May 5, 1959: Birth of Brian Williams
Brian Douglas Williams was born on May 5, 1959. This event marks the beginning of his life and eventual career in journalism.
1981: Brian Williams Begins Broadcasting Career at KOAM-TV
Brian Williams's broadcasting journey began in 1981 at KOAM-TV located in Pittsburg, Kansas.
June 7, 1986: Brian Williams Marries Jane Gillan Stoddard
Brian Williams married Jane Gillan Stoddard on June 7, 1986, at the First Presbyterian Church in New Canaan, Connecticut.
1987: Brian Williams Begins Broadcasting in New York City
In 1987, Brian Williams started his broadcasting career in New York City with WCBS.
1993: Brian Williams Joins NBC News
In 1993, Brian Williams joined NBC News, where he would go on to anchor the national Saturday Nightly News and serve as chief White House correspondent.
November 13, 1999: Brian Williams Hosts NASCAR Broadcast
Brian Williams served as the host for the first live broadcasts of NASCAR races from the Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 13, 1999, for NBC Sports.
November 14, 1999: Brian Williams Hosts NASCAR Broadcast
On November 14, 1999, Brian Williams continued his role as host for NBC Sports' live broadcasts of NASCAR races, marking the second day of coverage from the Homestead-Miami Speedway.
March 26, 2003: Brian Williams Reports on Helicopter Incident in Iraq
During his initial on-air report about the helicopter incident in Iraq on March 26, 2003, for Dateline NBC, Williams stated that "the Chinook ahead of us was almost blown out of the sky...by an RPG" and had to make an emergency landing. NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw, while introducing the segment, mentioned that Williams had "got [himself] into...a close call in the skies over Iraq." The story was titled "Target Iraq: Helicopter NBC's Brian Williams Was Riding In Comes Under Fire."
2003: NBC Publishes Book with Inaccurate Account of Williams's Iraq Experience
In 2003, NBC released a book that included an inaccurate description of Brian Williams's experience in Iraq. The book stated that "Army Chinook helicopters [were] forced to make a desert landing after being attacked by Iraqi Fedayeen," with Williams on board.
2003: Brian Williams Collaborates on Encyclopedia
Brian Williams collaborated on "The Encyclopedia of World History from Backpack Books," which was released in 2003.
May 2004: Brian Williams Speaks at Catholic University of America
In May 2004, Brian Williams served as the commencement speaker at The Catholic University of America.
December 2, 2004: Brian Williams Replaces Tom Brokaw as Anchor of NBC Nightly News
On December 2, 2004, Brian Williams succeeded Tom Brokaw, who was retiring, as the anchor for NBC Nightly News.
December 2004: Brian Williams Apologizes for Diversity Remarks
In December 2004, shortly after assuming the anchor role, Williams issued an apology for a statement he made, suggesting that there were "bigger problems" than a lack of newsroom diversity. Following his remarks, NBC News President Neal Shapiro made a commitment to increase the company's minority recruitment efforts.
May 2005: Brian Williams Speaks at Bates College
Brian Williams delivered the commencement address at Bates College in May 2005.
2005: Brian Williams' Katrina Coverage Scrutinized
In 2005, Brian Williams's coverage of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath drew scrutiny for inconsistencies in his reporting, particularly regarding a suicide in the New Orleans Superdome, which he admitted to not personally witnessing despite earlier implications.
August 2006: Brian Williams' Account of Helicopter Incident Questioned
In August 2006, Brian Williams recounted an experience on "The Daily Show" where he claimed to have been aboard an Israeli Air Force helicopter that came under fire from Katyusha rockets in Lebanon. This account was later disputed, with evidence suggesting he may have exaggerated his proximity to the incident.
2006: Brian Williams Joins Medal of Honor Foundation Board
Brian Williams became a member of the board of directors for the Medal of Honor Foundation in 2006.
2006: Brian Williams Wins Emmy Award for Coverage of Hurricane Katrina
Brian Williams won an Emmy Award in 2006 for his exceptional work as anchor and managing editor of Nightly News, specifically for the program's coverage of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
November 3, 2007: Brian Williams Hosts Saturday Night Live
Brian Williams made history on November 3, 2007, by becoming the first sitting network news anchor to host an episode of Saturday Night Live.
