Brian Williams

2.1. Birth and Upbringing

Brian Douglas Williams was born on May 5, 1959, in Ridgewood, New Jersey. He was the youngest of four siblings and was raised in a "loud" Catholic home of largely Irish descent. His mother was Dorothy May (née Pampel), and his father was Gordon Lewis Williams, who served as an executive vice president of the National Retail Merchants Association in New York. Williams lived in Elmira, New York, for nine years during his childhood before his family relocated to Middletown Township, New Jersey, when he was in junior high school.

2.2. Education

Williams attended Mater Dei High School, a Roman Catholic institution located in the New Monmouth section of Middletown. After graduating from high school, he enrolled at Brookdale Community College. He later transferred to the Catholic University of America and subsequently to George Washington University. Despite attending these institutions, Williams did not earn a degree, accumulating a total of 18 credits. He interned in the White House Press office during the administration of President Jimmy Carter. Williams has since expressed that leaving college without a degree is one of his "great regrets."

2.3. Early Career and Activities

During his high school years, Williams volunteered for three years as a firefighter at the Middletown Township Fire Department. He also served as the editorial editor for his school newspaper. His first job was as a busboy at a Perkins Restaurant & Bakery. He sustained an injury during a football game that resulted in his nose being crooked.

3.1. Early Broadcast Career

Williams began his career in broadcasting in 1981 at KOAM-TV in Pittsburg, Kansas. The following year, he moved to Washington, D.C., to cover news at the then-independent station WTTG. He then worked in Philadelphia for WCAU, which was owned and operated by CBS at the time. In 1985, he was officially hired by CBS and stationed in New Jersey as a correspondent for WCAU-TV. He was later promoted to WCBS-TV in New York City, where he became the anchor for the midday news. Williams earned an Emmy Award for his coverage of the stock market crash in October 1987.

3.2. Joining NBC and MSNBC

In 1993, Williams joined NBC News, where he anchored the national Saturday Nightly News and rotated with the national Sunday Nightly News until 1999. He also served as the chief White House correspondent from 1994 to 1996. In the summer of 1996, he began his role as anchor and managing editor of The News with Brian Williams, which was broadcast on both MSNBC and CNBC. He also frequently served as the primary substitute anchor for The NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw and was its regular Saturday anchor. Notably, he reported on the accident and death of Diana, Princess of Wales.

3.3. NBC Nightly News Anchor Period

Williams officially became the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News on December 2, 2004, succeeding the retiring Tom Brokaw. Early in his tenure, in December 2004, Williams issued an apology for comments he made suggesting there were "bigger problems" than newsroom diversity, prompting NBC News President Neal Shapiro to reaffirm the company's commitment to minority hiring efforts.

His coverage of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 received widespread praise, particularly for his "venting his anger and frustration over the government's failure to act quickly to help the victims." For its comprehensive reporting on Hurricane Katrina, NBC News was awarded a Peabody Award, with the committee stating that "Williams, and the entire staff of NBC Nightly News exemplified the highest levels of journalistic excellence." Williams accepted the award on behalf of the organization. The program also earned the George Polk Award and the duPont-Columbia University Award for its Hurricane Katrina coverage. Vanity Fair described Williams' work during Katrina as "Murrow-worthy" and reported that he became "a nation's anchor," while The New York Times characterized his reporting as "a defining moment."

Under Williams' leadership, NBC Nightly News consistently outperformed its main rivals, ABC's World News Tonight and CBS's Evening News, in Nielsen ratings. From late 2008 to late 2014, NBC Nightly News beat the other two network programs in the Nielsen ratings in all but one week.

In 2007, Time magazine recognized Williams as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. In 2009, he was honored with the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism by Arizona State University. At the award announcement, Walter Cronkite himself expressed admiration for Williams, describing him as a "fastidious newsman" who brought credit to the television news reporting profession.

During his time as anchor of Nightly News, Williams received 12 News & Documentary Emmy Awards. He earned one Emmy in 2006 for the program's coverage of Hurricane Katrina, two in 2007, one in 2009, two in 2010, one in 2011, one in 2013, and one in 2014. The 2014 Emmy was awarded for Nightly News' coverage of a deadly series of tornadoes in Oklahoma, for which it also received the duPont-Columbia University Award. Williams also received a 2012 Emmy for his interview program Rock Center and a 2013 Emmy as one of the executive producers and editors of a documentary on the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. He also shared a 2014 Emmy for an NBC News Special on the Boston Marathon bombing.

When Williams took over from Tom Brokaw, his annual salary was reported to be 8.00 M USD, which later increased to 10.00 M USD by October 2006. Jon Friedman of MarketWatch compared Williams to Walter Cronkite, calling him "a Cronkite for the 21st century."

