Speculation Begins Over Tim Russert's Network Replacement

ONE SHALLOW POOL

Olbermann, Matthews, Gregory Among Those Considered







Less than 72 hours after his sudden and shocking passing, media speculation over who will replace NBC's Tim Russert is already heating up. If that seems a bit too soon, much worse is the short list of names said to be under consideration.

Ready for Meet The Press With Keith Olbermann? How about Chris Matthews or David Gregory?

Don't try diving head- first into this talent pool, you'll break your neck.

Yes, according to the New York Times, MTP could very well be taken over by one of MSNBC's hotheaded lunatics:

But the list of potential names to assume the moderator role on “Meet the Press” is already well known. From inside NBC, the potential candidates include the evening news anchor, Brian Williams, who would be doing double duty (as Mr. Schieffer did for a time at CBS), correspondents David Gregory and Andrea Mitchell and MSNBC hosts like Chris Matthews, Joe Scarborough and Keith Olbermann. Several of those names are already lightning rods for critics, however.

NBC could smooth the transition by offering the post on a temporary basis to Mr. Brokaw, who stepped down as the network’s anchor in 2004. Because of past associations both with NBC and Mr. Zucker, Katie Couric will also very likely be mentioned as a possibility, with her tenure as the anchor of the “CBS Evening News” widely expected to end sometime in the next year.

In planning election coverage without Mr. Russert, NBC has him to thank. He was widely regarded as a good judge of talent and a good mentor at the network, and the list of successors includes many people, including Ms. Couric and Gwen Ifill of PBS, whom he recruited or encouraged.

Apparently, the network news business has something in common with talk radio: neither has established a bench of bona fide future talent ready to step in when the need arises. The fact that any of MSNBC's ultra- partisan, ratings- challenged eccentrics would even be considered for such a position is alarming.

At TVNewser, one can find a tally of suggestions from various pundits, with equally absurd suggestions. Katie Couric? Is that a joke?


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