Brokaw Named Interim Host of 'Meet The Press'
Former 'Nightly News' Anchor Tapped To Succeed Russert Through 2008 Election.
By Alex Weprin -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/22/2008 7:56:00 AM
NBC News has tapped former NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw to fill the hole left by the death of Tim Russert by serving as moderator of Meet The Press through the 2008 presidential election. The announcement was made on the program June 22.
Brokaw first moderated Meet The Press June 15, following Russert's death. That program served as a tribute to Russert, rather than a regular version of the show. Brokaw has appeared on the Sunday public affairs program as a guest on a number of occasions.
"I've been appearing on Meet the Press since the days of Watergate when it was moderated by Lawrence E. Spivak right through the distinguished tenure of my great friend, Tim Russert, so I feel right at home,” Brokaw said in a statement. “Tim made Meet the Press the center of the universe for informative and lively discussions of public affairs, particularly the exciting 2008 campaign for president, and I intend to continue that commitment to our viewers."
"A lot has been said in recent days about what Meet the Press means to NBC News and to the nation," said NBC News president Steve Capus in a statement. "To have someone of Tom's stature step up and dedicate himself to ensuring its ongoing success is not only a testament to his loyalty to Tim, but his enduring commitment to NBC News and our viewers."
Tom Brokaw’s first day moderating the program regularly will be June 29. Betsy Fischer, who has been executive producer of Meet The Press since 2002, will serve as executive producer under Brokaw. The show will continue to originate from NBC News' Washington DC bureau.
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Wise move, Steve Capus. The D.C. bureau needs a leader; a respected father figure like Brokaw fills the bill until a bureau chief is named. The bureau needs a day-to-day manager capable of reining in the excesses of the likes of Matthews, and bringing out the best in hard-digging reporters such as Meyers and Shuster. It's problematic whether Brokaw would want to babysit the crew at this stage in his career. But his presence now injects a much-needed gravitas in the wake of Tim's passing. Perhaps Brokaw could help groom Chuck Todd for the bureau chief job; Todd's studiousness, and his lack of egotism, appear to make him a worthy candidate for the bureau manager slot.
Adam Smith - 6/23/2008 12:20:00 AM EDT -
Not that we don't think Tom would do a good job ...but Lester Holtz would be a great monirator... he's fair , tough...and it would continue to be a leading show with a host that won't distract us to "what if".... We spend every Sunday w/ Meet the Press and will miss Tim... Our Buffalo Boy....You can take the boy out of Buffalo ... but you couldn't take Buffalo out the boy...
Joette Felice - 6/22/2008 10:15:00 PM EDT
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