6 Weeks In, Chuck Todd Only Making Bigger Mess of Meet the Press

[babylonsister]

http://www.mediaite.com/online/concha-6-weeks-in-chuck-todd-only-making-bigger-mess-of-meet-the-press/


Concha: 6 Weeks In, Chuck Todd Only Making Bigger Mess of Meet the Press
by Joe Concha | 4:11 pm, October 22nd, 2014


We’re now six weeks into the Chuck Todd era as moderator of NBC’s Meet the Press. And quite frankly, outside of a strong debut, the mistakes being made both on-set and off have made this second first impression go about as poorly as NBC could have feared.

First, the numbers: They’re ugly. MTP under Todd debuted at #1 in the demo the week after Labor Day. Since that time, he’s dropped back to the David Gregory position known as a comfortable third. But here’s where things are disturbing if you’re NBC News President Deborah Turness: Over the past two weeks — which were heavy, compelling news cycles from Ebola to ISIS to the upcoming midterm elections — Meet is down 34 and 30 percent in the demo, respectively. (Note: We’re not talking being down this much from the Russert era or some kind of high water mark of the past, but from the same time last year, when the Gregory offering was limping along. For context, last week saw ABC’s This Week up 8 percent in the demo year-to-year while CBS’s Face the Nation was up 13 percent.)

As any respected TV exec will tell you, if this is how a program — with an existing brand name, plenty of hype and a new set to match — comes out of the gate, it will it do worse after the new car smell wears off.

Off-camera, the decisions have seemingly been misguided and mismanaged. For example, why is Mr. Todd even speaking to Media Matters? Or Breitbart for that matter? Both sites are successful and have their own niche audiences — that’s not the point, nor is it an indictment on what each provides in terms of content. But as the neutral moderator of the television’s longest-running program, Todd probably shouldn’t sit down publications seen as heavily partisan for the perception it gives alone. Choose Time, AP, Reuters, Bloomberg, Slate, National Journal, even Politico — but the more polarizing publications offer no reward. Bad form. The bigger question is: Who signed off on this decision?

As far as the importance of a neutral moderator not making himself the story, well, Chuck keeps jumping in without reservation. Could you ever picture Russert saying he felt “physically ill” after one party (GOP) used his remarks — which were made very publicly and therefore fair game — in a campaign ad? Again, it’s about perception. And if you’re a conservative, you might think twice about just how neutral Todd — who otherwise has been accused of bias by both sides, which is usually a sign of playing it straight — really is when he editorializes so openly.

snip//

Add it all up:

- One-third of Gregory’s relatively small audience (compared to CBS and ABC) has jumped the MTP ship in the past two weeks alone. The show is third and dropping in the Sunday morning talk show race despite a PR push that is clearly doing more harm than good.

- Todd is speaking out of turn by making himself the focus, and doing so with publications that may further give the wrong impression on being an honest broker.

This isn’t all on Todd’s shoulders. NBC News management, from Turness to the PR shop, needs to tell their moderator to concentrate more on doing a better show and less on promoting his brand.

Because if you thought the Gregory era was a rocky one, it’s already looking downright disciplined and tranquil compared to the potential mess the current Meet the Press moderator is creating for himself.

– –

[Tarheel_Dem]

1. I don't know who could be seen as "neutral" nowadays. Maybe one of the NPR hosts?

[Mass]

2. Chuck Todd is an idiot, but Jo Concha is as well

Click on his name and looks at the next few artciles.

Anyway, basically, he is blaming Todd for not pandering enough to the Tea Party (as shown by the examples he gives, including the one you excerpted).

This said, this article is the best sign a broken clock can be right twice a day.

[madamvlb]

3. Will will ever have another Russert?

I miss that guy so much.

[Fumesucker]

5. Yes we already have another Russert

[babylonsister]

6. ACK!!!!! nt

[tavernier]

8. You can almost see that train wreck coming.

I sort of wonder if little Lukie wasn't being kept in the wings all along, but not to make it too conspicuous, they needed to sacrifice a couple of other hosts in between.

[vanlassie]

9. P-L-E-E-E-S-E!!!

[eShirl]

13. that's so mad it's brilliant

[George II]

25. Please NO...he's Todd "light"-(weight)

[LostInAnomie]

10. Do we really want another Russert?

Despite all the hagiography over him, he was an absolute pile of shit 90% of the time. For every "Crucifying of David Duke" episode there were 20 episodes of him blabbing about Clinton's cock or how Gore deserved to lose.

