On Saturday afternoon, NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams released a statement announcing that he will be removing himself from NBC’s evening newscast “for the next several days” following the news that Williams lied about being in a helicopter that was shot down by a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) over Iraq in March 2003.
Later that night, all three of the major broadcast networks devoted briefs to Williams’s leave of absence in what were the first network evening news reports about him since the story was broken by Stars and Stripes on Wednesday.
Not surprisingly, NBC Nightly News weekend anchor Lester Holt treaded lightly by refusing to describe what Williams did as lying or even make false statements. Instead, Holt reported that Williams “has been under scrutiny this past week over his recollection of certain stories he's covered.” Following a partial reading of the statement, Holt directed viewers to read the full version on NBC Nightly News’s website.
Over on the CBS Evening News, Saturday anchor Jim Axelrod pointed out that Williams plans to return following his absence after having “apologized for saying he was aboard a helicopter forced down by enemy fire in Iraq when he was not.”
While ABC’s World News Tonight declined to say that Williams had lied, frequent weekend anchor Cecilia Vega told viewers that his statement comes after “he made false claims about being in a helicopter hit by a rocket-propelled grenade while covering the Iraq war in 2003.”
In addition, ABC was the lone network to mention in its coverage that “NBC has launched its own internal investigation” into Williams and his numerous claims.
Prior to Saturday night’s coverage, the network coverage on the Williams story had been rather minimal, with only three network stories having been aired. Of the three segments, CBS had been responsible for two of those with separate reports on Friday’s CBS This Morning and CBS This Morning: Saturday. The lone additional report aired on the Friday edition of ABC’s Good Morning America.
Among those calling for Brian Williams to resign or be removed from the anchor chair is Media Research Center President Brent Bozell, who said during Thursday’s Hannity on the Fox News Channel (FNC) that Williams should do “the honorable thing” and “resign” for his comments where “he clearly lied.”
Appearing on Friday’s Hannity, Bozell observed that Williams has been “lying about everything” following additional questions about more stories Williams has retold about his biography and reporting assignments, including a few from covering Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in 2005.
The transcript of the brief that aired on NBC Nightly News on February 7 is transcribed below.
NBC Nightly News
February 7, 20156:43 p.m. Eastern
LESTER HOLT: A word tonight about our colleague Brian Williams who you may know has been under scrutiny this past week over his recollection of certain stories he's covered. This afternoon, Brian issued a statement that says in part, “it has become painfully apparent to me that I am presently too much a part of the news due to my actions.” He goes onto say, “I have decided to take myself off of my daily broadcast for the next several days.” Brian's full statement can be found on our website.
The relevant portion of the transcript from the CBS Evening News on February 7 can be found below.
CBS Evening News
February 7, 2015
6:42 p.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Williams]
JIM AXELROD: After several days of controversy, NBC News anchor Brian Williams announced today he will be taking a leave of absence from the anchor's desk at NBC Nightly News. Earlier this week, Williams apologized for saying he was aboard a helicopter forced down by enemy fire in Iraq when he was not. In a statement today, Williams said, quote, “[i]t has become painfully apparent to me that I am presently too much a part fo the news, due to my actions.” He does say he will return.
The news brief that aired on ABC’s World News Tonight on February 7 is transcribed below.
ABC’s World News Tonight
February 7, 2015
6:43 p.m. Eastern[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE CAPTION: Taking a Break]
CECILIA VEGA: And we move on now to an announcement from NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams. Williams just issued a statement in the wake of his disclosure that he made false claims about being in a helicopter hit by a rocket-propelled grenade while covering the Iraq war in 2003. He says, “In the midst of a career spent covering and consuming news, it has become painfully apparent to me that I am too much apart of the news due to my actions. As Managing Editor of NBC Nightly News, I have decided to take myself off my daily broadcast for the next several days.” NBC has launched its own internal investigation.
