An insider exposé is making a major claim about “Meet the Press” host Chuck Todd alleging that he may be “in jeopardy” of losing his place atop NBC’s Sunday political mainstay.
NBC announced last week that “Meet the Press” will be “shifted” to the network’s streaming platform, according to The Daily Beast newsletter Confider.
NBC News Now has now moved both John Reiss, an executive producer with “Meet the Press,” and David P. Gelles, a CNN producer who notably helped to build out CNN+ prior to the streaming platform’s demise.
The Daily Beast characterized Gelles’ move as an attempt to “fix the sinking show,” which they note has plunged 21 percent in overall viewership and took a 24 percent drop in the key advertising demographic.
Reportedly, Gelles’ priority is deciding the fate of Todd who just signed a two-year extension on his contract. They describe many at NBC being “baffled” by “how long he’s remained atop the struggling show,” according to multiple sources from the report.
The report has left many on Twitter speculating what the future holds for “Meet the Press,” Florida Democrat and Digital Strategist Jack Cocchiarella tweeted, “Who else wants Jen Psaki to replace Chuck Todd on Meet the Press?”
Who else wants Jen Psaki to replace Chuck Todd on Meet the Press?
— Jack Cocchiarella (@JDCocchiarella) August 30, 2022
Kristen Welker, NBC White House correspondent is reportedly being positioned to take over for Todd according to The Daily Beast’s report.
Have you ever watched ‘Meet the Press?’
Multiple insiders said that Welker is “expected to take on more hosting duties as the midterm elections approach.”
Some media personalities on the left, such as Keith Olbermann took a celebratory tone on Twitter.
Attention @ChuckTodd haters!
Big scoop from @LachCartwright and @thedailybeast
OUR LONG NATIONAL NIGHTMARE MAY BE OVER#IfItsSundayItMayBeSomebodyElse pic.twitter.com/8GPxwQFNWQ
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) August 29, 2022
In the article for Confider, Lachlan Cartwright pointed to Todd’s already being demoted earlier in the year.
He went on to mention his lampooning at the hands of late-night host Trevor Noah who “brutally roasted” Todd at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in front of NBC Universal CEO Jeff Shell and the rest of the world.
“How are you doing?” Noah asked Todd. “I’d ask a follow-up, but I know you don’t know what those are.”
An NBC representative who responded to Cartwright’s inquiries seemed to deflect these assertions without explicitly denying them in an email.
“After being the EP of the Sunday broadcast for eight years, at the end of his contract, John Reiss was looking for a different opportunity within the MTP franchise,” the NBC representative wrote.
They added, “Kristen Welker is the co-host of ‘Meet the Press NOW’ on NBC News NOW and has been since the show launched. And she and Chuck have been leading NBC News NOW’s election specials all year long.”
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