Meet the Host: Defying the Rules - NYTimes.com

"Chuck Todd was an imperfect host of “Meet the Press” on Sunday. And that’s perfect.

Sunday talk shows, and most particularly NBC’s “Meet the Press,” defy the normal rules of television news: spit-shine good looks and slick urbanity are unwelcome. Viewers don’t want anchors as hosts; they want hosts who don’t act like anchors.

That became obvious when the NBC anchor David Gregory took over “Meet the Press” in 2008 after the death of its revered host, Tim Russert, and sent the show spiraling down to third place in the ratings."