Late Monday afternoon, the New York Daily News reported from sources that NBC News chief Andrew Lack is strongly in favor of bringing suspended NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams back from his six-month suspension.
Ironically, a source told the newspaper that Lack has been blaming the news media in advocating for his exit while maintaining the belief that “viewers want” Williams “back.”
As reporter Don Kaplan explained, Williams has long been viewed favorably by Lack (who ran NBC News from 1993 to 2003):
This ship's captain doesn't want to throw the anchor overboard.
NBC News chief Andrew Lack is looking for a way to put Brian Williams back behind the "Nightly News" desk, sources tell the Daily News — and Williams has told confidants he won't leave the network unless he's fired.
"Andy believes viewers want him (Williams) back," the source said. "The feeling is that (Williams') problem seems to be more with the media and other reporters than his viewers — if Andy can figure out a way to get him back on the air he will do it."
Lack, a long-time Williams pal, returned to NBC in early March, and as chairman of NBC News will have the final say over the anchor's fate. He and Williams go back a long way — he served as the president of the news division from 1993 to 2003 and had a hand at positioning Williams for the "Nightly News" position in the first place.
Word of Lack's continuing support for the embattled anchor comes amid reports that NBC News executives hope to force his resignation by leaking damaging details from its ongoing internal investigation into Williams.
Kaplan also relayed from a source that Lack “is said to furious over the leaks” and that Williams continues to hold the belief that “he will not resign” and “[i]f he leaves it will not be his decision.”
Concerning the fact that the situation remains unresolved, Kaplan elaborated on the thinking of both Lack and Williams:
"The fact that there has been no resolution and that he (Lack) is still searching for a way to restore Brian is making it very hard for us to move forward," a network source said.
Also hanging in the balance is a reported $50 million contract that Williams signed last year with NBC. It is believed that should he leave the network on his own, NBC would only have to pay him around $20 million.
But Williams is said to be less concerned with the money and almost obsessed with restoring his tarnished reputation.
"He's already got money," the source said. "For him this is an ego thing."