Gregory and Todd suck shit, but at least hardly anyone took their hackery as gospel.

[BuelahWitch]

12. I wish I could rec this post!

So quickly we forget!

[truebrit71]

15. I'm sick of the Russert-revisionism bullshit too....

... how soon we forget his republican-enabling ways...

[Spazito]

16. Agree, Russert was a right wing shill, he was marginally better at it than...

Gregory or Todd.

[olegramps]

46. I agree with you 100%. People have short memories. He was wishy-washy.

[alcibiades_mystery]

18. Tim Russert was a shithead and ultimate media whore

His constant evocation of some working class credential was despicable, as he sided everytime with those who pillage and exploit the working class.

[Ishoutandscream2]

56. Amen!

Brilliant!

[samsingh]

28. really? He might have been good at one time, but in the bush era

he kissed up to the gop

i stopped watching mtp after watching him fawn over gop senators and bush

[MADem]

51. Russert was a pro-Bush HACK. He drank the Kool-Aid, bought himself a millionaire's summer house

on the Vineyard, sent his shitty little kid to BC, and forgot where he came from, even as he wrote bullshit book after bullshit book (ka-ching, ka-ching) about his wonderful, hardworking father (and not one LINE about his mother--whassup wid' dat?),

He was told by Jack Welch to get with the program, and he did--he wiped his ass on the workingman, and did everything in his power to tout BushCo policies and positions.

I don't wish anyone dead, but I do not miss him one bit. He was The Problem at MTP. His rank partisanship is what started the downhill slide.

[blm]

4. Because he NEVER cared about good governance/policy - He's addicted to the HORSERACE

and gets his thrill when he sees dirty players throwing mud and elbows in the faces of those who DO care about good governance and good policy.

[babylonsister]

7. I agree. Difficult to find an ethical newsman or woman nowadays. nt

[al_liberal]

11. Gregory was smug Todd is a smug prick n/t

[YvonneCa]

14. I'm not sure this is only about...

...Chuck Todd (and I do think he was a bad choice).
The set changes are ridiculous. Having the panel way in the back is awful. Having Chuck wander around while asking questions is awkward, for him clearly and for the audience. Whose idea was that?

And the changes in the 'names' in the panel don't help either. It's an obvious attempt to appeal to a new younger audience...long time panelists are gone for the most part.(No John McCain, yay!) But the old timers are being replaced with people from the M -F shows that we hear all the time. They have little new to offer on Sunday that we haven't heard. Why bother?

My suggestion is original format with rarely seen respected reporters...not just talking heads. And replace Chuck with a hard hitting nonpartisan reporter with interviewing skills.

[alcibiades_mystery]

17. Can't believe I share some schadenfreude with Dances-with-Rove

[babylonsister]

20. I had no idea who this guy was so

cut me some slack! I remember when I first started posting here, I posted an article from Krauthammer (Houston/2004). Well, if they could have, DU members would have shot me. I was mortified, but learned a lot, but apparently not enough!

[Major Hogwash]

21. Umm, he's agreeing with you, sistah.

He's saying that he is glad that Chuck Todd is cratering, and that he can't believe that he is as happy as David Gregory, who is probably ecstatic right now, laughing his ass off about the fact that Todd has lost almost 1/3rd of the television audience that Gregory had when he was the host.
Dances-With-Rove is a reference to David Gregory, who infamously danced on the stage one night with Rove.

You're welcome.

[babylonsister]

22. Haha!Well, #2 response didn't so I'm pissed!

And thank you so kindly for the translation!

[Major Hogwash]

23. Heh heh heh heh.

Well, gotta find some way to get you to 150,000 posts before Election Day!

[babylonsister]

24. Huh? Could care less. nt

[Major Hogwash]

19. "Why didn't you ask me when I stopped beating my wife?" ~ Chuck Todd

That's an actual quote by Todd in case anyone is wondering.
Todd made that remark after he was asked a question by someone at Facebook who was seemingly agitated by Todd's "She disqualified herself" comment that he made about Alison Grimes on "Meet the Press" a week earlier.

As any respected TV exec will tell you, if this is how a program — with an existing brand name, plenty of hype and a new set to match — comes out of the gate, it will it do worse after the new car smell wears off.

It doesn't matter what the car smells like anymore, because the driver stinks!

