History thumb|Logo used from 2005 to 2008 right|thumb|Meet the Press set, November 1975. On this broadcast, a sitting American president (Gerald Ford) was, for the first time, a guest on a live television network news program. thumb|Logo used from 1988 to 1990 thumb|Logo used from 1990 to September 3, 1995 Meet the Press began on radio on the Mutual Broadcasting System in 1945 as American Mercury Presents: Meet the Press, a program to promote The American Mercury, a magazine that Lawrence Spivak purchased in 1935. Before the program aired, Spivak had asked journalist Martha Rountree, who had worked in radio and had been employed by Spivak as a roving editor for the magazine, to critique plans for a new radio show. As a result, Rountree created a new radio program that she called The American Mercury, on October 5, 1945.
History thumb|Logo used from 2005 to 2008 right|thumb|Meet the Press set November 1975 On this broadcast a sitting American president (Gerald Ford) was for the first time a guest on a live television network news program thumb|Logo used from 1988 to 1990 thumb|Logo used from 1990 to September 3 1995 Meet the Press began on radio on the Mutual Broadcasting System in 1945 as American Mercury Presents Meet the Press a program to promote The American Mercury a magazine that Lawrence Spivak purchased in 1935 Before the program aired Spivak had asked journalist Martha Rountree who had worked in radio and had been employed by Spivak as a roving editor for the magazine to critique plans for a new radio show As a result Rountree created a new radio program that she called The American Mercury on October 5 1945