Brian Williams, the former NBC News anchor who was relegated to hosting a late night show on sister cable news channel MSNBC after he acknowledged falsifying claims about reporting under duress during war, is in talks to host Amazon’s coverage of the 2024 presidential election.
The Seattle-based e-commerce company is in advanced discussions with Williams to host a special election night broadcast on Prime Video, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Williams, 65, who quit Comcast-owned NBC in late 2021 after anchoring “The 11th Hour” on the left-leaning cable outlet, would anchor coverage that would include pundits and news personalities analyzing the day’s events this coming Nov. 5, the Journal reported.
SCOOP @PuckNews: Amazon has signed BRIAN WILLIAMS to anchor election night coverage on Prime Video, per sources familiar.
This is Amazon’s first foray into news and Williams’ first return to anchor desk since NBC.
Full details in the next IN THE ROOM: https://t.co/aUkyssLXi7
— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) September 28, 2024
Amazon’s coverage of the election would encompass Williams hosting the broadcast from a studio in Los Angeles beginning as early as 5 p.m. Eastern time, according to reports.
Sources told the Journal that an agreement between Amazon and Williams could be reached as early as this week.
The sources cautioned that the Williams deal should not be viewed as Amazon seeking to pivot into news.
News of the talks between Williams and Amazon was first reported by Variety and Puck.
The Post has sought comment from Amazon and Williams.
Williams was NBC News’ top anchor from 2004 until 2015, when he was suspended for falsely claiming that he had been in a helicopter hit by enemy fire during the Iraq War.
A subsequent investigation found that he had made other inaccurate statements about his experiences covering events, and he lost the job.
He was later given the 11 p.m. hour at MSNBC, which he turned into a fast-moving, entertaining newscast summing up the day’s news.
With Post Wires
