The veteran reporter is set to sign a deal with Amazon Prime Video for an election night special, with a source telling The Daily Beast that Brian Williams’ surprise return to the anchor chair is “immediate.”
Williams, 65, has not hosted a telecast since her sudden resignation from NBC in 2021. Now, it looks like his surprise return from the TV wilderness will take place on Amazon. .
“It’s a reimagining of a traditional election night,” a well-placed source told The Daily Beast, adding that the program won’t call the results of the 2024 election, but will have “comprehensive coverage” and access to the same information. Traditional news organizations.
Amazon Election Special, first announced Dylan Byers of Puck aims to provide “an unbiased discussion of the evening’s events” starting at 6 pm ET with a “pre-game show” and then covering the election from 6 pm until the final results are tallied.
The election spotlight raises the possibility of Amazon entering the highly competitive news business, where traditional networks have faced falling ratings and financial pressure.
With more than 200 million Prime subscribers worldwide, Amazon can instantly reach a global audience of desirable consumers. Amazon has already expanded its streaming offerings into sports and entertainment, spending billions on rights to football, basketball, soccer and cricket and billions on original programming, including more than $700 million. Lord of the Rings Streaming series.
Amazon is booking guests and experts for the election special, noting that there are many notable pundits to participate as traditional networks cut back on contributors.
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The broadcast news legend spent 28 years at NBC Universal before departing in 2021.
Virginia Sherwood/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
“Election night scenes are something (Williams) specializes in and love to do, and the opportunity to do that in a new environment, but at the same time with tradition and an eye toward the future, I think she’s going to find fascinating,” the source said.
Williams, who worked for NBC News for 28 years, was suspended from the #1 rating NBC Nightly News show in 2015 after misrepresenting its reporting on the Iraq War in 2003.
For years, Williams said he was riding in a Chinook helicopter in Iraq when it came under enemy fire and was forced to land in dangerous territory. When Iraqi soldiers challenged this account, Williams retracted the story and apologized.
After an NBC News internal investigation revealed a series of inaccuracies in other accounts of news events, Williams was removed from her anchor chair at NBC News and ousted to MSNBC.
At the cable network, Williams started 11th hour program and spent five years rebuilding his reputation as a skilled interviewer and breaking news expert. His coverage of the 2020 presidential election and Capitol uprising was well received by viewers and critics.
Amazon did not respond to The Daily Beast’s request for comment by the time of publication.
