Brian Williams: From Local News to National Anchor and Beyond

Brian Douglas Williams (born May 5, 1959) is an American journalist and television news anchor whose career has spanned local news, cable news, and network news, marked by both significant achievements and considerable controversy. Williams, a self-avowed "Jersey boy," spent his early years in upstate New York before his family relocated to Middletown, New Jersey, where he attended Mater Dei High School, a Roman Catholic institution in the New Monmouth section of Middletown.

Early Career and Education

Following high school, Williams enrolled in Brookdale Community College before transferring to the Catholic University of America and then George Washington University. Despite attending these institutions, Williams never obtained a degree, a fact he has stated he regrets. He left George Washington University 18 credits short of a bachelor’s degree to accept a paid internship at the White House during the Carter administration.

His broadcasting career began in 1981 at KOAM-TV in Pittsburg, Kansas, where he earned $174 a week. He honed his reporting skills and soon moved up to major television markets. Next up were jobs at WTTG, an independent TV station in Washington, D.C.; and WCAU, a CBS affiliate in Philadelphia. He joined NBC from the CBS-owned television station in New York City, starting as a national correspondent.

Rise at NBC News

Williams joined NBC News in 1993, where he anchored the national "Saturday Nightly News" and rotated with the national "Sunday Nightly News" until 1999. He also served as chief White House correspondent. At the end of his first year, he was named anchor of the Saturday edition of “NBC Nightly News” as well as former anchor Tom Brokaw’s primary substitute for the weekday broadcast. In 1994, he was named the network’s chief White House correspondent. In the summer of 1996 he began serving as anchor and managing editor of The News with Brian Williams, broadcast on MSNBC and CNBC.

Anchoring "NBC Nightly News"

On December 2, 2004, Brian Williams became the seventh anchor and managing editor of “NBC Nightly News,” succeeding the retiring Tom Brokaw. This role placed him at the helm of the most-watched news program on television.

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Coverage of Hurricane Katrina

By the summer of 2005, Williams's on-the-scene reporting from New Orleans in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina significantly enhanced his reputation as a dynamic journalist. His coverage of Hurricane Katrina was widely praised, particularly "for venting his anger and frustration over the government's failure to act quickly to help the victims." The network was awarded a Peabody, the committee concluding that "Williams, and the entire staff of NBC Nightly News exemplified the highest levels of journalistic excellence." NBC Nightly News also earned the George Polk Award and the duPont-Columbia University Award for its Katrina coverage. Vanity Fair called Williams' work on Katrina "Murrow-worthy" and reported that during the hurricane, he became "a nation's anchor".

In his reports, Williams pulled no punches, calling attention to the slow pace of the local and federal response to the disaster.

Awards and Recognition

While anchoring the Nightly News, Williams received 12 News & Documentary Emmy Awards. Williams also received a 2012 Emmy for his interview program Rock Center and a 2013 Emmy for being one of the executive producers and editors of a documentary on the John F.

Controversy and Suspension

Unfortunately, Williams blemished his credibility when he misrepresented an incident that took place during the Iraq War. On February 4, 2015, Williams apologized for and recanted his then-disproven Iraq War story, which he had told on a Nightly News broadcast on January 30, 2015. In 2015, some 12 years after he had reported from the war zone, Williams claimed on air that he had been in a military helicopter when it was forced down by a rocket-propelled grenade. He claimed that while he was flying in a military helicopter it had been "forced down after being hit by an RPG". Soon after it aired, Williams' story was criticized by Lance Reynolds, a flight engineer on board one of the three Chinook helicopters that had been attacked. Reynolds and other crew members said Williams had been aboard a separate group of helicopters from the helicopter that had been fired upon. Williams' helicopter was flying about half an hour behind and was forced to make an emergency landing because of a sandstorm rather than an attack. In a February 5, 2015 interview on CNN, the pilot of the Chinook in which Williams was traveling said that while the aircraft did not sustain RPG fire, it did indeed sustain small-arms fire and that the door gunners returned fire. That proved to be an exaggeration; when the truth came to light, NBC suspended Williams for six months.

Transition to MSNBC

In September 2015, Williams returned to the air as MSNBC's chief anchor. As part of his chief anchor duties, Williams anchored The 11th Hour with Brian Williams, which was a nightly news and politics wrap-up show.

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News events that Williams had then covered for MSNBC include Pope Francis's trip to the United States; the 2015 Umpqua Community College shooting; and terrorist attacks in Paris, San Bernardino, Brussels, and Nice.

Other Appearances

Thanks to his big personality, Williams made numerous high-visibility appearances throughout his NBC career on such programs as “Saturday Night Live” (he hosted an episode in 2007), “Sesame Street,” and the sitcom “30 Rock.” He also made guest appearances on late-night shows hosted by Jimmy Fallon, David Letterman, and Conan O’Brien. Williams frequently appeared on The Daily Show as a celebrity guest interviewed by Jon Stewart and in 2007, made regular cameos as a giant head sidekick looking on Jon Stewart and helping out with pronunciations of foreign names and occasionally other foreign affairs all beginning at the premiere of the new Daily Show set. He appeared on the Weekend Update segment of the season 32 premiere of Saturday Night Live, hosted by Dane Cook. Williams appeared on Sesame Street in a 2007 episode, announcing the word of the day, "squid", in a special broadcast. Williams appeared on Sesame Street again in a 2008 episode, reporting for Sesame Street Nightly News about the "mine-itis" outbreak, becoming a victim. He was also the host of the 2009 Annual Sesame Workshop Benefit Gala. Williams regularly appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, where he slow jams the news of the previous week as Fallon sings and reiterates what Williams says, with The Roots providing the musical backing. A mash-up video created by Fallon, where Williams appears to rap to hip-hop instrumentals, became popular within a few hours. Williams has also made numerous appearances on Late Show with David Letterman. During an appearance on July 26, 2011, he demonstrated a skilled vocal impersonation of TV personality Regis Philbin. Williams made frequent guest appearances on NBC's television comedy 30 Rock, as a caricatured version of himself. In the episode "The Ones", he is seen at home receiving proposition calls meant for Tracy Jordan. In "Audition Day", he auditions to be a new TGS cast member. He also is seen once on the show taunting Tina Fey's character, Liz Lemon.

Personal Life

Williams is married to Jane Stoddard Williams and has two children. Williams was named “Father of the Year” in 1996 by the National Father’s Day Committee. Williams is from a Bates family: His father, Gordon L. Williams, is a graduate of the Class of 1938 and will be in attendance at Commencement; his mother is the late Dorothy “Dode” Pampel Williams of the Class of 1940, and his late brother, David A.

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