NEW YORK (AP) – As the four-month anniversary of Brian Williams’ suspension for misrepresenting his experiences as a journalist nears, NBC News has remained mum on whether he will return as the network’s top anchor, be cut loose or take on some other role for the news division.
Lester Holt continues as Williams’ substitute on “Nightly News,” keeping NBC slightly ahead in a ratings competition with ABC’s “World News Tonight” that Williams had dominated.
NBC suspended Williams for six months on Feb. 10 after he admitted to falsely claiming 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 other instances where Williams allegedly embellished his experiences, most often in talk show appearances.
In April, former NBC News President Andy Lack was brought back to oversee the news division, with executive Pat Fili-Krushel dismissed, adding a new voice into deliberations over a decision that will likely be made by top executives at NBC’s corporate parent Comcast Corp.
The more time that passes without a decision, the more NBC News’ reputation is damaged, said veteran news executive Shelley Ross.