Russert Moves to MSNBC

The weekend interview show Tim Russert is moving to MSNBC from CNBC starting this Saturday, all part of an effort to boost the all-news network’s political coverage, officials said Tuesday.

Tim Russert will premiere at noon Saturdays, repeating 6 p.m., and on Sundays at 2 a.m. and noon. The program previously aired weekends on CNBC.

“As we head into the 2008 election season, the addition of Tim Russert to our weekend lineup solidifies MSNBC as the place for politics,” said Phil Griffin, senior vice president of NBC News and the executive in charge of MSNBC.

Tim Russert features interviews with the policymakers, authors, journalists and others, and provides in-depth discussions on politics, entertainment and the media. Guests have included George and Laura Bush, Jimmy Carter, Brian Williams, Rush Limbaugh, Katie Couric, Bill O’Reilly, Kevin Costner, Tom Hanks, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Caroline Kennedy, Jay Leno, Michael Jordan, Derek Jeter, Barack Obama and more.

“While I am extremely fortunate to be the custodian of a national treasure like Meet the Press, I really enjoy the opportunity to host another program where I can have a more informal conversation with the world’s most intriguing politicians, athletes, actors, authors and thinkers,” Russert said in a prepared statement. “After a great decade on CNBC, I look forward to an equally long and rewarding run on MSNBC.”