NBC's Lester Holt Gets New Contract, New Title

Lester Holt has signed a new four-year deal to stay at NBC News — and insisted on getting the title of managing editor to stave off a perceived threat from new network star Tom Llamas, The NY Post reports.

Despite being dominated in the ratings by ABC’s David Muir, NBC has signed Holt to a new long-term contract to stay as anchor of “NBC Nightly News.”

Tom Llamas

Meanwhile, Llamas — the former weekend host of ABC “World News Tonight” — was named senior national correspondent for NBC News and will anchor a primetime newscast for NBC News Now, the network’s streaming service.

A news source told us: “It says a lot that Lester was given a new four-year deal at NBC.

“But over at ABC, Tommy [Llamas] always subbed for David [Muir] and nobody thinks he just came to NBC for a streaming show”.

NBC News boss Noah Oppenheim announced Holt’s new title on April 16 in a note to staff, saying, “There is simply no journalist held in greater esteem.”

A second source said, “Tom Llamas has a close relationship with NBC News president Cesar Conde, and he’s clearly being groomed for a big role. So Lester negotiated a bigger title to stave off the threat.”