History of NBC News in Timeline

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NBC News

NBC News is the news division of NBC, operating under NBCUniversal Media Group, a subsidiary of Comcast. Rebecca Blumenstein is the president of NBC News, overseeing operations including MSNBC, CNBC, CNBC World, Noticias Telemundo, and Sky News. It is a major news organization that delivers news through various channels.

February 21, 1940: First Regularly Scheduled News Program

On February 21, 1940, NBC News aired the first regularly scheduled news program in American broadcast television history.

June 1940: NBC Televises Republican National Convention

In June 1940, NBC televised 30¼ hours of coverage of the Republican National Convention live from Philadelphia through its flagship station in New York City, W2XBS (later WNBT). This coverage was relayed to upper New York State, marking one of the first "network" programs of NBC Television.

1941: W2XBS renamed WNBT

In 1941, NBC's flagship station in New York City, W2XBS, was renamed WNBT.

1944: No Live Telecasts of Conventions

Due to wartime and technical restrictions, there were no live telecasts of the 1944 conventions.

1948: NBC & Life Magazine Team Up For Election Coverage

In 1948, NBC partnered with Life magazine to cover President Harry S. Truman's victory over Thomas E. Dewey on election night.

1948: NBC Television Newsreel

In 1948, after World War II, NBC Television Newsreel aired filmed news highlights with narration.

1949: Camel News Caravan

In 1949, NBC Television Newsreel was renamed Camel News Caravan, when John Cameron Swayze was added as an on-camera anchor.

1950: David Brinkley Becomes Washington Correspondent

In 1950, David Brinkley began serving as the Washington correspondent for NBC's news program.

1951: Bill McAndrew Manages NBC News

In 1951, Bill McAndrew became the Director of News for NBC News, reporting to J. Davidson Taylor.

1953: CBS Hires Its Own Film Crews

In 1953, CBS began hiring its own film crews, contrasting with its earlier reliance on other sources, while NBC dominated due to having its own film crews from the start.

1955: NBC Covers Montgomery Bus Boycott

In 1955, NBC provided national coverage of Martin Luther King Jr.'s leadership of the Montgomery bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, featuring reports from Frank McGee.

1955: Camel News Caravan Falls Behind CBS

In 1955, The Camel News Caravan on NBC fell behind CBS's Douglas Edwards with the News in viewership.

October 29, 1956: Debut of The Huntley–Brinkley Report

On October 29, 1956, The Huntley–Brinkley Report debuted on NBC, created by Producer Reuven Frank.

1956: NBC News Recognized as Television's Champion of News Coverage

In 1956, NBC News was recognized as television's "champion of news coverage," and the network paired Chet Huntley and David Brinkley as anchors.

1956: Huntley-Brinkley Report Replaces Camel News Caravan

In 1956, NBC replaced the Camel News Caravan with the Huntley-Brinkley Report.

April 1962: Walter Cronkite Anchors CBS News

In April 1962, Walter Cronkite began anchoring CBS News, becoming a competitor to NBC's The Huntley–Brinkley Report.

November 22, 1963: NBC Reports JFK Assassination

On November 22, 1963, NBC interrupted its programming to announce that President John F. Kennedy had been shot in Dallas, Texas, and subsequently provided 71 hours of uninterrupted coverage of the assassination and funeral, including the only live broadcast of Lee Harvey Oswald's shooting.

1965: Reporter Hit at Demonstration in Marion, Alabama

In 1965, NBC reporter Richard Valeriani was hit with an ax handle at a demonstration in Marion, Alabama, while covering the civil rights movement.

1965: William R. McAndrew Named President of NBC News

In 1965, William R. McAndrew was named President of NBC News, having managed the news division since 1951.

1968: Reuven Frank Becomes President of NBC News

In 1968, Reuven Frank became President of NBC News.

1968: Reuven Frank Succeeds Bill McAndrew

In 1968, Reuven Frank succeeded Bill McAndrew as president of NBC News after McAndrew's death.

1969: NBC Earns Emmy Award for Moon Landing Coverage

In 1969, NBC's coverage of the first Moon landing earned the network an Emmy Award.

August 3, 1970: NBC Nightly News Title Change

On August 3, 1970, NBC's primary news show gained its present title, NBC Nightly News.

1973: Reuven Frank Leaves NBC News Presidency

In 1973, Reuven Frank left his position as president of NBC News.

1973: Richard Wald Becomes President of NBC News

In 1973, Richard Wald became President of NBC News.

1974: Chet Huntley's Death

Chet Huntley died of cancer in 1974, four years after retiring from NBC.

