TV news will look a bit different on Sunday mornings from here on out, particularly to those who favor watching NBC News’ Meet the Press tackle the latest headlines and big stories. Host Chuck Todd, who’s been fronting the weekly series for nearly a decade, revealed on the June 4 broadcast that he’s stepping down as host and moderator. Though that doesn’t mean he’ll be tapping out of his duties at NBC News altogether.
Todd shared his new career path with viewers at the end of the latest Meet the Press telecast, sharing appreciation for his time behind the desk, which started up back in September 2014. Todd also pointed to the viewers as being the reason why the show managed to stay relevant going into the 2020s. In his words:
It’s been an amazing nearly decade-long run. I am really proud of what this team and I have built over the last decade. I’ve loved so much of this job, helping to explain America to Washington and explain Washington to America. . . . 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. Well, I think we’ve answered that question and then some.
It’s clear that the news organization is keen on sticking with the on-air personality even when it sometimes involves not being on the air as much. According to NBC News, Chuck Todd is sticking around and has taken on a new role as chief political analyst. As such, he’ll be popping up in the field to take part in covering major events around the country and beyond, serving as a key voice in the org’s coverage. As well, he’ll be putting some of his focus on long-form journalism, as he spoke to working on docuseries and docudramas that will aim to bridging political divides.
In his goodbye announcement, Todd pointed out that he'd "rather leave a little bit too soon than stay a tad too long." He'll be passing on the moderator duties to Kristen Welker, whom he talked up by saying:
I'm also ready to take a step back because I know the person whom I’m passing the baton to is somebody who’s been ready for this for a while. Kristen Welker. I’ve had the privilege of working with her from essentially her first day, and let me just say she’s the right person in the right moment.
Chuck Todd also shared a well-spoken notion that being the face of news and politics on TV is not a job for those who wish to be famous and beloved by all. In his words:
If you do this job seeking popularity, you are doing this job incorrectly. I take the attacks from partisans as compliments. And I take the genuine compliments with a grain of salt when they come from partisans.
On the ratings side of things, Meet the Press was holding onto a third-place ranking behind CBS' Face the Nation and ABC's This Week, though the three shows all average between 2.5 and 2.9 million viewers, so no one seems to be getting completely pummeled by the competition. Network execs will no doubt be paying close attention to those numbers after Welker takes over.
Chuck Todd's exit from NBC's Meet the Press marks the latest high-profile journalist to vacate their long-time role, though at least his was (presumably) completely voluntary. CNN notably fired Don Lemon in April over a number of behavioral issues both behind-the-scenes and on the air, while Fox News parted ways with Tucker Carlson that very same day, albeit for different problematic issues. The latter is still dealing with a loss of nightly ratings in the absence of Tucker Carlson Tonight.