NBC names one Russert replacement
Half of Tim Russert’s job has been filled.
NBC News announced Monday that Mark Whitaker, a former Newsweek editor who joined the news division as its No. 2 executive last year, would replace Russert as Washington bureau chief.
“Mark’s got all of the components that will assure his success -- a commitment to journalistic integrity, political savvy, a keen eye for the future, and a management style that is inclusive and fair,” NBC News President Steve Capus said in a statement. “He is exactly what the bureau needs.”
Whitaker, who was editor of Newsweek from 1998 to 2006, has been in charge of the news division’s daily news-gathering operations. In his new role, he will be responsible for election coverage and “Meet the Press,” the venerable Sunday morning political talk show that Russert moderated until he died from a heart attack in June.
Former “NBC Nightly News” anchor Tom Brokaw is hosting the program until network executives select a permanent successor after this fall’s election.
-- Matea Gold
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