2007: Brian Williams Wins Two Emmy Awards
Brian Williams was honored with two Emmy Awards in 2007 for his work on Nightly News.
2007: Brian Williams on Sesame Street
In 2007, Brian Williams appeared on an episode of Sesame Street where he introduced the word of the day, "squid."
2007: Brian Williams Recounts Iraq Helicopter Story
In 2007, Brian Williams shared another version of the Iraq helicopter incident. This time, he didn't explicitly claim his helicopter was hit but said, "I looked down the tube of an RPG that had been fired at us, and it hit the chopper in front of us." However, this contradicted the accounts given by the crew members aboard the helicopter that was actually struck. They asserted that their fleet was at least 30 minutes ahead of Williams's helicopter. Conversely, the soldiers who flew Williams's helicopter in Iraq stated that no rocket-propelled grenades were fired at their aircraft. Williams acknowledged this fact and later apologized for his misrepresentation.
2007: Brian Williams Named One of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People
Time magazine recognized Brian Williams as one of the 100 most influential people globally in 2007.
June 2008: Brian Williams Addresses Ohio State University Graduates
Brian Williams delivered the commencement speech at Ohio State University in June 2008.
2008: Brian Williams Reports for Sesame Street Nightly News
Brian Williams returned to Sesame Street in 2008, this time playing the role of a reporter for Sesame Street Nightly News, covering a humorous "mine-itis" outbreak.
2008: Brian Williams' Berlin Wall Claim Disputed
Brian Williams' claim of being present at the Brandenburg Gate the night the Berlin Wall fell in 1989 was challenged in 2008, with evidence suggesting he arrived the following day.
2009: Brian Williams Receives Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism
Arizona State University bestowed the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism upon Brian Williams in 2009. During the award presentation, Cronkite expressed his admiration for Williams, referring to him as a meticulous journalist who brought honor to the field of television news reporting.
2009: Brian Williams Wins Emmy Award
Brian Williams received an Emmy Award in 2009 for his work on Nightly News.
2009: Brian Williams Hosts Sesame Workshop Benefit Gala
Brian Williams served as the host for the 2009 Annual Sesame Workshop Benefit Gala.
February 22, 2010: The Battle of the Brians
On February 22, 2010, while covering the Winter Olympics, Brian Williams participated in a lighthearted skit with his namesake, Brian Williams, a Canadian sportscaster from CTV Sports. This interaction, dubbed the "Battle of the Brians" by some media outlets, involved a humorous comparison of their respective Olympic studios.
2010: Brian Williams Wins Two Emmy Awards
Brian Williams was honored with two Emmy Awards in 2010 for his contributions to Nightly News.
2010: Brian Williams Speaks at Notre Dame
Brian Williams delivered the commencement address at the University of Notre Dame in 2010.
July 26, 2011: Brian Williams Impersonates Regis Philbin
During an appearance on the "Late Show with David Letterman" on July 26, 2011, Brian Williams showcased his talent for vocal impersonation by delivering a noteworthy impression of TV personality Regis Philbin.
October 4, 2011: Brian Williams Announced as Host of Rock Center
It was revealed on October 4, 2011, that Brian Williams would be taking on the role of host for Rock Center with Brian Williams, a new news magazine show. The program debuted on October 31, 2011, at 10:00 pm Eastern, replacing the canceled drama series The Playboy Club.
October 31, 2011: Rock Center with Brian Williams Premieres
Rock Center with Brian Williams, a news magazine program, premiered on October 31, 2011.
2011: Brian Williams Wins Emmy Award
Brian Williams was awarded an Emmy in 2011 for his role in Nightly News.
April 2012: Brian Williams on 30 Rock
Brian Williams appeared as a news anchor in the April 2012 live episode of the comedy series "30 Rock," covering a story related to the Apollo 13 mission.
May 2012: Brian Williams Speaks at George Washington University
Brian Williams delivered the commencement address at George Washington University, held on the National Mall, in May 2012.
