What former 'Meet The Press' moderator Chuck Todd said on leaving NBC News after nearly two decades

TV journalist and former ‘Meet The Press’ moderator Chuck Todd has announced his exit from NBC News after nearly two decades.

Todd, who served as NBC chief political analyst, shared the news in a memo with the staff members on Friday. This comes amid major shifts across the media industry with Donald Trump beginning his second term as the US President, USA Today reported.

Todd talks about next chapter in life

In the memo, Todd highlighted that there was "never a perfect time to leave a place that's been a professional home for so long". He shared that he was "pretty excited" about his upcoming projects which are on the "cusp of going from 'pie in the sky' to 'near reality'".


While thanking the broadcaster, Todd stated that his 'ChuckToddcast' was also going with him. He even teased fans to stay tuned regarding the announcement of his new home.

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Todd said he is planning to continue with sharing his reporting and unique perspective of covering politics accompanied by data and history.

Teasing a possible newsletter, Todd said the industry has a lot of work to do for winning back viewers' trust. "I’m convinced the best place to start is from the bottom up," he wrote.

In an apparent reference to the so-called 'divide' in the country since Trump took oath as the 47th US President, Todd said "this is a ripe moment".

Views on ‘propogandists’

In his memo, Todd spoke candidly with the staff members and claimed that the national media couldn't win back the trust without a robust partner locally and "trying to game algorithms is no way to inform and report".

He stated, "We can't tolerate propogandists".

However, he noted that this does not mean sticking the head in the sand either and advised his colleagues, "If you ignore reality, you'll miss the biggest story".

What did NBC say about his exit?

On Todd's exit, representatives at NBC News expressed gratitude for his contributions to political coverage during his nearly two-decade career and his deep commitment to Meet the Press and its enduring legacy. "We wish him all the best in his next endeavours," they added.

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In 2007, Todd was brought in as the political director by the late Tim Russert, who was then NBC's Washington bureau chief and Meet The Press moderator.

Todd went on to moderate the Sunday programme in 2014. He was replaced by NBC News journalist Kristen Welker as the moderator of Meet The Press in September 2023.

FAQs

1. Who has exited news channels in the US recently?
There has been a flurry of changes in the US TV news business, with Hoda Kotb leaving Today on January 10, Norah O'Donnell exiting CBS Evening News on January 23, and Jim Acosta announcing his departure from CNN this week.

2. Who replaced Chuck Todd as Meet The Press moderator?
In September 2023, Todd was replaced by NBC News journalist Kristen Welker as the Meet The Press moderator.