Brian Williams Is Leaving NBC After 28 Years, Saying It’s the ‘End of a Chapter’

Longtime anchor and former fabulist Brian Williams is leaving NBC after 28 years with the community.

“Following a lot reflection, and after 28 years with the corporate, I’ve determined to go away NBC upon the completion of my present contract in December,” Williams, 62, mentioned in an announcement. “NBC is part of me and all the time shall be.” Noting the longevity of his tenure on the community, he mentioned that he had been “on the air for the launch of MSNBC.”

Williams, who mentioned he wished to spend extra time together with his household, didn’t say he plans to retire outright. He hinted at a subsequent act, however he hasn’t laid out any plans publicly.

“That is the top of a chapter and the start of one other. There are lots of issues I wish to do, and I’ll pop up once more someplace,” he mentioned. The New York Times studies Williams is just not curious about taking one other position at a conventional broadcast or cable information channel.

MSNBC president Rashida Jones expressed “deep gratitude for 28 years of devoted service to our viewers.”

“Brian’s time at NBC has been marked by breaking numerous main tales, attracting main journalists and company to his applications, and most particularly, nice resiliency,” she mentioned.

Williams’ profession has spanned, in his phrases, “28 years, 38 nations, 8 Olympic video games, 7 Presidential elections, half a dozen Presidents, a couple of wars, and one SNL.”

Williams has spent the previous 5 years anchoring The eleventh Hour, an 11 o’clock speak present that includes information and commentary from Williams and others, on MSNBC. He has additionally co-anchored main political occasions with MSNBC star Rachel Maddow and fellow anchor Nicolle Wallace.

Williams was banished from the anchor’s chair at NBC Nightly News in 2015 after exaggerating and fabricating tales of his conflict reporting in Iraq. After a six-month suspension, he returned to the airwaves and again to viewers’ good graces, and ultimately launched eleventh Hour, which discovered its footing and a large viewers as protection of the 2016 election heated up.