TV Viewers Think Brian Williams Deserves Second Chance

Brian Williams

Many viewers believe Brian Williams deserves a second chance on the "NBC Nightly News" -- but a significant portion don't think he'll be able to regain his credibility.

CNN reports a new survey by one of the media industry's leading consulting firms, Magid Associates, conducted in the wake of Williams' six-month suspension last wweek, found that the "vast majority" are aware of the allegations against Williams, who apologized earlier this month for misstatements about an Iraq War mission in 2003.

All of those surveyed said they tuned in for a nightly newscast at least once a month. Almost half -- 48% -- said they thought Williams can restore his credibility, 30% said Williams cannot regain credibility, and 22% said they were unsure.

Among daily viewers of nightly newscasts, there was more support for Williams -- 58% of daily viewers said they thought he could earn his credibility back.

"Viewers haven't overwhelmingly called for his firing and many of his viewers still support his return," said Jaime Spencer, a senior vice president at Magid.

"But a lot can happen in six months," he said. "Right now most aren't seeing it as a career ender, but they're following the story and events can certainly change perceptions."


The survey found generational differences in the reactions to Williams' apology, the subsequent scrutiny of his reporting, and NBC's handling of it all.
"Millennials are more likely to give Williams the benefit of the doubt," Spencer said, calling the finding noteworthy because "this generation will own the 25-54 demo for a long time to come, and they're most likely to give him a break."

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