1975: Launch of NBC News & Information Service (NIS)

In 1975, NBC launched the NBC News & Information Service (NIS), an all-news radio format for stations across the U.S.

1977: Lester Crystal Becomes President of NBC News

In 1977, Lester Crystal became President of NBC News.

1977: Closure of NBC News & Information Service (NIS)

In 1977, NBC discontinued the NBC News & Information Service (NIS) after two years due to a lack of profitability.

1979: William J. Small Becomes President of NBC News

In 1979, William J. Small became President of NBC News.

1981: Reuven Frank Returns as President of NBC News

In 1981, Reuven Frank returned for a second term as President of NBC News.

1982: NBC News Overnight Begins Production

In 1982, NBC News began production on NBC News Overnight, anchored by Linda Ellerbee, Lloyd Dobyns, and Bill Schechner, airing at 1:35 a.m. E.T.

December 1983: NBC News Overnight Canceled

In December 1983, NBC News Overnight was canceled.

1983: Tom Brokaw Becomes Sole Anchor

In 1983, Tom Brokaw became the sole anchor of NBC Nightly News after co-anchoring with Roger Mudd for a year.

1985: Lawrence Grossman Becomes President of NBC News

In 1985, Lawrence Grossman became President of NBC News.

1985: NBC uses "The Mission" as theme music

In 1985, NBC first used movements from "The Mission" by John Williams as themes for Meet the Press, NBC Nightly News, and special breaking news reports.

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1986: NBC Wins Top Spot in Nielsens

In 1986, NBC won the top spot in the Nielsens for the first time in years.

1987: NBC Radio Network Purchased by Westwood One

In 1987, General Electric, which acquired NBC's parent company RCA, sold the NBC Radio Network to Westwood One, ending NBC's direct participation in the radio business.

1987: NBC Wins Top Spot in Nielsens

In 1987, NBC won the top spot in the Nielsens.

1988: Michael Gartner Becomes President of NBC News

In 1988, Michael Gartner became President of NBC News.

1989: Brokaw Witnesses Fall of Berlin Wall

In 1989, NBC News correspondent Tom Brokaw was the only American television news correspondent to witness the fall of the Berlin Wall.

1991: NBC Nightside Launched

In 1991, NBC News launched another overnight news show called NBC Nightside.

1993: Andrew Lack Becomes President of NBC News

In 1993, Andrew Lack became President of NBC News.

1993: Dateline NBC Airs Rigged Report on GM Trucks

In 1993, Dateline NBC broadcast an investigative report about the safety of General Motors (GM) trucks, which was later found to be rigged. GM filed an anti-defamation lawsuit against NBC, and NBC admitted the results of the tests were rigged.

November 1995: NBC News Signs Agreement with ZDF

In November 1995, NBC News signed an agreement with German public broadcaster ZDF to share newsgathering resources, enabling NBC News to move its Frankfurt bureau to ZDF's headquarters in Mainz.

1996: Nightly News Moves Into First Place Again

In late 1996, Nightly News moved into first place in the ratings again.

1997: Closure of Canal de Noticias, NBC

In 1997, the 24-hour news service aimed at Latin American viewers called "Canal de Noticias, NBC" closed.

1998: NBC Nightside Replaced by NBC All Night

In 1998, NBC Nightside was replaced by "NBC All Night," which consisted of reruns of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with Conan O'Brien.

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1999: CNN Radio Replaces NBC Radio and Mutual

In 1999, CNN Radio replaced both NBC Radio and Mutual.

2000: Seven Nightly News name change

Around the year 2000, local newscasts on the Seven Network in Australia, previously named Seven Nightly News since the mid-1980s, underwent a name change.

2001: Neal Shapiro Becomes President of NBC News

In 2001, Neal Shapiro became President of NBC News.

2003: Brian Williams in Iraq

In 2003, Brian Williams experienced the invasion of Iraq, later telling an inaccurate story about his experience there.

December 2004: Brian Williams Becomes Primary Anchor

In December 2004, Brian Williams assumed primary anchor duties when Tom Brokaw retired.

2004: "The Mission" theme updated

In 2004, "The Mission" by John Williams, which is used as theme music for Meet the Press and NBC Nightly News, was updated.

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2004: NBC Nightly News and Today aired on ETC

In 2004, NBC Nightly News and Today were aired on ETC in the Philippines.

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2005: NBC Nightly News and Today aired on 2nd Avenue

In 2005, NBC Nightly News and Today were aired on 2nd Avenue in the Philippines.

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2005: Steve Capus Becomes President of NBC News

In 2005, Steve Capus became President of NBC News.

