After 18 years of being one of NBC News’ most prominent figures, former “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd is breaking from the network in a stunning career move.
Here’s the latest on Todd’s departure, and what insiders believe is next.
According to reports from both The New York Post and Semafor, Todd, once the central political figure for NBC, will be ousted from the network after his contract expires at the end of the year.
Chuck Todd plans to leave NBC when his contract is up later this year: report https://t.co/CcNP2MI20t pic.twitter.com/iaj4o15U9v
— New York Post (@nypost) January 13, 2025
His contract with NBC, which is owned by Comcast, will not be renewed. Todd has also signaled his intention to leave the network, according to the reports.
Todd joined NBC in 2007.
In 2014, he was named moderator of the long-running Sunday show “Meet the Press,” succeeding David Gregory, who replaced Tim Russert at the time.
In addition to his “Meet the Press” role, Todd hosted a weekday political program “MTP Daily” on MSNBC, contributed to NBC’s political website, and was an analyst on during primetime election coverage.
In 2023, Todd announced he would step down as host of “Meet the Press” to focus on long-form projects. He was replaced by Kristen Welker.
Widely considered the network’s top political figurehead, Todd’s tenure with NBC was also controversial, and included on-air clashes with network executives.
In 2022, he publicly criticized the network’s decision to hire former Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel.
In March 2024, NBC News hired McDaniel as a paid contributor, a move that sparked intense internal backlash inside the liberal news channel.
High-profile far-Left MSNBC personalities, including Rachel Maddow, Jen Psaki, Nicolle Wallace, Lawrence O’Donnell and Joe Scarborough, blasted the move — citing McDaniel’s prior support for former President Donald Trump.
NBC ultimately cancelled McDaniel’s contract, but the episode sparked speculation within NBC about Todd’s future at the network.
The news of Todd’s departure comes as the network has seen declining ratings and financial pressures, particuarly with its sister netwok, MSNBC, which has reportedly asked prominent anchors, including Joy Reid and Stephanie Ruhle, to accept salary reductions to remain in their positions.
Maddow reportedly agreed to a $5 million annual pay cut, reducing her salary from $30 million to $25 million — though MSNBC disputes these figures, according to the New York Post.
The pay cuts coincide with Comcast’s plans to spin off its cable properties — fueling concerns about potential layoffs and the network’s future direction.
As for what’s next for Todd?
Reports indicated that Todd has reportedly been meeting with Washington-based media organizations to discuss potential roles outside NBC, including opportunities in broadcast and digital media.