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Chris Licht puts down his BlackBerry

May 24, 2011 By WHC Insider

Chris Licht, former “Morning Joe” Executive Producer, returned to the familiar MSNBC set to talk about the near-fatal cerebral hemorrhage he suffered more than a year ago after a “particularly challenging morning” at work.

Licht wrote about the experience in the newly released book “What I Learned When I Almost Died: How a Maniac TV Producer Put Down His BlackBerry and Started to Live His Life.”

The hard-charging producer told hosts and friends Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski about the “pop” he heard in his head while riding back to his Washington hotel that April morning. He was just 38 years old.

The married father of two says the experience helped him streamline and get rid of all the clutter, finding time for the things that matter in life. Licht admits that leaving “Morning Joe” for his new gig as VP of Programming at CBS News was part of the experience, learning it was time to take chances.

Check back to WHCInsider this Thursday at 7:00PM where you can watch Jon Meacham‘s interview with Chris Licht LIVE. To read an excerpt from the book click here and watch the “Morning Joe” interview below:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Filed Under: News Media Tagged With: Blackberry, CBS News, Chris Licht, Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, Morning Joe, MSNBC

Congratulations Chris Licht!

May 19, 2011 By WHC Insider

Morning Joe Executive Producer Chris Licht moves to CBS News as VP of programming, but only after Jon Meacham interviews him at his book party on Wednesday, May 25th at the Jefferson Hotel in Washington, D.C.  You can watch the interview live at WHCInsider.com.  Here is The Hollywood Reporter’s take.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: CBS News, Chris Licht, Jefferson Hotel, Jon Meacham, Morning Joe

Will Couric Stay At CBS?

February 15, 2011 By WHC Insider

Katie Couric at CURE Annual Chicago Benefit April 16, 2010

With her contract expiring at the end of May, CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric has a big decision to make. But as David Bauder from the Associated Press reports, “her next choice is likely to be fraught with more risk, and may not truly be hers.”

Folks have been speculating for some time whether Couric would remain behind the anchor desk. But talk heated up last week when “60 Minutes” head Jeff Fager was named CBS News chairman with Bloomberg’s David Rhodes at his side. Deciding whether Couric remains after her current contract expires at the end of May will likely be their first point of business.

Couric, the first solo female anchor of a network evening newscast and veteran “Today” co-host does have options. Bauder writes: “Couric has discussed the syndicated talk show market with her good friend and former colleague, ex-NBC Universal chairman Jeff Zucker. A shorter-term extension with CBS to stay put, at least through the 2012 election, is possible, as is a move to cable where other big TV personalities have found homes, such as Oprah Winfrey, Conan O’Brien and Martha Stewart. Of course, the Web is yet another alternative for Couric in today’s marketplace.”

Bauder quotes WHC Insider‘s own Tammy Haddad:
“She’s got to find a place where her interview skills are used,” said Haddad, a veteran TV producer who worked with Couric in the 1990s. “She has that rare ability to make something happen every time she interviews somebody and every time she’s on-screen.”

Couric’s former “Today” partner, Bryant Gumbel, created his own niche with his well-respected “Real Sports” show on HBO, Haddad noted.

To read the full article go HERE.

Filed Under: News Media Tagged With: Associated Press, Bryant Gumbel, CBS News, David Bauder, David Rhodes, Jeff Fager, Jeff Zucker, Katie Couric, Tammy Haddad

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About White House Correspondents Insider

Exploring “behind the scenes” of the most powerful city in the world — Washington, D.C. — and those who cover it.

We track the White House Correspondents’ weekend and all the activities around it, from journalists and media companies to the White House and politicos.

Tammy Haddad is Co-Founder and Editor-In-Chief of WHC Insider and CEO of Haddad Media.

White House Correspondents Insider is not affiliated with or approved by the White House Correspondents’ Association, which is a registered trademark of the WHCA.

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