January 1, 2007: Poker After Dark Joins NBC All Night Lineup

From January 1, 2007, to September 23, 2011, Poker After Dark was part of the "NBC All Night" programming.

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October 22, 2007: Nightly News Moves Into New HD Studio

On October 22, 2007, Nightly News moved into its new high-definition studio, Studio 3C, at NBC Studios in 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, and MSNBC also joined the network in New York on that day.

2007: NBC Nightly News and Today aired on 2nd Avenue

In 2007, NBC Nightly News and Today were aired on 2nd Avenue in the Philippines until 2007.

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June 2008: Tom Brokaw Takes Over as Interim Host of Meet the Press

Following the death of Tim Russert in June 2008, Tom Brokaw took over as the interim host of Meet the Press.

December 14, 2008: David Gregory Becomes Moderator of Meet the Press

On December 14, 2008, David Gregory became the new moderator of Meet the Press.

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2008: NBC Nightly News moved to C/S 9

In 2008, NBC Nightly News was later moved to C/S 9 (later Solar TV) in the Philippines.

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2009: NBC Leads in Network News

By 2009, NBC had established leadership in network news, airing the highest-rated morning, evening, and Sunday interview news programs.

September 23, 2011: Poker After Dark Leaves NBC All Night

September 23, 2011, marked the end of Poker After Dark's run as part of the "NBC All Night" programming.

2011: NBC Nightly News and Today on different channels

In 2011, NBC Nightly News was aired on Solar TV, while Today retained it separately on 2nd Avenue until 2011 in the Philippines.

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March 5, 2012: Dial Global Announces Expansion of NBC News Radio

On March 5, 2012, Dial Global announced its intention to expand NBC News Radio to a full-time 24-hour radio news network, replacing CNN Radio.

March 27, 2012: NBC News Broadcasts Edited 911 Call

On March 27, 2012, NBC News broadcast an edited segment from a 911 call related to the Trayvon Martin shooting, which led to accusations of misrepresentation and an eventual apology from the news agency.

December 13, 2012: Kidnapping of Richard Engel and NBC News Crew

On December 13, 2012, NBC News reporter Richard Engel and his five crew members were kidnapped in Syria. Engel initially attributed the abduction to a Shabiha group loyal to al-Assad, but this account was later challenged.

December 2012: ITV cancels NBC Nightly News segments

In December 2012, the ITV network canceled segments from NBC Nightly News on their ITV News at 5:30 morning newscast.

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March 5, 2013: Steve Capus Departs as President of NBC News

On March 5, 2013, Steve Capus left his position as President of NBC News.

August 2013: Deborah Turness Becomes President of NBC News

In August 2013, Deborah Turness became President of NBC News, making her the first woman to hold the position.

December 2013: Early Today dropped from 9TV

In December 2013, Early Today was officially dropped from the 9TV network in the Philippines, and they were replaced by the repeats of Inside Edition.

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2013: Dial Global Rebrands as Westwood One

In 2013, Dial Global rebranded itself as Westwood One.

2013: John Lapinski Appointed Director of Elections

In 2013, John Lapinski was appointed as the Director of Elections for NBC News, replacing Sheldon Gawiser.

2013: Today replaces theme music

Until 2013, "Scherzo for Today," the third movement of "The Mission" by John Williams, was used by Today, when it was replaced by a new theme by Alan Gubman.

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August 10, 2014: David Gregory's Last Broadcast on Meet the Press

August 10, 2014, was David Gregory's last broadcast as moderator of Meet the Press.

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August 14, 2014: Chuck Todd to Take Over as Moderator of Meet the Press

On August 14, 2014, NBC announced that Chuck Todd would take over as the 12th moderator of Meet the Press.

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September 7, 2014: Chuck Todd Becomes Moderator of Meet the Press

On September 7, 2014, Chuck Todd took over as the moderator of Meet the Press.

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September 2014: Today dropped from 9TV

In September 2014, Today was dropped from 9TV to make room for weekend children's programming.

December 14, 2014: Original NBC News Radio Service Discontinued

On December 14, 2014, the original NBC News Radio service was discontinued, coinciding with the launch of the new, white-label Westwood One News service.

2014: Matt Lauer's Sexual Harassment Allegations

In 2014, during the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, Matt Lauer allegedly sexually harassed a female NBC employee, which led to his termination in 2017.

February 2015: Brian Williams Suspended

In February 2015, NBC suspended Brian Williams for six months for telling an inaccurate story about his experience in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and he was temporarily replaced by Lester Holt.

