Brian Williams, the former NBC "Nightly News" anchor, is set to return to the network, but not to the same role he had before his career was engulfed in controversy over exaggerations in his reports.
An agreement between NBC and Williams will keep him at the network after completing his six-month suspension, CNN's Brian Stelter reported on Wednesday night.
Williams will not be returning to anchor NBC's "Nightly News," but is expected to assume another role, likely at MSNBC, the New York Times reported. Williams was expected to work in a "breaking-news capacity in the beginning" for MSNBC, which is owned by NBCUniversal. Lester Holt, who has taken over hosting duties during Williams' suspension, will become the permanent anchor at "Nightly News," a source told the Wall Street Journal.
An announcement from the network about the plans could come as soon as Thursday, according to Stelter.
Williams is four months into a suspension leveled by the network after it was revealed that he inaccurately portrayed his involvement in a 2003 Iraq War mission. Williams had repeatedly claimed that he was in a helicopter that was hit by enemy fire during his time embedded with U.S. troops, claims that came under intense scrutiny in January after crew members on the helicopters challenged his story. They alleged that Williams had been in another aircraft, not the helicopter that came under fire.
As the Williams controversy reached deafening levels for the network, the anchor admitted in February that he had fabricated the Iraq War story and said that he would be taking a leave of absence. A week later, NBC News announced that he would be suspended for six-months without pay. The suspension is to conclude in August.
NBC launched an internal investigation into Williams' reporting, examining not only his Iraq War claims, but numerous other instances where he may have inaccurately portrayed events, such as Hurricane Katrina and the Arab Spring.
Leading up to the controversy, Williams was the top nightly news anchor, receiving 10 million viewers a night, according to the Times. Williams took the anchor chair at "Nightly News" in 2004, succeeding the revered newsman, Tom Brokaw.
NBC could not be reached for comment.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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