[Blue Idaho]

26. Shallow, Self Obsessed, Biased. Welcome to Sunday Morning!

Perhaps Chuckles is just the canary in the mine - Sunday morning political talk shows like MTP have devolved into the usual suspects regurgitating a litany of meaningless unchallenged talking points while "journalist moderators" nod their heads like those cute little ceramic dogs on granny's dashboard.

While Mr. Toad's numbers are truly abysmal - the whole category is a shadow of its former self. I really don't think Americans will tune in again until we find some real journalists willing to ask tough questions and demand real answers.

[HereSince1628]

27. My advice to the local station was kill MTP, rerun 50's Flash Gordon and Rocketman

and create some much needed affordable airtime to local carwashes and pre-owned vehicle dealerships

[yortsed snacilbuper]

38. how about Captain Video too,

I'd watch!

[Eatacig]

29. Joe Scarborough

I wouldn't watch it no matter how liberal Chuck Todd tries to be, as long as
Joe Scarborough is on his panel. I used to watch Morning Joe until I watched
him make fun of poor people and people who get their degrees from
Community Colleges. He thought that was pretty funny.

[wordpix]

30. how about a woman for a change? better yet, woman of color

There was a woman who was filling in and did a great job, I think Chris Jansing.

MTP needs someone who won't just sit there when the repugs lie and talking pts with no details get trotted out. Someone who'll ask the hard questions.

[turbinetree]

31. Mike Papantanio / John Stewart

That is what is needed at MEET THE PRESS someone who does research and will grill the individuals and the subject matter in my opinion. Give them the team to report what is not being reported and not give them a teleprompter to read from or some producers cards, and these two can keep there day jobs
They are partisan, so what, we need a progressive voice in that time slot, to report the facts instead of what the networks shrills are doing, absolutely nothing about the facts and all about talking points.
How many right wingers are on the networks at that time slot or through out the day on these channels when it comes to news, I mean really, look at the make-up and ratio of the rate of appearances.
Individuals might not want to come on, but you must be held accountable for what you do, if you do good great, then great tell us, defend your accomplishment, but if you are a scum bag, to bad, defend your record.
This is why there is DU, Crooks & Liars, Firedoglake, Raw Story, Ring of Fire, Left Jab, Think Progress, ect.... are great formats, we get to digest the information from journalists on the ground, we get facts, we get to debate just like in college and high school, we can make comments, we can't make a comment on the above formats, they throw them away, they don't care, there is no oversight
This marsh mellow journalism we see now on the corporate tube is a joke, no wonder a once venerable show is rated third and falling look at what is being discussed ----- nothing---- except talking points

[pscot]

32. Meet Chuck Todd?

I couldda told 'em it would never work.

[Scairp]

33. Don't watch it

But the description of how Todd interjects his own feelings and opinions about subjects being discussed is just another example of the rampant use of such techniques by most if not all television news interviewers these days. They all do it, I don't know why NBC thought this guy wouldn't.

[rocktivity]

34. A STRONG debut? I'll grant you that it SHOULD have been a strong debut

Last edited Sun Jun 4, 2017, 03:29 PM - Edit history (1)

with the President of the United States as a guest. But apparently Mediaite's memory is no better than Chuck's!


rocktivity

[Jack Rabbit]

35. Mr.Toad is going nowhere fast

[center]

[/center]

[47of74]

36. Fuck Chuck.

[Aerows]

37. Chuck Todd is an idiot

and the only people surprised by his tanking number of viewers are the people dumb enough to hire him.

[BuelahWitch]

39. Why in the world are they "putting him out there"

with things like the "Meet the Voters" bus:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025703842

And the Facebook Q&A thing? You'd think with all his flubs they'd keep his "personality" out of the public eye until it all died down. Instead they're foisting his nasty goateed head upon us as if to say, "Oh, just get to know him and you'll LURRRRVE him!"

Did Gregory or Russert ever have a "Meet the Voters" bus in Iowa? I don't recall if they did.

[JHB]

42. Because they've internalized the idea that the host is the show...

(and note the use of the term "host" rather than "moderator". It's more accurate.)

...and to promote the show, the host has to do all the dopey PR stunts that any other TeeVee personality would do.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

40. If not Rachael....

[rtracey]

48. nope

NO and No and NO, and just because they are too left , MTP needs independent middle of the political circle journalists to host.....

