Brian Williams will not return to the anchor desk at "NBC Nightly News," the network announced Thursday, more than four months after he was suspended for misrepresenting his experiences as a journalist.
Lester Holt, who has anchored the show since Williams was suspended back in February, will take over that position permanently, the network said.
Williams will take on a new role anchoring breaking news for MSNBC, the network said.
"Lester has done outstanding work for NBC News over the last 10 years, and he's performed remarkably well over the last few months under very tough circumstances," NBC News chairman Andy Lack said in a statement Thursday. "He's an exceptional anchor who goes straight to the heart of every story and is always able to find its most direct connection to the everyday lives of our audience."
Holt called the new permanent role "an enormous honor" in his own statement.
"The respect and admiration I have for the Nightly News team has only grown deeper over the last several months that we've been together," he said. "I'm very proud and grateful to be part of such an unflappable and dedicated team of professionals as we move forward together."
NBC suspended Williams for six months on Feb. 10 after he admitted to erring when he said on-air that he had been in a helicopter hit by enemy fire during the Iraq War, when in fact his helicopter had not been hit.
The network subsequently ordered an internal investigation into his reporting and the way he described his experiences, most often in talk show appearances.
The review found Williams made a number of inaccurate statements about his own role and experiences covering events in the field. The statements did not for the most part occur on NBC News platforms in the immediate aftermath of news events, but usually years later.
“I’m sorry. 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," Williams said in a statement Thursday. "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.”
U.S. & World
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