachel Maddow for MTP

and that GE/Comcast/NBC is freebie advice from those of us stuck on this side of the TV screen putting up with your crap.

Dump the dumb sh*t and go with the PhD in Political Science.

[Enthusiast]

28. NBC, Meet the Press and David Gregory have an agenda.

They are carrying water for TPTB which includes the military industrial complex, Wall Street and corporate America.

We know the program is biased. We don't like watching biased bullshit. It's pretty simple.