Below is the report from Page Six
NBC and Brian Williams have finally reached an agreement that the disgraced anchorman will not return to “NBC Nightly News,” but will stay at the network in a different news role.
Multiple sources confirmed to Page Six that after weeks of complex negotiations NBC is likely to announce Thursday that Lyin’ Brian is out of the anchor chair, but will remain a part of the news division.
The deal was hammered out between Williams’ agent Bob Barnett, NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke and NBC News chairman Andy Lack, amid speculation that Williams could leave the network altogether and walk away from his $50 million, five-year deal.
An insider said, “There is an agreement. Brian won’t return to the anchor chair but has agreed to a different, news-oriented role. The negotiations have been complicated and difficult.” It was not immediately clear how much of Williams’ huge contract would be honored by NBC.
A second source told us that Williams’ new role, which has been negotiated in strict secrecy, “is something very different, but within news, that gives Brian room to grow and to rebuild his reputation.”
The source added the role was “very different” from that given to Ann Curry, who was made an NBC News national and international correspondent after her excruciating departure from “Today” in June 2012. She left the network in January, unhappy that she was “basically doing nothing.”
The source added that Lester Holt, who has stoically stood in for Williams during his ongoing six-month suspension, is certain to be promoted to anchor of “NBC Nightly News.”
CNN Money first reported Wednesday night on NBC and Williams’ tentative deal, saying details of his next role were “unknown to all but a very small number of executives.” The talks have also centered on how Williams would further apologize for his storytelling which included an exaggerated account of an Iraq war mission.
Reps for NBC News and Williams could not be immediately reached.
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