[Spitfire of ATJ]

54. So,....I take it you enjoy falling asleep in front of the TV on Sunday.

[rtracey]

59. No

I want an actual news show that have actual news professionals, not entertainers. Fox, MSNBC, CNN, not a bit of news worthy.
Al Jazeera....yes....I actually miss the professional journalists, too much fluff..

[Spitfire of ATJ]

60. So you miss this guy?

He's considered to be a member of the Blame America First, Hippie, Commie, Islamic, Terrorist Sympathizing LEFT now.

[rtracey]

62. No

I don't classify any "journalist" who puts his own views into a piece a true journalist. I (IMO) believe a true journalist reports the facts of the specific event with adding their own political view or without a attempt to sway a viewer one way or the other. Cronkite, Murrow,..the old school reporters/journalists did that, and under trying times.....Kennedy Assassination, London Blitz...etc. Now, theses guys may have added some embellishment to spice the wording up, but they didn't change the facts to point in a specific direction. No I don't like Donaldson, Wil, Peggy Noonan.... these are columnists, writing their slant on a specific event, usually something nasty about out president, but...that's another story

[JHB]

41. Live by the in-house monkey, die by the in-house monkey

What were the voices in their heads telling them when they gave it to Todd in the first place?

[TeamPooka]

43. How To Save Meet The Press:

Note to NBC,
Here's how you save Meet The Press.
1. You fire Chuck Todd. He has damaged your brand and is now your new reporter version of Conan O'Brien.
2. You return to the show's roots and hire a panel, maybe a trio, of journalists, representing left, center and right views.
3. This panel interviews one "news-maker"/politician in depth for an hour each week.
4. John McCain is not allowed on the show for the next 3 years.
5. Congratulate yourself NBC executives, you just saved one of your longest running shows.

[davidpdx]

44. John McCain and Lindsey Graham both on #4

[davidpdx]

45. Chuck Todd and MTP are a sinking ship

[rtracey]

47. the problem

the problem is the network... NBC is always the last network... Hey here is a thought, try finding an actual journalist to host MTP, not one sided hacks. I did like Tim Russert, but he had his moments also. I think someone like a Chet Huntley, David Brinkley type of journalist would work perfectly..... are there any true independent minded newspeople out there, or are there just Fox news, MSNBC, CNN entertainers? ....too bad

[Phlem]

49. Meet the press is a joke.

Especially for keeping hiring and keeping Chuck Todd on the payroll. I hope the show fails miserably.

[geretogo]

52. They need to change the name " Meet the Press " to " Meet the Koch's " .

[OregonBlue]

53. I mean seriously, even David Gregory was better than Todd. Other than the

"Dances with Rove" skit, he at least made some attempt to interview people with some objectivity. To my knowledge, he did not ever make pronouncements of his own about candidates and make himself the center of the news story. Todd is so arrogant, he doesn't realize what an ass he's made of himself and how badly he hurt his network. No Dem is going to listen to anything he says from here on out and the Right-Wingers already have Fox. They don't need or want another Chris Wallace. So all he did was make things worse for MTP and show the whole nation that he is a GOP shill.

Big mistake to hire him for the position. He is a total D.C. insider who has convinced himself that he is savvy. Put a fork in him.

[CobaltBlue]

55. Well-earned

Chuck Todd is far from being the right selection to host Meet the Press.

But, of course, let's also state the obvious: NBC News cannot be trusted. They know damn well that sucking up to rightwingers and having them dominate discussion is key to sinking the long-running political program in declining viewership.

This is well-earned.

David Gregory. Chuck Todd. Any similar tool.

HBO's The Newsroom, with the introduction of Jane Fonda's recurring character, got it right: There is rightwing influence on "news" programming content. And she didn't want to fight against it. So she was willing to appease. (This is from the series' first season.)

I think this helps us to understand NBC News.

[greatlaurel]

61. Just remember who owns NBC, Comcast. They are only interested in propaganda.

The only persons on MSNBC that I usually listen to are the Rev, Chris Hayes, and Ed Schultz and they are all on a pretty short leash. Kornacki has jumped the shark by his pushing propaganda in favor of John Kasich. Chrystal Ball is a mouth piece for Wall Street.

[Cha]

57. Chucky Todd was not the brightest choice to make.. many non Pros could see this coming..Oh yeah, and

the "debut" with President Obama whom he insulted and didn't even listen to.. It was Obama who brought in those numbers, Chucky.

[Enthusiast]

58. Rachel Maddow affectionately addresses Chucky as "my friend".

Can't understand that one.