March 2015: NBC Nightly News dropped from 9TV

In March 2015, NBC Nightly News was dropped from 9TV due to the firing of Brian Williams and the move of Lester Holt to main anchor, as well as the anticipation of rebranding the network to CNN Philippines.

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April 2015: NBC Revises Kidnapping Account

In April 2015, NBC News revised its account of the 2012 kidnapping of Richard Engel and his crew, following investigations by The New York Times. The revised account suggested that a Sunni criminal element affiliated with the Free Syrian Army was likely responsible, rather than a Shia loyalist group.

June 18, 2015: Lester Holt Becomes Permanent Anchor

On June 18, 2015, it was announced that Lester Holt would become the permanent anchor of NBC Nightly News, and Brian Williams would move to MSNBC.

2015: Election Team Gains Permanent Space

In 2015, the NBC News election team's decision desk group was given its first permanent space at 30 Rockefeller, replacing the News Sales Archives.

July 2016: NBC News Radio Launches on iHeartRadio

In July 2016, NBC News Radio, produced in partnership with iHeartMedia, became available on iHeartRadio's platform.

November 2016: NBCUniversal Intends to Purchase Stake in Euronews

In November 2016, NBC News Group chairman Andy Lack announced NBCUniversal intended to purchase a 25% stake in Euronews.

February 2017: Noah Oppenheim Named President of NBC News

In February 2017, Noah Oppenheim, Today Show Producer and Executive, was named President of NBC News.

May 2017: NBCUniversal Completes Euronews Transaction

In May 2017, NBCUniversal completed the transaction to purchase a 25% stake in Euronews. Deborah Turness was appointed to run NBC News International.

November 29, 2017: Matt Lauer Fired from NBC News

On November 29, 2017, NBC News terminated Matt Lauer's employment after an unidentified female employee reported sexual harassment that occurred during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, and continued afterwards.

2017: Ronna McDaniel Chairs RNC

In 2017, Ronna McDaniel became the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee (RNC).

April 2018: Ronan Farrow's Weinstein Story Wins Pulitzer Prize

In April 2018, the story on Harvey Weinstein's alleged sexual misconduct, which NBC News initially declined to publish, won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service after being published in The New Yorker Magazine.

2019: Westwood One Discontinues CNN Content

In 2019, Westwood One discontinued using content from CNN.

April 2020: NBCUniversal Sells Stake in Euronews

In April 2020, NBCUniversal sold its stake in Euronews to focus on launching NBC Sky World News.

August 2020: NBC Sky World News Scrapped

In August 2020, NBCUniversal scrapped the proposed NBC Sky World News service, resulting in layoffs of 60 employees.

November 2020: NBC Nightly News and Today return to Philippine airwaves

In November 2020, both NBC Nightly News and Today returned as the launch programs of TAP TV in the Philippines after five years of absence.

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2020: Ronna McDaniel Claims Voter Fraud After 2020 Election

After Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election, then RNC chair Ronna McDaniel made false claims of voter fraud and sought to overturn the election results.

2020: McDaniel Backtracks on Election Claims

During an interview after being hired by NBC News, Ronna McDaniel backtracked on her previous claims, stating that Joe Biden won the 2020 election "fair and square" and condemned political violence.

October 2021: NBC Nightly News returns to TAP TV

In October 2021, NBC Nightly News returned to TAP TV after being moved to its sister network, TAP Edge, from January to October 2021.

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2021: Stay Tuned Team Launches The Overview on Peacock

In 2021, the Stay Tuned team launched "The Overview" on Peacock, expanding their content offerings on streaming platforms.

January 10, 2023: Rebecca Blumenstein Named President of NBC News

On January 10, 2023, Rebecca Blumenstein was named President of NBC News.

December 2023: NBC News Now Removed from Sky and Virgin Media Platforms

In December 2023, NBC News Now was removed from the Sky and Virgin Media platforms in the UK, but remains free to view via YouTube.

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March 2024: NBC News Hires Ronna McDaniel

In March 2024, NBC News hired Ronna McDaniel, the former chairwoman of the Republican National Committee (RNC). This hire sparked controversy due to McDaniel's past support for Donald Trump and false claims about the 2020 election.

2024: iHeartMedia Ends NBC News Radio Brand

In 2024, iHeartMedia ended the NBC News Radio brand, reverting back to its 24/7 News channel/platform.

January 31, 2025: NBC News Must Move Out of Pentagon Workspace

On January 31, 2025, a Defense Department memo announced that NBC News must move out of its workspace in the Pentagon's Correspondents' Corridor due to a new Annual Media Rotation Program.