When CBS News forced the retirement of controversial Evening News anchor Dan Rather, they replaced him temporarily with Bob Schieffer, an old-school CBS journeyman newsman who had the aura of solidity and objectivity of CBS’s best news years. NBC has now opted for the same path with news that Tom Brokaw will be the late Tim Russert’s replacement host on “Meet the Press” through the elections.
Since Russert’s shocking fatal collapse while in a sound booth working on the Sunday show, speculation has been rampant over who would replace him. And in both the quick-temporary choice and through-the-elections choice NBC has signaled that it wants someone with news gravitas rather than a talk show personality. Respected NBC news anchor Brian Williams hosted the show today — but soon it’ll be Brokaw’s turn. The AP reports:
Veteran news anchor Tom Brokaw will moderate NBC’s “Meet the Press” through the November election in the place of the late Tim Russert, the network announced Sunday.
Brokaw is scheduled to start on June 29. He had filled in on the program for the Sunday following Russert’s death of a heart attack on June 13.
NBC News President Steve Capus said the show will continue to be produced in Washington.
“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,” Capus said.
Nothing was immediately said about who would anchor the broadcast after the election or whether Brokaw, 68, would be interested in continuing beyond that. He wouldn’t be the oldest man on the Sunday morning beat — CBS’ “Face the Nation” host Bob Schieffer is 71.
One thing worth noting.
When Schieffer came in a lot of people pooh-poohed his effectiveness, arguing that he was too old to attract — let alone hold onto — younger viewers. In fact, ratings went UP on the CBS newscast once he took over from Rather. And when Schiefer was yanked and replaced by the younger and (then) more popular Katie Couric, ratings went DOWN.
Will NBC face the same situation with Brokaw?
Brokaw has a long, respected history with the network as both a reporter and news anchor. And, like Russert, he wrote books that were best sellers based on their solid content, not his news celebrity name.
Various names for the long term host have been tossed about in blog posts and media gossip reports, but only a few make sense if NBC wants to keep the program on the same level.
WILLIAMS: He’s needed on the evening newscast but he fits the same news mold.
BROKAW: If the ratings to up or stay the same, look for NBC to keep him on as long as possible while someone else is groomed.
NBC POLITICAL DIRECTOR CHUCK TODD: Some reports suggest he’s the person Russert would have liked to replace him further down the road. A superb analyst who does his homework and research, can talk in sound bites, looks good on camera and is a solid writer. He doesn’t have the interviewing experience that some of the others do.
ANDREA MITCHELL: A hard-working reporter who does paindstaking pre-interview homework, has excellent sources and asks tough questions.
CHRIS MATTHEWS: Was an excellent print columnist before he went on the air. Does his homework and can ask excellent, tough, even unrelenting questions. But he has been criticized this year as being too partisan and as sexist. Is hated by some on the right and left. Like Russert, worked for a politico. If he was picked he’d probably do well and grow in the job but there would be a lot of criticism for NBC for picking him.
DAVID GREGORY: A newsman who is a rising start at NBC. His MSNBC show should now be seen as a possible audition for MTP.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: Like Russert, comes from a political background. Has won lots of fans and good reviews for the way he has morphed into good interviewer, often independent voice, and above all TV personality. In some ways, he’d be closest to Russert in his kind of background. There would be controversy if he’s picked. Some on the left and right don’t like him, but he’d probably grow in the job.
KEITH OLBERMANN: Highly unlikely. He has a huge following among progressives and some independents, but has become anathema to the right and to many Hillary Clinton supporters. He has been blasted by many media critics for his sometimes emotional mixture of politics and opinion. And his once truly special “Special Comment” segment now seem more like a perpetual Rage-O-Matic machine, rather than Murrow like commentaries.
Note several things:
1. Russert was the happy warrior of political TV and one always painstakingly prepared. NBC will want someone with preparation and gravitas. MTP has traditionally been hosted by people with either news background or people perceived as being issue oriented versus personality oriented. Until Russert took it over and livened it up, MTP seemed more like a CSPAN or PBS show than what it is today.
2. This isn’t just a matter of image. MTP is a moneymaker for NBC and its brand name. Just as Russert protected its long-running legacy and polished its image, NBC will want the product to be the same or better and is unlikely to risk it to someone who will veer it closer to a radio or cable talk show.
That’s why it seems likely that (a)Brokaw could stay on a bit until after the election, (b) NBC bigwigs will be evaluating the networks’ other choices in coming months.
What NBC won’t want is a repeat of what happened with Schieffer and Couric, where the temporary host held and even expanded the fort — and highly-touted permanent host who looked good on paper came in and started to watch the fort collapse.
UPDATE:
–The New York Times’ TV Decoder blog:
“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,” Mr. 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.”
The announcement caps a week of whispered speculation about who would replace Mr. Russert, at least temporarily, on the broadcast. Mr. Brokaw’s name had been mentioned, along with the NBC correspondents David Gregory and Andrea Mitchell and the MSNBC host Chris Matthews.
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.