David Gregory Headlines New Show in Tucker's Timeslot

MSNBC announced a slate of changes this afternoon, leading with their new election-themed show: "Race For The White House" with David Gregory. The NBC White House correspondent has been a utility player at NBC/MSNBC for some time, regularly stepping in as a guest host — and demonstrating his range — on the "Today Show" and "Meet The Press." Gregory also took over the timeslot left vacant by Don Imus last April, temporarily stepping in to the breach before the network began trying out different hosts in that timeslot. The show will premiere on March 17th.

Also, "Live with Dan Abrams" is officially undergoing a name change to "Verdict with Dan Abrams," which will also launch on March 17th. The name change has been in the works for some time but had been on hold during the heated political primary run.

As well, NBC NewsChief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Andrea Mitchell will be anchoring MSNBC each weekday afternoon from 1-2 p.m. ET. Mitchell has regularly been seen anchoring politics-heavy MSNBC dayside coverage (often in the 12pm block); in taking over the 1-2 p.m. block she'll be permanently occupying the slot that NBC anchor Brian Williams typically takes. (Update: An MSNBC rep confirmed that Williams will still be anchoring MSNBC dayside "as his schedule permits," with no set timeslot.)

Finally, fear not for the fate of poor usurped Tucker Carlson— he remains with the network as Senior Campaign Correspondent and will continue to be sprinkled throughout the schedule as a panelist and contributor.

Other program notes from MSNBC includes trying out something new with programming in the later evening hours, reshuffling its "Doc Block" programming which has been running from 10-12 before rerunning "Countdown with Keith Olbermann." Now, Olbermann, which airs live at 8 pm, will re-run at 10 pm and the "Doc Block" will run from 11pm - 2 am. "Hardball" typically re-runs at 3a.m. and Dan Abrams' show at 4 a.m. before kicking off live programming with MSNBC First Look at 5 a.m.; details on what will occupy the now-freed-up 2.am. hour to follow. Update: And the winner is..."Countdown," with yet another re-airing. So that's three "Countdowns" per day on MSNBC.

The full press release is below.

Related:
David Gregory, NBC Utility Player [ETP]

- THE PLACE FOR POLITICS - EXPANDS POLITICAL PROGRAMMING WITH "RACE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE WITH DAVID GREGORY" PREMIERING MARCH 17

"Countdown with Keith Olbermann" to Re-Air at 10pm and 2am ET

"Verdict with Dan Abrams" Launches March 17

Andrea Mitchell to Anchor Weekdays 1-2 pm; "Doc Block" Expands to 11pm-2am

NEW YORK - March 10, 2008 - MSNBC, the Place for Politics, is expanding its already substantial political programming lineup next week as the 2008 presidential race continues to heat up. NBC News Chief White House Correspondent David Gregory will anchor "Race for the White House," a fast-paced daily look at the latest election news, weekdays, 6-7 p.m. ET on MSNBC. "Race for the White House" premieres Monday, March 17, and will continue through the election and beyond as the nation's focus continues on the historic Presidential campaign. Also bolstering MSNBC's political coverage, NBC News' Andrea Mitchell will anchor MSNBC each weekday afternoon, 1-2 p.m. ET

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MSNBC's top-rated "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" will now telecast twice in primetime, with a re-air weeknights at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. "Countdown" will also air weeknights at 11 p.m. PT/2 a.m. ET; the original telecast remains at 8 p.m. ET. MSNBC is also expanding the "doc block," which will now telecast weeknights, 11 p.m.-2 a.m. ET/8 p.m.-11 p.m. PT.

Also March 17, "Live with Dan Abrams" re-launches as "Verdict with Dan Abrams," an hour-long look at the day's news from a legal perspective, and expands to five nights a week. Each day "Verdict" will assess right from wrong and determine the winners and losers in politics, law and pop culture. In this political season, Abrams will continue to use his legal eye to stay "On Their Trail" separating fact from fiction, identifying and exposing the candidate's biggest misstatements, cheap shots and blunders, while continuing viewer-favorite segments "Beat the Press" and "Winners and Losers." "Verdict" will telecast weekdays, 9-10 p.m. ET.

"Race for the White House with David Gregory" will feature reports from MSNBC and NBC News correspondents around the country with the latest breaking political news and in-depth analysis of the campaigns. Tucker Carlson will remain with the network as MSNBC Senior Campaign Correspondent and will appear regularly throughout MSNBC's program lineup.

