“Meet the Press” Celebrates 75th Year

(RepublicanNews.org) – NBC’s “Meet the Press” recently celebrated its 75th year on the air, making it the longest-running TV show of all time. To celebrate the monumental achievement, the network threw a party in Washington at the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian.

Chuck Todd talks "Meet the Press’s" future as TV’s longest-running show marks 75th anniversary https://t.co/mWRxCcjXAH pic.twitter.com/DsRF5SYTuW

— The Hill (@thehill) December 6, 2022

Several big names made appearances at the anniversary bash including the show’s current host, Chuck Todd. According to The Hill, the longtime moderator told the crowd, packed full of political insiders, politicians, and journalists, that he hoped people would be uncomfortable for at least part of his show. Todd, who has served as host since 2014, explained that he wanted people to hear what they needed to, not what they wanted to. The moderator mentioned it was okay for people to disagree and compromise as long as they didn’t resort to violence to get their way.

Classic clips of the show including interviews with prominent historical figures like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Fidel Castro played as attendees mingled. A former executive producer, Betsy Fischer Martin, noted to The Hill’s “In the Know” that not every show had a 75th anniversary, declaring only “Meet the Press,” the longest-running show in history, had met that milestone. “Evening News” on CBS is only six months behind.

With three-quarters of a century under its belt, “Meet the Press” has seen several moderators come and go. Martha Rountree, the woman who created the show, was its first host. Surprisingly, even after 75 years, she remains the only woman ever to hold the position.

Tim Russert dedicated the better part of his life to hosting “Meet the Press,” doing so from 1991 until 2008, when he died after suffering from coronary thrombosis. He was the show’s longest-running host. Despite moderating the show for less than a year, Tom Brokaw became one of the more notable figures in the lineup thanks to the fact he was the only person to host “Today,” “Meet the Press,” and “NBC Nightly News.” The current moderator, Todd, jokingly told the crowd he didn’t want to be the show’s last host, adding he wanted to “leave it in better shape” for his successor.