Variety’s Michael Learmonth writes about yesterday’s announcement… (sub. req)

“I want to bring in people who are interested in news, not people who are circus fans or looking for a great movie,” said MSNBC president Rick Kaplan. “We want people interested in smart conversation — no matter what their age or agenda.”

TV gig will be Chung’s first since her 2002 firing from CNN, where she was host of “Connie Chung Tonight.”

Deal was initiated by Povich when he was finalizing his contract for “Maury” with NBC Universal Television prexyprexy Jeff ZuckerJeff Zucker. Povich told Zucker he was interested in doing a show with Chung.

Kaplan first worked with Chung at CBS when she was a young reporter covering Watergate.

He said the net had considered giving the pair a primetime slot, but that would put too much pressure on Povich, whose syndicated show is in its eighth season. “They’re doing this because they want to, not because they have to,” Kaplan said.

The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Gail Shister on the announcement….

Kaplan and Chung have been pals since they both worked at CBS in the early ’70s. The new show - a lighthearted review of the previous week’s headlines - is the result of Kaplan’s many dinners at the couple’s home.

“When I’m there, I’m happy to be silent and listen to them for two hours, and everybody knows how much I like to talk. You watch them for 10 minutes and you understand.”

Chung, a 30-year TV news vet, “has this way of getting under his skin, and he knows she’s doing it. She needles him. She pushes his buttons. She sets him up and, before you know it, she’s won.”

Not that it bothers her 20-year spouse.

“On his shows, he’s in charge, and the world revolves around Maury,” Kaplan says. “When Connie’s there, the world does a figure-8 around both of them. It’s great. He loves it. He can’t control the orbit.”

The trio had been discussing a show for several years. A project with DreamWorks fell through due to “wrong timing,” in Kaplan’s words.