Brian Williams Admits He Wasn’t On Attacked Helicopter

[Oscar Madison]

Sure they are. Managing Editor is strictly a title related to the specific broadcast. If he was VP of NBC News AND Managing Editor, you might have a point. But he's just in charge of his show. There are lots of other higher managers running around that could have been alerted.

But truthfully, there is a friendly way for a producer to alert a talent, regardless for his clout and title, that he's making a factual mistake. These producers are in the union, and can't be fired for doing their job.

Having said that, it's likely that this was covered early in the investigation.

Office politics is viscous in network news operations. And senior management listens to big-foot air talent, not line producers. Producers have a guild but it is not a collective bargaining unit.

 

[TheBigA]

Office politics is viscous in network news operations. And senior management listens to big-foot air talent, not line producers.

That's your opinion, and you're welcome to have it. But there's nothing in what you say that prevents a producer who has knowledge of an anchor misstating facts from telling that anchor or a supervisor what he knows. As I said, the investigation no doubt spoke with all staff and asked them what they knew and when they knew it. If they withheld information, that is further evidence. News production is a team effort, and everyone has a responsibility, not just the one with the biggest title or paycheck. As was the case with Dan Rather, producers who knowingly allow false information to be broadcast are terminated.

BTW from what I see, the Writers Guild, that represents news producers, does operate as a collective bargaining unit for its members.

 

[onairb2014]

I have the 1999 edition(which was already out of date when I bought it). While I can understand that it would have been difficult to keep the book at a single volume, it was still a little disappointing that they chose to gloss over cable TV(especially barely mentioning programs on the premium channels, and not including ESPN NFL and MLB coverage in the entries for football and baseball).

 

[mvcg66b3r]

Brian Williams Makes First NBC News Appearance Post Scandal

Brian Williams returned to the NBC News airwaves on Tuesday for the first time following the scandal that cost him his “Nightly News” anchor chair.

With Lester Holt out sick, Williams anchored an NBC News special report on the closures of Los Angeles public schools over a “credible threat of violence.”

“Quickly now to Los Angeles,” Williams said at 1:04 p.m. ET, anchoring from MSNBC’s studios during the NBC News report.

He called it a “momentous” decision for Los Angeles officials to close all public schools.

MSNBC simulcasted Williams’ report, which marks the first time he’s appeared on NBC News since February, when he was suspended for six months over revelations he exaggerated stories about his reporting from Iraq and elsewhere.

In September, he made his debut–and return–to MSNBC, where he’s anchored breaking news reports for the network during the day, mostly under the radar.

http://www.thewrap.com/brian-williams-makes-first-nbc-news-appearance-post-scandal/

 

[umfan]

He's very lucky that his contract made him too expensive to fire. He's damaged goods. He'll be on MSNBC and will make the occasional appearance on the network, but when this contract ends, he'll effectively be done in the broadcast world. He should have more than enough money to cushion that blow though.

 

[LKellerIII]

He's very lucky that his contract made him too expensive to fire. He's damaged goods. He'll be on MSNBC and will make the occasional appearance on the network, but when this contract ends, he'll effectively be done in the broadcast world. He should have more than enough money to cushion that blow though.

Agreed. But like Dan Rather, he can probably wait a year or two, then show up in a different venue - doing news specials or documentaries...if he wants to. Americans have short memories.

 

[TheBigA]

Americans have short memories.

Because in truth, what he did didn't really hurt anyone. He just lost control of his ego. Not that big a crime.

 

[umfan]

Not really a crime at all, just a reason to not like the guy. Unlike Rather though, this guy lied to make himself seem braver. I agree on the short memories, but every time he tries to move back into network broadcast, this will be brought up refreshing people's recollection.

Rather still is in purgatory. AXS has even lower ratings than MSNBC.

 

[vchimpanzee]

I saw this in an actual newspaper. The bomb threat that closed schools in Los Angeles was apparently a big enough story for NBC to interrupt programming. And with Lester Holt sick, guess who was on duty?