Storified by cxristopher ·
Wed, Feb 18 2015 05:34:21
NBC News seems to be stuck in the revolving front door of The Fiasco Dept. The most recent PR nightmares for the network include: the ouster of Ann Curry as TODAY co-anchor, the bringing-in and quick firing of a new TODAY producer, Jamie Horrowitz, who was supposed to revive the struggling morning show, the ouster of Meet The Press moderator David Gregory, and Dr. Nancy Snyderman's violation of a self-imposed quarantine after a team member was diagnosed with Ebola. The National Broadcasting Corporation can now add the star anchor of its flagship newscast and managing editor, Brian Williams, to its scandal list.
The latest scandal for NBC News is rooted back in 2003 when Brian Williams and a team from NBC Nightly News traveled on a helicopter that was a part of the US invasion of Iraq. The story, which Williams and NBC has repeated numerous times since, claims that the helicopter he and his team were aboard came under enemy fire and was forced down.
But the story wouldn't become an issue for the network until a January 2014 broadcast when NBC Nightly News aired coverage of a public tribute to one of the soldiers that provided ground security for the downed helicopter. The tribute was at a New York Rangers hockey game and Williams accompanied the retired soldier. After the broadcast, NBC News shared the segment on its Facebook page, where viewers started to question the story's authenticity.
It turns out, Williams wasn't aboard the helicopter that was forced down by an R.P.G. Stars and Stripes reported that "Williams arrived in the area about an hour later on another helicopter," one that "took no fire and landed later beside the damaged helicopter due to an impending sandstorm from the Iraqi desert."
In that same Stars and Stripes report is this bit of information at the tail end of the article: In a 2008 NBC blog post written by Williams, he wrote that "Chinook helicopter flying in front of ours (from the 101st Airborne) took an RPG to the rear rotor."
On the Monday night broadcast, Williams addressed the helicopter incident on-air:
The next Saturday, Williams announced that he would be stepping away from the anchor chair for a few days, saying he had "become too much a part of the news."
By Tuesday evening, NBC News President Deborah Turness announced that the star anchor would be suspended for six months without pay. Turness also announced that NBC would be conducting an internal investigation regarding more claims that Williams embellished or exaggerated other stories throughout his tenure as the NBC Nightly News anchor and Managing Editor.
There is some hope for both Williams and NBC News. A new survey conducted on Friday by Magid Associates, one of the leading consulting firms for the media industry, found that "more than 80% of viewers have a positive or unchanged perception of NBC News' brand in the wake of the suspension." That same survey also found that among NBC Nightly News' daily viewers, "58% of viewers said they thought [Williams] could earn his credibility back." That number dropped to 48% among all survey respondents.
Some viewers think Brian Williams deserves a shot at redemptionThat's according to a new survey by one of the media industry's leading consulting firms, Magid Associates, conducted in the wake of Williams' six-month suspension last week. Magid surveyed network news viewers and found that the "vast majority" are aware of the allegations against Williams, who apologized earlier this month for misstatements about an Iraq War mission in 2003.
Williams
was the "
single most popular news anchor." NBC Nightly News reaches up to "
10 million viewers" each night.
All,
We have decided today to suspend Brian Williams as Managing Editor and Anchor of NBC Nightly News for six months. The suspension will be without pay and is effective immediately. We let Brian know of our decision earlier today. Lester Holt will continue to substitute Anchor the NBC Nightly News.
Our review, which is being led by Richard Esposito working closely with NBCUniversal General Counsel Kim Harris, is ongoing, but I think it is important to take you through our thought process in coming to this decision.
While on Nightly News on Friday, January 30, 2015, Brian misrepresented events which occurred while he was covering the Iraq War in 2003. It then became clear that on other occasions Brian had done the same while telling that story in other venues. This was wrong and completely inappropriate for someone in Brian's position.
In addition, we have concerns about comments that occurred outside NBC News while Brian was talking about his experiences in the field.