When Chuck Todd took over in 2014 as host of NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” he inherited a show with poor ratings.
Though his debut did not go as well as NBC executives likely hoped it would, Todd has managed to turn the program’s ratings around. In the last nine months, “Meet the Press” has made steady and significant improvements in viewership.
But Todd lamented this week in an interview with host Brian Koppelman that NBC only seems to care about ratings, not content. Todd’s comments came as he and Koppelman discussed media, the press and the NBC News anchor’s experiences as a Sunday show moderator.
“This is the first job I’ve had where I don’t believe I’m judged on content first,” Todd said. “I think my bosses would probably never say that. But the fact of the matter is, your show is good if the ratings are good.”
Todd compared his experience at “Meet the Press” to Hollywood executives who judge the success of a movie based solely on ticket sales.
“So, this is the first time I’ve been judged now on numbers, on show business, and that is a little disconcerting for me,” he said.
The pressure to produce ratings has affected the way he moderates the show, Todd said, referencing comments from executives who told him his recent interview with President Obama took up too much of the program’s time.
Inherited bad ratings and pressure to boost viewer numbers aside, Todd said he is proud of his position and he takes it seriously that he moderates the “longest-running television show” in American history.
“I just want to make sure I’m not the last moderator of Meet the Press,” he joked.
