NBC's recent decision to suspend Brian Williams for six months without pay has left many doubting that he'll ever return to Nightly News. So who will be the next Brian Williams? Here are Mashable's best guesses.
Lester Holt
As the current Nightly News substitute, Lester Holt would be the easiest replacement. In addition to hosting NBC’s weekly newsmagazine Dateline, Holt has simultaneously hosted the weekend editions of Today and Nightly News since 2007. He’s definitely proven himself to be a powerhouse in the past decade. In fact, his nonstop work ethic has earned him the nickname of “Iron Pants” at NBC, because he has been known to anchor for several hours straight. In the past, Holt has been the most frequent fill-in for Nightly News, so he’s had experience in the chair. His dynamism and long-term career at NBC may be important factors in the decision for Williams’ replacement.
Advantages: Holt is Williams’ natural successor. Also, he would be the first African-American to be a major network’s nightly anchor.
Matt Lauer
Today Show's Matt Lauer definitely has higher visibility than Lester Holt, which is important, because at the end of the day, NBC cares about keeping their ratings up after Williams-gate. Since Lauer has been at Today for several years, he’d be able to pull his morning audience to nightly ratings. Many other newscasters have made the successful transition from morning to evening, including Tom Brokaw and Diane Sawyer.
Advantages: People know his name.
Willie Geist
As the co-host for both MSNBC’s Morning Joe and the Today Show’s "Today’s Take" segment, Geist has a calm and grounded appeal -- making useful contributions, but never hogging the spotlight from the lead hosts. At 39, he has the right combination of charisma and sensibility for the position, and insiders have been paying attention to his talent. Maybe more importantly, his drama-free attitude suggests he won’t be sharing war stories on-air anytime soon.
Advantages: Looks like a young Brian Williams. Calm, smart, and low-drama.
Savannah Guthrie
Savannah Guthrie’s cheerful presence may be just what the Nightly News needs to re-emerge from its dreary final chapter with Williams. After joining Lauer as a co-host of the Today Show, Guthrie has swiftly ascended popularity ratings. Guthrie could also be a strategic answer to the absence of women on the evening news following the departures of Katie Couric and Diane Sawyer. Guthrie's warm demeanor might help NBC tap into a demographic of news viewers who want a break from the mundane.
Advantages: She’d be the only female evening news anchor after the departure of ABC's Couric and Sawyer.
Josh Elliott
NBC Sports broadcaster Josh Elliott is the newcomer on this list. He’s 43, he’s energetic, and he’s very charismatic. After a three-year stint on Good Morning America, NBC Sports swooped him up in 2014. According to the New York Post, an insider has claimed that Williams’ replacement will be someone “with at least 15 years left in their career.”
Advantages: He’d bring fresh, young energy to the show.
Carl Quintanilla
Carl Quintanilla has been the host of CNBC’s Squawk on the Street since 2011. Although his profile is relatively low, Quintanilla is well-regarded internally, and his experience with tech reporting gives him an edge that older contenders such as Holt lack.
Advantages: Young, hip, and charismatic.
Jon Stewart
I can't be the first person to notice that Brian Williams & Jon Stewart both seem available in about 6 months.— Scott Simon (@nprscottsimon) February 11, 2015
Many people have raised eyebrows at the timing of Jon Stewart’s retirement from The Daily Show--he’s leaving his position in about...six months? Seems to tie-in quite well with the end of Williams' unpaid leave of absence, conspiracists would say. This would be a seriously buzzy choice for NBC, but it’s also very unlikely.
Advantages: It’s Jon Stewart!