Brian Williams Situation Now Ended
Brian Williams has been demoted from NBC News “Nightly News” anchor to breaking news anchor for sister cable news network MSNBC and breaking news anchor for NBC News live special reports.
Williams, who served as the anchor of NBC’s flagship evening news program from 2004 to February of 2015 before being suspended for reporting exaggerations, will contribute across MSNBC programming covering breaking news, adding to the network’s hard news pivot over the last year away from pure opinion programming.
“I’m sorry,” Williams said in a statement. “I said things that weren’t true. I let down my NBC colleagues and our viewers, and I’m determined to earn back their trust. I will greatly miss working with the team on Nightly News, but I know the broadcast will be in excellent hands with Lester Holt as anchor. I will support him 100% as he has always supported me. I am grateful for the chance to return to covering the news. My new role will allow me to focus on important issues and events in our country and around the world, and I look forward to it.”
It’s a rapid fall from grace for Williams, whose attorney Robert Barnett has been embroiled in cutthroat negotiations with NBC for months trying to salvage the disgraced anchor’s career–and salary, worth a reported $10 million annually.
In a statement, NBC News revealed the findings of its internal investigation into Williams’ reporting, spanning 10 years.
“The extensive review found that Williams made a number of inaccurate statements about his own role and experiences covering events in the field,” read a network press release. “The statements in question did not for the most part occur on NBC News platforms or in the immediate aftermath of the news events, but rather on late-night programs and during public appearances, usually years after the news events in question.”
“Brian now has the chance to earn back everyone’s trust. His excellent work over twenty-two years at NBC News has earned him that opportunity,” NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack said.
“As you would imagine this was a difficult decision,” NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke said. “Brian Williams has been with NBC News for a very long time and he has covered countless news events with honor and skill. As I said in February, we believe in second chances, and I am hopeful that this new beginning will be good for Brian and the organization. This matter has been extensively analyzed and deliberated on by NBC. We are moving forward.”
His return to MSNBC comes as the network has endured an increasingly bleak ratings stretch since 2013, regularly ranking third in most ratings measurements and sometimes fourth in the total day 25-54 demo. Primetime, in particular, has been a glaring issue for the network, as 8 p.m. host Chris Hayes, occupying the prime real estate timeslot in cable news, has never caught on ratings-wise like predecessors Ed Schultz and Keith Olbermann had.
