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Executive producer of Meet the presswho NBC announced last week is “moving” into the streaming business, has been pushed out amid Sunday’s political show ratings disasters, two people familiar with the matter told Confider.
John Reiss, who has been doing EPs for the past eight years, has officially been transferred to the NBC News Now streaming service, and David P. Gelles, a longtime CNN producer who helped develop the streaming channel CNN+, now defunct, jumped in to help fix its sinking programming, down 21% in total viewership and 24% in key advertising demographics compared to last year — more than any other show. any other Sunday political program.
The first order of business for Gelles, multiple sources say, is deciding what to do with Chuck Todd, who despite recently signing a two-year extension, as Confider is known, has left many at NBC confused about how long he remained at the top of the struggling show.
NBC White House correspondent Kristen Welker is being groomed to replace Todd, multiple insiders with knowledge of the matter said, and is expected to take on more hosting duties as the midterm elections come approach period.
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Todd was demoted once this year when Daily press meeting broadcast on MSNBC has been relegated to NBC’s streaming service. And earlier this year, attended by NBC Universal CEO Jeff Shell, Todd was brutally grilled by Trevor Noah at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. “What are you doing?” The presenter of the Daily Show asked Todd. “I’d like to request a follow-up, but I know you don’t know what that is.”
According to 30 Rock insiders, these incidents demonstrated just how unpopular Todd was with viewers and critics, and that Meet the press franchise has been overexposed.
“At what point would anyone dare say ‘Maybe the problem is the side of it’?” one Meet the press question source. So far, the show has been unable to replace its booking maker, who recently left for Meta, according to sources close to the situation.
The lingering questions about Todd’s future atop Sunday’s show drew comparisons to the long, long and messy saga of the past. Meet the press host David Gregory, who was eventually eliminated in 2014 and replaced by Todd.
An NBC News spokesperson emailed Confider: “After being an EP of a Sunday broadcast for eight years, at the end of his contract, John Reiss is looking for another opportunity in the franchise. MTP trade”. “Kristen Welker is the co-host Meet the press NOW on NBC News NOW and since the show’s debut. And she and Chuck have been hosting NBC News NOW election specials all year long. “
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