Comments on: Someone to Host Meet the Press http://tunedin.blogs.time.com/2008/12/02/someone-to-host-meet-the-press/ A blog about television by TIME’s TV critic James Poniewozik. Wed, 09 Dec 2009 03:13:42 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: tomahldin http://tunedin.blogs.time.com/2008/12/02/someone-to-host-meet-the-press/comment-page-1/#comment-17593 tomahldin Tue, 02 Dec 2008 23:45:10 +0000 http://timetunedin.wordpress.com/?p=2267#comment-17593 Buffett bought a 1934 Rolls Royce for 350 Dollars and rented it out for 35 dollars a day. By the time he graduated from high school at sixteen, Buffett had saved 6,000 dollars. Tom Ahldin Buffett bought a 1934 Rolls Royce for 350 Dollars and rented it out for 35 dollars a day. By the time he graduated from high school at sixteen, Buffett had saved 6,000 dollars.

Tom Ahldin

]]> By: plukasiak http://tunedin.blogs.time.com/2008/12/02/someone-to-host-meet-the-press/comment-page-1/#comment-17583 plukasiak Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:03:53 +0000 http://timetunedin.wordpress.com/?p=2267#comment-17583 Back in the good old Spivak days, when the name of the show had something to do with its content (i.e. when interviewees actually "Met the Press" and faced a panel of reporters, and were not just subjected to Russerts gotcha tactics) the host wasn't the "star" -- the guest was. It doesn't matter anymore who the host is, because (as you note) the show is now about politics, and not policy, and any idiot (including "M C Rove backup dancer", David Gregory) can ask questions about politics. The original format of the show allowed for policy discussion because each week panel of reporters was chosen because of the areas covered by the journalists -- but when the show is focussed on a single host asking questions, "expertise" in anything but Village conventional wisdom is no longer a factor. Back in the good old Spivak days, when the name of the show had something to do with its content (i.e. when interviewees actually "Met the Press" and faced a panel of reporters, and were not just subjected to Russerts gotcha tactics) the host wasn't the "star" -- the guest was.

It doesn't matter anymore who the host is, because (as you note) the show is now about politics, and not policy, and any idiot (including "M C Rove backup dancer", David Gregory) can ask questions about politics. The original format of the show allowed for policy discussion because each week panel of reporters was chosen because of the areas covered by the journalists -- but when the show is focussed on a single host asking questions, "expertise" in anything but Village conventional wisdom is no longer a factor.

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