2012: Brian Williams Wins Emmy Award for Rock Center
Brian Williams's work on the interview program Rock Center earned him an Emmy Award in 2012.
May 10, 2013: NBC Cancels Rock Center
Citing low viewership, NBC made the decision to cancel Rock Center on May 10, 2013. The network had also encountered difficulties in securing a consistent time slot for the program.
June 21, 2013: Final Episode of Rock Center Airs
The last episode of Rock Center aired on June 21, 2013.
2013: Brian Williams Wins Emmy Award
Brian Williams received an Emmy Award in 2013 for his work on Nightly News.
2013: Brian Williams Addresses Elon University Graduates
Brian Williams served as the commencement speaker for Elon University's graduating class of 2013, an event made particularly special by the presence of his son, Douglas, among the graduates.
December 2014: Brian Williams Signs Five-Year Contract with NBC
Brian Williams signed a five-year contract with NBC in December 2014, which included an annual salary of $10 million.
2014: Brian Williams Wins Emmy Award for NBC News Special on Boston Marathon Bombing
Brian Williams was among the recipients of a 2014 Emmy Award for their work on an NBC News Special that covered the Boston Marathon bombing.
2014: Brian Williams Wins Two Emmy Awards
In 2014, Brian Williams received two Emmy Awards. The first was for his coverage of the deadly tornadoes in Oklahoma on Nightly News, which also earned the show the duPont-Columbia University Award. The second Emmy recognized his contributions as one of the executive producers and editors of a documentary about the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.
February 4, 2015: Brian Williams Retracts Iraq War Story
Brian Williams issued an apology and retracted his account of the Iraq War on February 4, 2015. His story, which he had shared on a Nightly News broadcast on January 30, 2015, was proven to be false. Williams had claimed that the military helicopter he was traveling in was "forced down after being hit by an RPG" while covering the war. However, his account was disputed by Lance Reynolds, a flight engineer who was on board one of the Chinook helicopters that came under attack. Reynolds and other crew members clarified that Williams was in a separate group of helicopters, flying approximately 30 minutes behind the one that was fired upon. Furthermore, Williams's helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing due to a sandstorm, not enemy fire. Several other soldiers corroborated these claims, confirming that Williams was not present during the attack and had inserted himself into the event.
February 5, 2015: Chinook Pilot Clarifies Details of Iraq Incident
During a CNN interview on February 5, 2015, the pilot of the Chinook helicopter that Brian Williams was traveling in during the 2003 Iraq incident offered further clarification. The pilot confirmed that while the aircraft was not hit by RPG fire, it did encounter small-arms fire, to which the door gunners responded. Williams then asserted that several rounds had missed him "by inches." However, the Chinook crew chief refuted this claim.
September 2015: Brian Williams Returns as MSNBC Anchor
Brian Williams came back to television in September 2015 as the chief anchor for MSNBC after a period of suspension.
2015: Brian Williams Resigns from Medal of Honor Foundation Board
In 2015, Brian Williams resigned from his position on the board of directors of the Medal of Honor Foundation following his suspension from NBC due to false statements.
January 2016: Brian Williams Becomes MSNBC's Chief Elections Anchor
In January 2016, Brian Williams took on the role of chief elections anchor for MSNBC, marking his first role in this capacity.
September 2016: Brian Williams Becomes Host of The 11th Hour
In September 2016, Brian Williams took on the role of host for MSNBC's political news program, The 11th Hour.
April 7, 2017: Brian Williams' "Beautiful Pictures" Comment Sparks Criticism
On April 7, 2017, Brian Williams faced significant backlash for referring to footage of US warships launching missiles in the 2017 Shayrat missile strike as "beautiful pictures," particularly after quoting Leonard Cohen's "First We Take Manhattan."
2020: Brian Williams Leads 2020 Election Coverage
In 2020, Brian Williams, alongside other prominent anchors, spearheaded MSNBC's coverage of the 2020 United States presidential election.
December 9, 2021: Brian Williams' Final Episode
December 9, 2021 marked Brian Williams' last episode as host of "The 11th Hour with Brian Williams" after announcing his departure from the network.