Brian Williams’ surprising return to the broadcasting chair is “imminent” with a source close to the discussions telling the Daily Beast that the veteran anchor is set to sign a deal with Amazon Prime Video for an Election Night special.
Williams, 65, has not anchored a program on-air since he abruptly resigned from NBC in 2021. Now, his return from the broadcasting wilderness appears set to take place at Amazon as the streaming giant makes a foray into the news space.
“It’s a reimagining of a traditional election night,” the well-placed source told the Daily Beast, adding that the program would not call the results of the 2024 presidential race, but would include “comprehensive coverage” and have access to the same information as traditional cable news networks.
The special, first reported by Puck, aims to “have a non-partisan discussion of that evening’s events.” Viewers will be able to live stream the program, which will be broadcast from Amazon MGM Studios in Los Angeles.
Booking of guests and experts for the show, the source said, is underway, noting that due to networks cutting back on contributors there are many notable insiders available to participate.
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The broadcast news legend spent 28 years at NBC Universal before leaving in 2021.
Virginia Sherwood/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
“Election night coverage is something that he has specialized in and loved doing, and the opportunity to do it in a new environment, but with a an eye towards the tradition and the future at the same time, I think he finds appealing,” the source said.
The broadcast star, who spent more than two decades at NBC News, left the network in 2015 after it was discovered he falsely claimed that he was riding in an Army aircraft when it was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade during the Iraq war.
Following the scandal, Williams spent five years rebuilding his reputation on MSNBC’s The 11th Hour. His coverage of the 2020 presidential election and the Capitol insurrection on the program earned him credit with viewers.
Amazon did not respond to a request by the Daily Beast for comment in time of publication.
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