Brian Williams Disappears From ‘Nightly News’ Podcast, Fuels Speculation Williams Won’t Return
While Brian Williams is still on suspension from NBC Nightly News, many have speculated Williams won’t be back after the disgraced anchor’s image was recently removed from an icon which was attached to the NBC Nightly News’ podcast on Apple’s iTunes.
Williams’ suspension is due to end sometime in August, but NBC has not announced when it will publicly detail Williams return or ban from its popular Nightly News show. Brian Williams was suspended for six months without pay when details came to light which showed Williams embellished details about his own experiences while reporting on the Iraq War in 2003.
Brian awkwardly apologized for his inaccuracy, and he promptly removed himself from the show before he was officially under suspension.
Since that time, Williams’ reporting of other events has come under scrutiny. NBC launched its own investigation into Brian Williams’ reports, and the details of those reports have yet to be disclosed.
Although suspended from his anchor’s desk at Nightly News, Brian Williams’ image and his name were still prominently displayed with the podcast on iTunes. Once titled NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, the podcast recently lost the anchor’s name and replaced his image with a generic one, according to UPI.
Newsday suggests Williams has not been sitting idly by while his past actions are investigated by NBC. Williams has been doing his own investigations into his past, double-checking his reporting of events to make sure everything is accurate and to make sure he is prepared well for NBC’s final answer on whether he will return to the Nightly News.
The experienced anchor has not spoken publicly about what’s been going on during his suspension because he simply isn’t allowed to while the investigation is ongoing. While he waits for NBC to makes its final decision about whether he will be allowed to return to his job, Williams hangs around nearby in case NBC makes a sudden decision without warning.
Most speculate that decision will not be days away — more like weeks away — even though NBC staffers were rumored to want to let the Brian Williams scandal go permanently away.
In the meantime, Lester Holt has taken over the Nightly News desk and is doing a fair job as far as ratings go. Nightly News bounces between first and second place, according to UPI and Newsday. However, Brian Williams had the show in the number one spot before his departure.
[Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images]
