M-C has learned that during suspension talks, Brian Williams failed to secure a promise that he can return to the anchor chair. Steven Burke, chief exec of NBC Universal, told Williams of the decision. NBC News President Deborah Turness told the staff of Nightly News, with Williams calling in to tell them to take good care of the program.
According to reports, people were sending up red flags about Williams's self-aggrandizement about a year ago. No one took action earlier because the statements that drew attention of staffers weren't aired on the news broadcast.
"It was very painful," one NBC News journalist said. "We all worked so hard at establishing our credibility, and it feels like our credibility has been damaged. People are angry at Brian."
There's also a sense that the newsroom has been adrift since Comcast Cable took over NBC Universal in 2011. NBC journalists said editors who once kept a close watch over the broadcast have departed, leaving Williams to operate with few meaningful checks and balances
As managing editor, Williams held enormous sway over story selection and over which reporters would appear on the broadcast. Journalists with serious reputations were forced out or left on their own. "There was constant changing to his whims," a former top NBC news manager said. "No one said, 'No.'"
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