Former ABC6 Reporter Named New Host of NBC's 'Meet The Press'

A former ABC6 reporter has just landed what might be considered one of the most prestigious positions in American journalism.

With a launch date of Nov. 6, 1947, Meet The Press is America's longest-running television program.

Considering the length of time the show has been on air, the list of Meet The Press moderators is rather short. Tim Russert's name is synonymous with the show, especially considering that he had a 17-year run in the chair. The fair-minded Russert's life was suddenly cut short after the host suffered a cardiac event in 2008.

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Over the years, names such as Chris Wallace, Roger Mudd, Tom Brokaw, David Gregory and, most recently, Chuck Todd have presided over some of the most important interviews and analysis of the week.

All of Washington's power players appear on the show regularly.

Interestingly enough, every full-time moderator of Meet The Press has been a man with the exception of the original, Martha Rountree, who held the job from 1947 to 1953.

Until now.

With Todd's announcement that he was stepping down as moderator comes news that a female will once again take control.

Meet 46-year-old Kristen Welker.

Welker is a Philadelphia native but went to school at Harvard University. Her first broadcasting job was right here in the Providence/New Bedford market, working as a reporter at ABC6.

According to Doreen Scanlon, former morning anchor at ABC6, Welker worked at WLNE from 2003 to 2005. She eventually went on to work on NBC's Weekend Today and was a White House correspondent.

It's funny to think about the moderator of NBC's Meet The Press having a working knowledge of Del's Lemonade, Federal Hill restaurants and hot wieners from Olneyville New York System.

The move to bring on Welker as the host of Meet The Press could potentially be a return to basics for the show. During Russert's reign, it was difficult to figure out where he stood politically. That is not the case with the outgoing Todd, who is generally viewed as a liberal thinker.

When Welker moderated the Trump/Biden 2020 debate for NBC she got bipartisan praise. Even President Trump (not eactly known for being a fan of the media) praised her.

Trump said during the debate, "By the way, so far I respect very much the way you're handling this, I have to say."

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