When Brian Williams was first suspended in February, NBC News’ D.C. bureau journalists expressed strong opposition to his return.
According to The Washington Post, staffers in D.C. held a contentious meeting with network president Deborah Turness, wherein they told her Williams’ exaggerations of his Iraq reporting had harmed the credibility of NBC News, disqualifying him from returning to the anchor chair.
Turness reportedly met with journalists in New York and Washington to answer questions and take the temperature of staffers.
The Post reports the tone of the meeting was a “bloodbath,” while another person in attendance described the atmosphere as “very raw.”
Attendees told the Post that two of the people who spoke out against Williams were on-air correspondents. The journalists told Turness that the Williams scandal made them feel embarrassed to work with sources and identify as NBC News employees.
Other recent reports suggest Williams has become frustrated with the ongoing ambiguity as to whether he will return to the anchor chair and wants NBC to spell out exactly when he will return.
So far, NBC News has not updated Williams or the wider world on its internal investigation findings, or if the investigation into Williams’ previous reporting is even finished.
An insider told TheWrap new NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack, who has a very good relationship Williams, is a very deliberate executive and will make the best decision for the news division’s future. The insider said Lack won’t react impulsively to bring Williams back as a result of “Nightly News’” drop in the ratings behind ABC’s “World News Tonight” with David Muir since Williams’ suspension.
NBC News declined TheWrap’s request for comment.