NBC News passes the baton to the long-running public affairs program “Meet the Press” on Sunday.

Chuck Todd told viewers Sunday that he is leaving the moderator’s chair

on the

75 years program in September.

.

He will hand it over to Kristen Welker, the network’s chief White House correspondent.

Which will be the second

woman woman

moderator in the long history of “Meet the Press.” Martha Rountree was the first to get the job when the program started in 1947 and held the position until 1953.

Welker will make history as the first black woman to serve as moderator of a Sunday morning public affairs program, one of the most prestigious positions in TV news. Welker’s contract with the correspondent’s NBC News expired at the end of the year, and she probably would have left for another job if the moderator position had gone to another candidate, according to people familiar with the discussions and not were authorized to comment. Welker is a homegrown on-air talent hired in 2010 after spending several years working as a local anchor at NBC’s Philadelphia TV station, and the network didn’t want to lose her. Her Welker’s share of the network skyrocketed significantly in 2020 after she received critical acclaim for her handling of the second presidential debate. Todd praised Welker’s choice, who has served as a permanent replacement for him. “I’m also willing to take a step back because I have so much faith in the person I’m going to pass the baton to,” Todd said towards the end of Sunday’s program. “She’s someone who’s been ready for this for a long time. I’ve had the privilege of working with her from her first day here in Washington and let me say she’s the right person at the right time.”

Todd will remain with NBC News, where he will remain a political analyst and participate in the network’s election coverage. He will also continue to work on documentary projects.

Todd’s replacement has been under discussion at NBC for years. todd

– H

self recognized

in

that the job of hosting a broadcasting institution was not permanent.

“The program isn’t mine,” Todd said

T

The Times in a 2020 interview. “That’s something I’m fully aware of. I’m a custodian. My job is to put ‘Meet the Press’ in a better place and leave it in a better place than i got it.

.

“

Todd, 51, told viewers he’s ready for a change. “I have been consumed with work for almost 30 years. I can’t remember the last time I didn’t wake up before 5 or 6 a.m. and as I’ve seen too many friends and family let work I promised my family I wouldn’t,” he said. “I’d rather leave a little early than stay a little too late.” Todd joined NBC News in 2007 after he became the political newsletter Hotline A recent protg

Tim Rusert,

Todd, the program’s moderator from 1991 until his death in 2008, was the network’s political director before taking over the Sunday program in 2014.

As “Meet the Press”

moderator,

Todd was often criticized on social media by liberal critics for not being harsh enough in his questions about the program. Conservatives weren’t fond of him either.

But the shots at Todd came largely from the political left when he hosted a daily version of “Meet the Press” that focused on progressive

–

leaning cable network MSNBC.

Todd is straight

–

forward approach to interviewing politicians was not well received by MSNBC’s viewers

,

who largely tune in to see liberal commentary, and their vitriol to

S

he regularly appeared online.

Welker will also take over the daily streaming version of “Meet the Press Now,” which was moved to NBC’s Peacock service last year.