IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO SAVE MEET THE PRESS

It's not too late to save NBC's Meet The Press. The Sunday staple has gone through a number of recent changes in an effort to bring back its sagging ratings. Most recently, Chuck Todd, has been named the new host and replacement for David Gregory; but it doesn't seem to be helping. There is, I believe, a solution to be found; but let's first walk through some of the problems.

Tim Russert was great. He really was. He was one of the best in the business and he was very popular with his audience. Watching Tim Russert go to work on the politicians and bureaucrats of the day was like watching a well informed version of your dad or uncle pin these guys to the mat and squeeze out an answer to that glaring question they'd been dodging for the last 3 months. You felt like Tim was on the people's side with no political axe to grind. Now, that said, how could David Gregory possibly fill those immense shoes after Tim Russert's untimely death.

He couldn't. It wasn't possible, but David was a likable guy, right? He was informed and prepared, right? After all, it took Russert 6 years to claw his way to the top of the Sunday ratings, right?...Yes, that's all right; but the fact remains David was not connecting. He didn't have that thing that we all desperately wanted him to bring to the table. David Gregory did not have the secret sauce. Sadly, Meet the Press fell to its lowest ratings in 20 years while under Gregory. NBC pulled the trigger on Gregory's ouster and put forth an awkward, ham-handed transition to the new guy, Chuck Todd.

Former chief White House correspondent and NBC political director, Todd is a great choice to tap for the job--on paper. Todd took off with a bang thanks to a big interview granted by the President; but soon ratings petered down to the wimper we've come to expect. A slow third behind ABC and CBS Sunday programs, the Meet the Press audience seems to be unimpressed with the changes made by Todd. A new Sunday panel, slightly different style on the political banter, and an occasional awkward walk from one set to another still don't seem to be quite the right mix on the martini.

Here's the answer. I'm sure the head honchos at NBC know better than anyone that the solution to saving Meet the Press lies in wooing back the 25-54 year olds to the show. Easier said than done, right. Maybe so. Let's look deeper. Since the show began plunging downwards we've had David Gregory contrast to the bull dog that was Russert, by being more of a Bichon Frise of a host. Once bitten and twice shy, Gregory lost most of his bark after a run in with right-wing bomb thrower, Newt Gingrich. Although many agreed recent Gingrich comments smacked of racial politics, Gregory backed down and he never regained the respect of his audience. Next thing you know, 500,000 people just changed the channel. Some would say, well Gregory lost viewership from right-wingers who were appalled he even challenged Newt on the racial tenor of his comments; but they would be only partially right. The type of viewers that want no rebuttal to ultra-right wing absurdity have their televisions locked on Fox all day, all night, and don't watch Meet the Press consistently anyways. Viewers on both the center right and center left walked away shortly thereafter but for different reasons. The show would have been better served if the host dug in his heels and forced the guest to vigorously defend his comments rather than toss a bomb and step back. That would require preparation and research from an extremely smart and thorough host, though. The Meet the Press audience expects meaty discussions of the most topical issues of the day with politicians squirming in their seats under pressure from the host for a real answer.

Can Chuck Todd do it? Maybe so; but Todd will have to abandon his usual penchant for right/center- right defensive posturing. Todd has to position himself squarely in the middle and really challenge talkers on the left and especially on the right to jive their position with what's best for the country and don't let them off easy. That elusive 25-54 year old demographic is not monolithic, but ABC has proven that you can pick off enough it to put together winning ratings. Collate the following: Fox is tailspinning downward on a 10 year low among 25-54 years olds. Obama consistently won the voters 25-40 years old which we would consider politically savvy and educated. ABC and CBS news, with their 'media bias' are cleaning up among 25-54 year olds, and most popular in sheer numbers within the golden demographic is pro sports, reality, and witty comedies like Big Bang Theory. What's it all mean? I'll let your mind pontificate on it, but I have my conclusions. The question, though, is can Chuck Todd revamp his center right wonkiness into something that makes the average 25-54 year old sitting at home, yell at the TV and say 'Yeah, damn right!'