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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsNBC Hired A Psychological Consultant To Fix 'Meet The Press'
Tom Kludt April 21, 2014, 9:32 AM EDT
Desperate to reverse the fortunes of one of its flagship programs, NBC commissioned a psychological consultant to interview the friends and family of "Meet the Press" host David Gregory.
According to the Washington Post, the work was done last year to help turn around the Sunday morning talk show that once dominated the genre but has fallen to third place behind its rivals on CBS and ABC.
A spokeswoman for NBC told WaPo the consultant, who even interviewed Gregory's wife, was brought in "to get perspective and insight from people who know him best.
The psychological assessment "struck some at NBC as odd, given that Gregory has been employed there for nearly 20 years," according to WaPo.
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I can sum the problem up in two words. Smug asshole.
Talkingpointsmemo link.
AngryAmish
(25,704 posts)alcibiades_mystery
(36,437 posts)spanone
(135,873 posts)hlthe2b
(102,357 posts)Perhaps the only choice more arrogant (and ignorant) than Gregory...
eppur_se_muova
(36,289 posts)MohRokTah
(15,429 posts)on the smug asshole.
Half-Century Man
(5,279 posts)It will be lively and probably a bit more profane...er profound.
rurallib
(62,448 posts)but they would rather spend millions to prove their fuck up was a good decision.
And down on the farm team they have one of the best journalists they have ever had in the person of Rachel Maddow.
I look for them to have Gregory retire and replace him with Luke Russert.
Jesus Malverde
(10,274 posts)as if the weekend news shows are about "news" and not pumping peoples heads with talking points and advertising.
Jesus Malverde
(10,274 posts)The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,836 posts)PotatoChip
(3,186 posts)As much as I dislike Gregory, he's not their only problem.
They could also try having a more fair amount D's/lefties on the show.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,836 posts)Actually, I haven't watched any of those shows in ages, mostly because they are so heavily stacked with GOPers. If they made an honest effort to balance their guests (and sacked Gregory) they might get some audience back.
PotatoChip
(3,186 posts)brush
(53,847 posts)He'll be gone soon.
Trajan
(19,089 posts)The fact that most people ARE more Liberal than what is claimed (loudly) by the media lies at the heart of their problems .... I've tried to watch over the years, and they don't even try to hide the fact that they have become a mouthpiece for a conservative corporate entity who's editor's have their own anti-tax agenda that identifies more with the other corporate rubes than it does connect to everyday Americans ...
They rarely present a liberal viewpoint any more ... always sullen, hateful conservatives, or weak-assed Democrats who spew pro-corporate, third way propaganda....
The general public ... who's mainstream views are essentially liberal, have no voice on that network ...
NBC NEWS can go to hell ...
democrank
(11,103 posts)is like watching paint dry. You just sit there and stare at a plain white wall, hoping someone will come on during the next segment and save him by hanging an interesting painting.
Gregory would be perfect in a room full of corporate politicians and media people, all dressed in the same suit, all reciting the same talking point....looking neither left nor right, not even blinking.
I gave up on Meet the press, just like I gave up om Morning Joe. Enough insider speak.
WinkyDink
(51,311 posts)wheniwasincongress
(1,307 posts)Fill me in - I don't understand. What does interviewing his wife have anything to do with his (in)ability to manage fair and decent discussions, and whether viewers take to him as a host?
magical thyme
(14,881 posts)A necessary step prior to firing him without breaching a contract?
MohRokTah
(15,429 posts)I think they were looking for any excuse to prop up the stupid decision of putting Dancing Dave in that position.
Enrique
(27,461 posts)winter is coming
(11,785 posts)to figure out what cup size a co-host would need to possess to distract viewers from Gregory's shortcomings.
Yeah, it's nice they've finally noticed that MtP sucks, but I expect a totally shallow non-solution "solution" will be put forth.
Jesus Malverde
(10,274 posts)Jim Lane
(11,175 posts)Per an update to the linked article, NBC says it hired a brand consultant, not a psychological consultant.
rocktivity
(44,577 posts)would find themselves on a collision course with last place (thanks to DUer Babylonsister):
REP. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: Well, thats Legislation 101. I mean, that is how we have handled laws and their evolution throughout American history...(O)ur candidates, our incumbents...understand that this is a law thats working for millions of people. And as we discover there are problems, we should work together...to solve those problems.
GREGORY: But youre making an argument on the merits, as the president is doing...A lot of people simply dont understand it, and they dont understand fully what the impact is going to be...(D)o you not have a turnout problem that youre worried about?
WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: ...(O)ur turnout operation...ran circles around the Republicans in 2012 and in 2008...(T)heres 14 open seats in the House, 11 of which Democrats have an advantage...You have the Republican Party who is strangled by the Tea Party...(T)hats the advantage we will have going into this election.
GREGORY: Right. But do you have an historic disadvantage?
The problem is not Gregory, but that Gregory's predecessor was successful for the wrong reasons.
Between the right wing having more control over the national media and the blogosphere providing weak competition, it was easier to conceal that Meet The Press was the biggest right-wing shill-fest this side of Fox News. But now, as they begin another year of peddling the same smelly old fish, fewer people are buying it.
If your message has no credibility, it doesn't matter who your messenger is.
rocktivity
Submariner
(12,509 posts)and that GE/Comcast/NBC is freebie advice from those of us stuck on this side of the TV screen putting up with your crap.
Dump the dumb sh*t and go with the PhD in Political Science.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)They are carrying water for TPTB which includes the military industrial complex, Wall Street and corporate America.
We know the program is biased. We don't like watching biased bullshit. It's pretty simple.