NBC’s most known journalist, Brian Williams, has been suspended from the news station for six months without pay due to his false claims about an experience he had during the Iraq War. “We have decided today to suspend Brian Williams as Managing Editor and Anchor of NBC Nightly News for six months. The suspension will be without pay and is effective immediately,” said Deborah Turness, NBC’s News President. Steve Burke, the CEO of NBCUniversal, said Williams’ actions “are inexcusable and this suspension is severe and appropriate.” However, Burke also said Williams “deserves a second chance and we are rooting for him.”

Brian Williams has been an anchor for ten years and managing editor of NBC Nightly News, the evening news program of the NBC television network. He has been suspended for his lies on the Iraq War in 2003.

NBC has not released what Williams lied about, but it has definitely put a damper on our ‘Nightly News at 6’ and has even caused problems in his family life. Williams’ daughter, Allison Williams, recently got engaged and said she “had to put a halt on the wedding plans”. Allison had her dad’s back during the whole interview she had with Seth Meyers at 92Y in New York City. “This has been a really hard time. We have also been very lucky, counting our blessings. We have our health. We have each other. It’s been incredible to experience the outreach from people you love, family, friends, and then people we don’t even know, strangers, just reaching out saying we want him back on TV,” she said.

She continues, “It’s been tough, though. Obviously, toughest on my dad, who bears the full burden of responsibility for it.” Despite Brian’s admission that he was untruthful about being fired at in Iraq in 2003, Allison told Meyers that she’s in her father’s corner. “One thing the experience has not done is shake my trust and belief in him as a man. He’s a really good man. He’s an honest man. He’s a truthful man. He has so much integrity. He cares so much about journalism. And yes, he’s a really good dad,” she said. “I know you can trust him because, as any good daughter does, I’ve tested him on that.”

NBC welcomed Lester Holt onto their team to temporarily fill in for Williams and the news will continue to air at six.

FSA Connection Questions

1. What’s the main idea of the article?
2. What’s the daughter’s thoughts on her dad’s suspension?
3. How does the word “untruthful” correspond with the article?
4. Select the best two sentences that support the idea of Williams being suspended.
5. What does the word “integrity” mean?