4.1. Iraq War Reporting Controversy

On February 4, 2015, Williams publicly apologized for and recanted a story he had repeatedly told about his experiences during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He had claimed on a Nightly News broadcast on January 30, 2015, that while flying in a military helicopter, it had been "forced down after being hit by an RPG". This account, which he had shared multiple times over 12 years, was challenged by Lance Reynolds, a flight engineer who was on board one of the three Chinook helicopters that had actually been attacked. Reynolds and other crew members stated that Williams had been aboard a separate group of helicopters, flying approximately half an hour behind the attacked aircraft, and that his helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing due to a sandstorm, not enemy fire. In a February 5, 2015 interview on CNN, the pilot of the Chinook in which Williams was traveling confirmed that while the aircraft did not sustain RPG fire, it did sustain small-arms fire and the door gunners returned fire. However, the crew chief denied Williams' subsequent claim that several rounds missed him "by inches."

4.2. Lebanon Rocket Incident

In August 2006, during an appearance on The Daily Show with host Jon Stewart, Williams recounted an incident from the previous month where he claimed to have been nearly hit by Katyusha rockets fired from Lebanon by Hezbollah while flying in an Israeli Air Force (IAF) Black Hawk helicopter. He stated, "Here's a view of rockets I have never seen, passing underneath us, 1,500 feet beneath us." This claim drew scrutiny due to several inconsistencies: there are no four-star generals in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Israeli helicopter doors are routinely closed during flights, and the IAF's Black Hawks do not carry gunners. An IDF spokesman who was on the helicopter confirmed that there was Katyusha fire and that the "trajectory of the rockets was beneath us," but clarified that the helicopter was not in danger.

4.3. Hurricane Katrina Reporting Scrutiny

Williams' statements regarding his experiences during and after Hurricane Katrina also faced critical examination. For instance, inconsistencies were identified in his accounts of a suicide inside the New Orleans Superdome following the hurricane. In a 2005 television documentary, Williams stated he was not a witness to the suicide, saying, "We heard the story of a man killing himself, falling from the upper deck." However, in 2006, he claimed, "We were witnesses" to the event.

4.4. Suspension and Demotion

In response to the misrepresentation of the Iraq incident, Deborah Turness, then President of NBC News, announced on February 10, 2015, that Brian Williams was suspended without pay for six months from his position as Managing Editor and Anchor of the Nightly News broadcast. At the time of his suspension, Williams had a five-year contract, signed in December 2014, with an annual salary of 10.00 M USD. On June 18, 2015, following the completion of an internal investigation, NBC News announced that Williams would be permanently removed from NBC Nightly News and reassigned as the chief breaking news anchor for MSNBC.

5.1. Hosting "Rock Center"

On October 4, 2011, it was announced that Brian Williams would host Rock Center with Brian Williams, a new news magazine program. The show premiered on October 31, 2011, at 10:00 PM Eastern Time, replacing the canceled drama series The Playboy Club. Named after the nickname for Rockefeller Center in New York City, where NBC Radio City Studios are located, Rock Center was the first new NBC News program to launch in primetime in nearly two decades. However, NBC canceled Rock Center on May 10, 2013, due to persistently low ratings and the network's difficulty in finding a permanent time slot for the program. The final episode aired on June 21, 2013. Williams reportedly felt "insulted" by the program's cancellation.

5.2. Return to MSNBC and Subsequent Activities

In September 2015, Williams returned to the airwaves as MSNBC's chief anchor. In this role, he covered significant news events, including Pope Francis's trip to the United States, the 2015 Umpqua Community College shooting, and major terrorist attacks in Paris, San Bernardino, Brussels, and Nice. In January 2016, he also took on the additional role of chief elections anchor for MSNBC, debuting in this capacity during the coverage of the 2016 Iowa caucuses.

As part of his chief anchor duties, Williams hosted The 11th Hour with Brian Williams, a nightly news and politics wrap-up show. He played a key role in the network's coverage of the 2020 United States presidential election, co-anchoring alongside Rachel Maddow, Joy Reid, and lead analyst Nicolle Wallace. On November 9, 2021, Williams announced on The 11th Hour that he would be leaving NBC News and MSNBC upon the expiration of his contract the following month, concluding five years as host of the show and 28 years with the company. His final episode as host aired on December 9, 2021. On October 17, 2024, it was announced that Williams would serve as the host for Amazon's Election Night coverage for the 2024 United States presidential election, which is planned for worldwide streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

5.3. Entertainment and Special Appearances

Williams frequently appeared on The Daily Show as a celebrity guest interviewed by Jon Stewart. In 2007, he began making regular cameos on the show as a "giant head sidekick" to Jon Stewart, assisting with pronunciations of foreign names and occasionally commenting on other foreign affairs, starting with the premiere of the new Daily Show set. He also appeared on the Weekend Update segment of the season 32 premiere of Saturday Night Live, hosted by Dane Cook. On November 3, 2007, he hosted a season 33 episode, becoming the first, and to date only, sitting network news anchor to host the show.