"Viewers are incredibly engaged this election season, with a real appetite for political news," said Phil Griffin, Senior Vice President, NBC News and Executive in Charge of MSNBC. "As NBC News' Chief White House Correspondent, David is the perfect person to lead this key hour of our election coverage. Tucker is one of the top political minds inside the Beltway, and we look forward to continuing to feature his insightful analysis."

Gregory has led the network's coverage of the Bush presidency since 2000, reporting regularly on "NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams," "Today," MSNBC and on MSNBC.com. He has circled the globe, traveling with President Bush on every major foreign trip and to nearly every state in the nation during the presidential campaigns of 2000 and 2004.

In the fall of 2005, Gregory began substituting regularly for Matt Lauer on "Today." He has served as substitute moderator on "Meet the Press," and has been a substitute anchor for the weekend editions of "Nightly News" and "Today." As a political commentator, Gregory is a frequent contributor on "Meet the Press" and the syndicated "Chris Matthews" show.

Andrea Mitchell is the Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent for NBC News, a position she has held since November 1994. Mitchell has also covered Sen. Clinton's presidential campaign, the 2004 presidential campaign for NBC News and is a regular panelist on MSNBC's "Hardball."

Built on the worldwide resources of NBC News, MSNBC defines news for the next generation with world-class reporting and a full schedule of live news coverage, political analysis and award-winning documentary programming -- 24 hours a day, seven days a week. MSNBC's home on the Internet is msnbc.com. Msnbc.com delivers a fuller spectrum of news. Drawing on its award-winning original journalism, NBC News heritage, trusted sources and Microsoft's advanced technologies, the site presents compelling, diverse and visually-engaging stories on the consumer's platform of choice. Nielsen Online reports more than 35 million unique visitors for January 2008, making msnbc.com the number one TV news site, ahead of ABC, CBS, and Fox News combined.

Members of the media can get more information about MSNBC and its programming on msnbc.com or the NBC Universal Media Village Web site at www.nbcumv.com.

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Comments

[finethnx]

Here's your boy Gregory at one of his finest performances

http://onegoodmove.org/1gm/1gmarchive/2007/04/buying_the_war.html

[finethnx]

I'm still asking-

What exactly are the requirements for these all-day Phony Journalist Pageants anyway? Are the rules the same for MSNBC and NBC? How about CNN? And since they run around the clock , do they ever really crown a winner? Is there a private ceremony for that, or is it more of an on going elimination thing? Do they start over every week with a new score card? Is it like a relay race of some kind? Does anybody know the contest rules?

And who watches this stuff anyway?

We do still have PBS. What if we all supported that? Maybe we could get more actual news, more information-and think what we could do with our collective free time if we didn't have to try so hard to chase down the facts.

Think of the problems we could solve! And just maybe we could prove that Americans -when given the truth-will do the right thing. I for one, still desperately want to believe that.

Our founders new exactly how important our right to information was. Could they have ever imagined we would give it up so easily.

I know that I am not the only person to ask everyone to stop supporting these broadcasts- and I am seriously asking-and I hope more people will join us.

It shouldn't matter whether the MSM is agreeing with you this time or not. What should matter is that it is not about any of us anymore. This HAS to start mattering to us. .

[mellene]

I like David Gregory. Maybe he can help restore the viewership that has fallen in the toilet. He needs to line up good guests that want to be on his show because he's relevant.

[indalay]

I respected David Gregory as a reporter, but except for Eugene Robinson & Chuck Todd, his panelists today make me want to turn the show off. Pat Buchanan is just ludicrous. Why anyone listens to the opinions of someone who makes a point of NOT learning all the facts before he spouts off is bewildering to me. (When it was suggested that he view Jeremiah Wright's sermons in their entirety instead of basing opinions on maliciously culled sound bites, he said "I don't want to hear any more.")

[paulfromportland]

Another vote for Rachael Maddow - Love listening to her on Olbermann - She is wasted on Hardball, where Motor Mouth talks over her.

But, I would rather enjoy the prison docs, if they would only show Shrub and Dick in jump suits sitting with their VietNam ace fly boy and Top Gun buddy - they could compare graft notes.

[Skyhawk]

An old tool to replace a younger one.

[xona]

The amazing thing is that more people have written comments here then people who would watch
the boy Tucker. I am amazed that such low-level talent lasted as long as he did. I have yet to hear anyone say a positive thing about Tucker.

[longislandlol]

Going to miss him..

[Dan Stewart]

Tucker has to be talk TV’s all-time greatest punk.

