newscast on the cable channel back in the late 1990s before ascending to “Nightly News.” The move back to MSNBC will be a homecoming of sorts for Williams: he anchored a signature 9 p.m.

The executive described Williams’ removal from “Nightly News” a “severe punishment,” but an appropriate one. One senior executive said the notion of Williams returning to “Nightly News” at the end of his six month suspension was a non-starter. Then again, leaving NBC altogether may have been the anchorman’s only other choice. Still, some television news analysts expressed surprise on Thursday that Williams had actually accepted a demotion of sorts. CNNMoney reported on Wednesday evening that the anchorman would be staying with the network in a new role. The NBC News headquarters in New York was abuzz this week about an imminent Williams announcement. Williams elaborated on the exaggerations in the interview with Lauer. In other words, the network bosses concluded that Williams’ puffed up stories were embarrassing, but not career enders. “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.” “The extensive review found that Williams made a number of inaccurate statements about his own role and experiences covering events in the field,” NBC said. Instead, it offered a two paragraph summary of the findings. NBC launched an internal investigation to fact-check the anchorman and identified several other times when Williams exaggerated.īut the network said Thursday that it would not publish the detailed results of the investigation. Williams was not on the chopper that was attacked. He was suspended after he admitted “misremembering” an incident in which he claimed his helicopter was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade in Iraq. Thursday’s statement and Friday’s interview segments are the start of a comeback attempt by Williams, who was suspended in February amid a controversy over exaggerated stories. Parts of the interview will be shown on Friday’s “Today” show and “Nightly News.” NBC confirmed an earlier CNNMoney report that Williams taped an interview with Matt Lauer, the co-host of the “Today” show, earlier this week. “I let down my NBC colleagues and our viewers, and I’m determined to earn back their trust.” “I said things that weren’t true,” he said. We are moving forward.”īreaking his silence for the first time since February, Williams, 56, began his own statement with two simple words: “I’m sorry.” 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.”īurke optimistically added, “This matter has been extensively analyzed and deliberated on by NBC. “Brian Williams has been with NBC News for a very long time and he has covered countless news events with honor and skill. “As you would imagine this was a difficult decision,” Lack’s boss, NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke, said. The decision caps months of deliberations by network executives. In a press release, NBC News chairman Andy Lack credited Holt with performing “remarkably well over the last few months under very tough circumstances.”Īs for Williams, Lack said the anchorman’s “excellent work” in the past had earned him a second chance.Īfter Williams’ suspension ends in August, he will have two main jobs: he’ll be an “anchor of breaking news and special reports” on NBC’s ratings-starved MSNBC cable news channel, and he’ll “serve as a breaking news anchor for NBC News live special reports when Holt is not available.” The appointment makes Holt the first African-American solo anchor of a weekday network nightly newscast. NBC also confirmed that Lester Holt, Williams’ fill-in since February, will become the permanent anchor of the “Nightly News.” NEW YORK - Suspended “NBC Nightly News” anchor Brian Williams “has the chance to earn back everyone’s trust,” his boss at NBC News said Thursday, as the network confirmed that Williams will return to television later this summer, but in a reduced role. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated.

Fox 8 news anchor suspended