Williams made appearances on Sesame Street: in a 2007 episode, he announced the word of the day, "squid," in a special broadcast. He returned in a 2008 episode, reporting for Sesame Street Nightly News about the "mine-itis" outbreak and becoming a victim himself. In 2009, he hosted the Annual Sesame Workshop Benefit Gala. He also appeared in a subsequent episode titled "Lying is Bad."

On February 22, 2010, while covering the Winter Olympics, Williams participated in a skit with Brian Williams, the Canadian sportscaster for CTV Sports, on the CTV Olympic set. This interaction was dubbed the new "Battle of the Brians" by some in the media, as NBC's Williams humorously compared his own modest set to CTV's more expensive Olympic studio.

Williams regularly appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, where he would "slow jam the news" of the previous week, with Fallon singing and reiterating Williams' remarks, accompanied by The Roots providing musical backing. A mash-up video created by Fallon, featuring Williams appearing to rap to hip-hop instrumentals, quickly gained popularity. He also made numerous appearances on Late Show with David Letterman, notably demonstrating a skilled vocal impersonation of TV personality Regis Philbin during a July 26, 2011, appearance. Additionally, he appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, participating in various skits and interviews.

Williams made frequent guest appearances on NBC's television comedy 30 Rock, playing a caricatured version of himself. In the episode "The Ones", he is depicted at home receiving proposition calls intended for Tracy Jordan. In "Audition Day", he auditions to be a new TGS cast member. He was also seen taunting Liz Lemon, Tina Fey's character, on the show. On one occasion, Williams humorously proposed a new NBC show to Jack Donaghy, stating, "And then I pull off my mask, and I'm a lizard person, too. Blackout. End of episode." In April 2012, during the West Coast installment of the 30 Rock season-6 live show, Williams portrayed a news anchor covering the Apollo 13 story.

Williams was a commencement speaker at several academic institutions. He spoke at The Catholic University of America in May 2004, Bates College in May 2005, Ohio State University in June 2008, the University of Notre Dame in 2010, and George Washington University in May 2012 on the National Mall. In 2013, he delivered the commencement address for Elon University's graduating class, which included his son Douglas. On May 22, 2014, he also spoke at the Hillwood High School graduation in Nashville, Tennessee, following a student-created video.

In 2003, Williams collaborated on the Encyclopedia of World History published by Backpack Books. He has also contributed articles to publications such as The New York Times and Time magazine.

5.4. Sports-Related Activities

Williams is an enthusiastic fan of NASCAR, with his interest dating back to attending dirt track races across northern New York during his childhood. On November 13 and 14, 1999, he served as the studio host for NBC Sports' first live broadcasts of NASCAR races at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. Two years later, in 2001, at a NASCAR celebration in New York, Williams hosted a tribute video for Dale Earnhardt, who had tragically died at the Daytona 500 months earlier; Williams and Earnhardt were close friends. In a 2012 baseball-themed commercial for Rock Center with Brian Williams, Williams wore a uniform resembling that of Kansas City Royals manager Ned Yost, with the number 3 on the back, a nod to Earnhardt's car number and their friendship.

Williams is also a devoted fan of the NFL's New York Giants. Following the Giants' victory in Super Bowl XLVI, Williams not only publicly expressed his fandom but also wore a Giants uniform under his jacket and a gray tie resembling a Giants sweater during his broadcast.

6.1. Marriage and Children

Brian Williams married Jane Gillan Stoddard on June 7, 1986, at the First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan, Connecticut. The couple has two children: Allison, who is an actress known for her role in the HBO series Girls, and Doug, a reporter and anchor for WCBS-TV and former late-night anchor of Geico SportsNite on SportsNet New York. Williams and his wife reside in New Canaan, Connecticut, and also own a beach house in Bay Head, New Jersey, and a pied-à-terre in Midtown Manhattan.

From 2006 to 2015, Williams served as a member of the board of directors for the Medal of Honor Foundation, a position from which he resigned days after his suspension from NBC News.

7.1. Honorary Degrees

Williams has been awarded several honorary degrees from various academic institutions:

7.2. Major Journalism Awards

Williams has been honored with significant professional awards for his work in journalism:

• Emmy Awards:** Received an Emmy for his coverage of the stock market crash in October 1987. As anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News, he received 12 News & Documentary Emmy Awards, including one in 2006 for Hurricane Katrina coverage, two in 2007, one in 2009, two in 2010, one in 2011, one in 2013, and one in 2014 for coverage of the Oklahoma tornadoes. He also received a 2012 Emmy for his program Rock Center, a 2013 Emmy as an executive producer and editor for a documentary on the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, and shared a 2014 Emmy for an NBC News Special on the Boston Marathon bombing.
• Peabody Award:** Awarded to NBC News for its coverage of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which Williams accepted on behalf of the organization.
• George Polk Award:** Received for his extensive reporting on Hurricane Katrina.
• duPont-Columbia University Award:** Received for the program's coverage of Hurricane Katrina and also for its coverage of the 2013 Oklahoma tornadoes.
• Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism:** Awarded by Arizona State University in 2009.