Why 2020 is the most dynamic year of Today Show news anchor Craig Melvin's career
On CNET's I'm So Obsessed podcast, the proud South Carolina native discusses the Today Show, MSNBC and how he finds balance for himself away from work.
- Patrick's play The Cowboy is included in the Best American Short Plays 2011-12 anthology. He co-wrote and starred in the short film Baden Krunk that won the Best Wisconsin Short Film award at the Milwaukee Short Film Festival.
Today Show and MSNBC news anchor Craig Melvin says 2020 has been the most dynamic year of his career.
It's no exaggeration to say that 2020 has been a remarkable year. And no one knows that better than broadcast journalists like Craig Melvin. On the Today Show, Melvin serves double duty as both the news anchor and a cohost for the third hour, reporting on the seemingly endless flow of big news events. He's also an anchor on MSNBC Live.
As my guest on CNET's I'm So Obsessed podcast, Melvin discussed why 2020 has been such a significant year and why covering it has been astounding, whether it's the coronavirus pandemic, the protests against police violence, or the presidential election. Listen to our conversation below.
"From a professional standpoint, it (2020) has been the most dynamic year of my career. I've been on the frontline in Houston, Minneapolis and DC for the protests," marveled Melvin. "It feels like we've lurched from one once-in-a-generation story to the next. I was talking to a buddy of mine last week about Kobe Bryant. And people forget that Kobe Bryant died in January. That's years ago now."
And Melvin couldn't be more correct. I interviewed him at the end of September, just days after US Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg died. Obviously, that was before Amy Coney Barrett was nominated and appointed as her replacement. And that was before President Donald Trump and the first lady contracted COVID-19. And that was before the election, which remains undecided, the record-breaking wildfires across the US and the record-tying number of hurricanes and tropical storms.
Melvin says social media amplifies all these events, whether content on sites like Facebook and Twitter gets the facts right or not -- especially when it comes to politics.
"When the book is written, generations from now, on the death of democracy, there'll be more than a few chapters devoted to the role that social media played," said Melvin.
During our conversation, Melvin opens up about how he copes with the enormity and tragedy of the stories he covers. He also pridefully discusses his South Carolina roots and reveals the biggest troublemaker on the Today Show.
Listen to my entire conversation with Melvin on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. The Today Show airs mornings on NBC. Also, you can subscribe to I'm So Obsessed on your favorite podcast app. In each episode, Connie Guglielmo and I catch up with an artist, actor or creator to learn about work, career and current obsessions.