Wednesday, July 23, 2014

NBC Contemplates Swapping Dick Sargent



For Dick York


From Page Six:
David Gregory’s time on ‘Meet the Press’ is almost up
By Emily SmithJuly 23, 2014 | 1:08am

David Gregory’s time is nearly up at “Meet the Press,” sources told Page Six, and he could be replaced as moderator of the nation’s longest-running TV show soon after the November midterm elections.

While NBC News President Deborah Turness has publicly supported the embattled Gregory, there are serious concerns about the losing battle to turn around the show’s sinking ratings.

Viewership is down a whopping 43 percent compared to when Gregory ascended to the moderator’s chair in December 2008, after the death of Tim Russert. The show finished in third place behind CBS’s “Face the Nation” and ABC’s “This Week” in the second quarter of 2014. An NBC source said, “The discussion is whether to make a change before or after the midterm elections. Just after the midterms would give the new moderator time to settle in.”

According to insiders, NBC political director and chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd is the rightful heir to Gregory, but he has not been officially offered the job.
...
The problem, as usual, is that trading one dick for another doesn't change a thing.

I would suggest that if they want to goose up those ratings Bewitched-style, maybe they should try adding add a destructive old monster who pops in at will and screws everything up, a bitchy closeted gay uncle or a dangerously befuddled aunt.  But of course they already have.

11 comments:

Tom said...

Not that I won't enjoy watching the demise of David Gregory, the "Nuke" LaLoosh of the beltway political class, but I don't really think he's the major factor in the demise of Meet the Press.

Maybe most people got bored with Republican Central Sunday Morning, starring John McCain and sidekick, all Republican all-the-time, all lies and unchallenged lies. And boring, non-descript but very tightly wrapped Republican-leaning panel, steeped in GOP-speak, parroting the standard GOP line incessantly, punctuated only occasionally by someone who genuinely knows whatof he speaks, Paul Krugman.

People just don't have to get their news by submitting to such insulting fare, any more. They've done kilt their golden goose, and I don't think it's coming back.

And let us never forget, that Tim Effing Russert wasn't all that, either. "I wish they'd called me!" Meet the Press was the Condi-Dick-Rummy Triad's "best venue" for hawking their goods. So there's that, ineffable stain, won't wash away.

They will serve their audience better by airing some college-level curling. Or hell, give the spot to Kornacki. He actually puts on a good shew.

steeve said...

I gotta get a job over there.

A meeting invite will come in, 3 hours every Monday until November, on the topic of how to improve MTP's ratings.

We'll get in there on the first day, and someone (maybe me) will ask "are we allowed to change anything about the show? Anything at all?"

There'll be a long silence. We'll sit there fiddling with our phones for a while. Then next week we'll do it again.

Pinkamena said...

Oh hold on...
Dick York.
Dick Sargent.
Sergeant York.
Wow, that's weird.

dinthebeast said...

There's something about Chuck Todd that just pisses me off. Every time I (accidentally) hear him talk, I have to stop myself from automatically constructing a counter argument before I even know what he's saying. Why don't they just come clean and give it to McCain? He could have Miss Lindsey and Joe Lieberman on every week to tell all three of their remaining viewers to get off of their lawn.

-Doug in Oakland

Robt said...

Got to say, I like Tom's suggestion of Paul Krugman. I would probably watch with him hosting.

Didn't care for Gregory when he was at the White House coveting Bush and the clan.
Never understood his journalistic value?

There again, Dick York would be better ratings than Ed Shultz.

matter of fact, Sam Seder could improve MTP.

The only thing is that I have this nagging itch that says MTO is really to draw from FOX these days.
I am sure Gregory will end up there.
How about Maritn Basheir? OOps, they fired his ass.
I would watch it though. Anyone that could explain some of the brutality of slavery to Sarah Palin as he did is interesting and educational.

Sherry Peyton said...

Chris Hayes would be a great choice, but that's not gonna happen...Todd is just another hack...but I for one will not mourn the passing of Gregory..what a douche...but frankly the rest of the Sunday yappers are no better. I stick with UP with Kornacki and figure I get about the best that is available.

CM said...

Found the following from the link of befuddled aunt.

**He sees the culture war as nearly over, because "today's young people...seem happy with the frankness of the left and the wholesomeness of the right."**

Wholesomeness of the right? What would that be? Homophobia, misogyny, racism or the general hatred of the poor?

Fritz Strand said...

A killer team would be Maddow and Scarborough. I can just hear the 'Rachael you ignorant...'. I might actually tune in.

Sorry, everyone has their fantasies.

Monster from the Id said...

Why bother with imitations? Last I heard, Jane Curtin & Dan Aykroyd had no previous commitments. ^_^

RoninMichigan said...

It's been my contention from day one when Gregory was announced to take over that he was only there to keep the seat warm til Lil Luke was ready to take over. And i have seen nothing to change my assessment. Granted National Broadcasting Corporation's obvious recent efforts to get Lil Luke more 'seat time' on their daily afternoon programming is paying little dividends, it remains my contention that Gregory has done exactly what his assignment required, Lil Luke simply hasn't hasn't come along as quickly as they (NBC) would like.

Redhand said...

Well I was totally wrong about Dick Gregory going.

Frankly, he stayed so long at the Fair I thought he would never leave. However, we can thank his long, infuriating run on the show for helping destroy the whole idea that the Mouse Circus has any real relevance in today's news market. As "Tom," aptly put it above:

"People just don't have to get their news by submitting to such insulting fare, any more. They've done kilt their golden goose, and I don't think it's coming back."