First, he brings John Stewart on to Crossfire, honoring him as a rare single guest, then Stewart slaps him around.

His "Dancing with the Stars" appearance was tragic. Then he humiliates himself with a story how when he was harassed by a gay guy in a D.C. public restroom he came back with another guy and ... well, he couldn't pull off the tough guy thing and looked like a total sissy.

He has been beat up so many times on his own show that it's not funny any more.

Now, he gets thrown overboard for Gregory.

When I was a kid in Brooklyn, Tucker was the kind of kid we would call over, punch in the stomach, and take his bike.

I really do feel sorry for the guy.

[ENK727]

No offense David, but you may want to look into some hair dye. I seriously thought he was about 50 or older!!

[brakmaster]

Sounds like they are about to lock him up in the same closet they store Rita Cosby. Now I feel sorry for the guy.

[batmanindy]

This is a joke, right?

But again, I have to ask, Who is Tucker Carlson?

[MariaHopeful]

You know the night time, is the right time for white men and only white men. Prime time is the exclusive playground for white men as they are the only attractive and intelligent humans to be found on earth. No women. No Blacks. No Native Americans. No Latinos. Only dumb white men: O'Reilly, Abrams, Cooper, King, Dobbs, Roberts, Hannity, Coombs and the not-so-dumb ones.

[pc51]

I cannot even think of a worse replacement. They actually managed to replace the biggest joke on television with an even bigger joke! Bravo!

White, male. vapid - couldn't hope for more....

[Billar]

I agree pc51.
Rachel Maddow would be a far better replacement than David Gregory. She is a Rhodes Scholar and host of a talk show on Air America. She is also a MSNBC political consultant. I really enjoy her
take on the politics of Washington.

[LiberalnChicago]

David Gregory is not a liberal and while he lobs a few 'tough' questions during White House Q & As he never follows up and often repeats GOP talking points. Didn't Ms. Dana Perino just say she never gets questions on Iraq - David?

But where is the outrage against Andrea Mitchell? Could there be anyone more involved in Libby/PlameGate than this Hag? She is a shill of the most nefarious type. She defends and perpetuates false information to help cover for operatives like Russert and Rove who have blood on their hands. I would consider allowing her immunity if she would testify during the Hague trials as to the false information and outing of a CIA agent during the run up to the Iraq invasion/o­ccupation.

Where is the outrage? Guilty. Traitor. Still working hard for the cabal.

Kiss off MSNBC. I quite watching when Tweety Matthews went off the track and still am in US news blackout.

[smitty187]

The only saving graces at msnbc are KO, Abrams, Maddow & Pat Buchanan. They are the Faux ReDoux in every way. Parental controls blocked out tweety about 6 months ago, but I still hear of his convulsions on all the good blogs. I had my kids set the control so I can't watch "sleazeball". They think it is hilarious, but are happier since I can't yell at the tube & embarrass them when their friends are over.

Mitchell is disgusting in every way. A traitorous side kick to Matthews who rolls her eyes & spits venom, not information.

Every week or so I write to Phil & Steve to complain about having tweety on the primary coverage. I would hate to miss KO or Buchanan or Maddow, but I have to keep hitting the mute button every time his McSame kissing butt appears. Either that or go to bland cnn. Faux is actually better sometimes.

[PeaceLoveVote]

LiberalinChicago,
I just wanted to say that I agree with your post, ALMOST!
The Hague will NOT be the place for trials.
We had Nuremberg, and look what that got us!
We, as Americans, can NEVER let another body determine guilt or innocence of other Americans.
This is allowing them too much power over our sovereign nation.
Since when does America pass on its responsibilities?
We have Guantanomo all set up for these corrupt monsters.
We will use their own prisons they built for us, to house them!
We will place all the trials on the vile MSM, for all the world to see.
Fox will be the station of choice for most!

The world will then know, again, America is serious about convicting our own and we are serious about delivering a strong dose of American justice to these traitors.
Our Constitution does not permit for other foreign entities to take up criminal cases on American citizens.
I know the treaties we have and other things, but that still does not constitute going against our OWN Constitution.
I want the trials here.
We will be sure they do not get away.
The world will respect us for this, and they will see America never left them.
We only turned our heads for a moment.

[VillageMutt]

As MSNBC solidifies itself as the Obama suck ass network.......

What happened here?

For a short period of time they actually appeared to be semi-neutral and
Actually did some legit reporting and commentary, now they’ve become
The Faux News of the not so left.

Shame