Brian Williams, who was the lead information anchor for NBC, has been an everyday presence on the community’s election night time protection for 3 a long time, however the 2024 election may discover him someplace new.
Williams is reportedly near a deal to host an election night time particular on Amazon, in accordance with a report from Selection.
Amazon didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
The deal is just not but finalized, Selection and different shops warning, and will crumble. But when it occurs, will probably be Amazon’s first effort at information programming. This could not imply, nevertheless, that the e-commerce big is stepping into the information enterprise.
Williams, as a substitute, would seemingly host a panel of consultants to debate the election outcomes as they arrive in, leaning closely on information shops such because the Related Press for election outcomes. (Amazon has not proven any impetus to rent a information workers.)
Williams and NBCUniversal parted methods in December 2021. The anchor led a variety of applications together with an MSNBC night program, NBC Nightly Information and The eleventh Hour at MSNBC, however encountered controversy when he embellished his private expertise whereas fight reporting. That led to a six-month suspension and elimination from the Nightly Information anchor desk.
Election night time is a vital occasion for networks and information shops, as audiences are considerably larger than regular. Amazon’s potential entry into the sector might draw youthful viewers, who more and more rely extra on cellular gadgets as a substitute of TV units to get their data. That would additionally give the corporate a income enhance from advertisers.
Amazon has already disrupted the sports activities world, gaining the unique rights to Thursday Evening Soccer from the NFL. The retailer’s streaming service will even be the solely place to look at one of many NFL wildcard playoff video games in early 2025.
The election program, if it airs, would seemingly start at 8:00 p.m. ET on election night time and see Williams on the air for so long as seven or eight hours—maybe extra if the race is just too near name.
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