Programming Notes

Euphemistically saying Brian Williams “misrepresented the truth” when he lied about his helicopter taking RPG fire in Iraq in 2003, NBC News President Deborah Turness announced in a press release this evening that Williams was being suspended without pay for 6 months from his duties as both Managing Editor and Anchor of NBC Nightly News.

All,

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.  We let Brian know of our decision earlier today. Lester Holt will continue to substitute Anchor the NBC Nightly News.

Our review, which is being led by Richard Esposito working closely with NBCUniversal General Counsel Kim Harris, is ongoing, but I think it is important to take you through our thought process in coming to this decision.

While on Nightly News on Friday, January 30, 2015, Brian misrepresented events which occurred while he was covering the Iraq War in 2003. It then became clear that on other occasions Brian had done the same while telling that story in other venues. This was wrong and completely inappropriate for someone in Brian’s position.

In addition, we have concerns about comments that occurred outside NBC News while Brian was talking about his experiences in the field.

As Managing Editor and Anchor of Nightly News, Brian has a responsibility to be truthful and to uphold the high standards of the news division at all times.

Steve Burke, Pat Fili and I came to this decision together. We felt it would have been wrong to disregard the good work Brian has done and the special relationship he has forged with our viewers over 22 years.  Millions of Americans have turned to him every day, and he has been an important and well-respected part of our organization.

As I’m sure you understand, this was a very hard decision. Certainly there will be those who disagree.  But we believe this suspension is the appropriate and proportionate action.

This has been a difficult time. But NBC News is bigger than this moment. You work so hard and dedicate yourselves each and every day to the important work of bringing trusted, credible news to our audience. Because of you, your loyalty, your dedication, NBC News is an organization we can – and should – all be proud of. We will get through this together.

Steve Burke asked me to share the following message.

“This has been a painful period for all concerned and we appreciate your patience while we gathered the available facts. By his actions, Brian has jeopardized the trust millions of Americans place in NBC News.  His actions are inexcusable and this suspension is severe and appropriate.  Brian’s life’s work is delivering the news. I know Brian loves his country, NBC News and his colleagues. He deserves a second chance and we are rooting for him.  Brian has shared his deep remorse with me and he is committed to winning back everyone’s trust.”

Deborah

Though he’d lied publicly about the incident before including in a  2013 guest appearance on Late Night with David Letterman (video removed by YouTube) it wasn’t until he repeated the lie during the January 30th broadcast of NBC Nightly News in a segment honoring just-retired Cmd. Sgt. Major Tim Terpak for his role in protecting Williams and his crew in 2003 that he was finally called out on it, first on Facebook and then in Stars and Stripes.

Williams offered ham-handed apologies both in print and on air, but claimed he’d “made a mistake in recalling events” rather than that he’d invented those events as they applied to him.

He’ll now have 6 months to think about the difference and probably longer. If I were a betting man (and I am), I’d guess we’ve seen the last of Williams at NBC.

In a statement, Comedy Central has confirmed that Jon Stewart will be leaving his post as the host of The Daily Show “later this year.” Stewart announces his departure on tonight’s episode.

Beginning his career as a stand up comic, Stewart hosted Short Attention Span Theater on The Comedy Channel beginning in 1990 and then You Wrote It, You Watch It in 1992 on MTV. This led to The Jon Stewart Show which proved popular on MTV in 1993. That show didn’t survive syndication to other networks and was eventually cancelled, but it got the attention of David Letterman and his production company Worldwide Pants. When Craig Kilborn (remember that guy?) left The Daily Show in 1999, Stewart was tapped as the host and has remained so every since.

Renewals/Cancellations

Melissa & Joey. ABC Family will be closing the curtain on their original People’s Choice Award-winning sitcom starring former child stars Melissa Joan Hart (Sabrina the Teenage Witch) and Joey Lawrence (Blossom) when the series completes its current season this summer. In the first three seasons, Lawrence played Hart’s nanny, but they married at the end of last season. The network notes that this will be their first sitcom to reach 100 episodes. (The Wrap)

Getting On. HBO has renewed the sitcom starring Alex Borstein (MADtv, Family Guy) and Laurie Metcalf (Roseanne) for one final six-episode season. The show, based on a same-titled UK series tells the story of the staff at a dysfunctional geriatric care hospital. I presume the final season will air beginning in November like the first two seasons. (Variety)

Mark your calendars. Showtime has moved the return of Penny Dreadful from April 26 to May 3.

Here’s the trailer from a few weeks back to hold you over the extra week.

via: Press Release

Renewals/Cancellations

Girlfriends Guide to Divorce. Bravo has given the freshman series, its first scripted original, a second season. Lisa Edelstein plays Abby McCarthy, “a self-help book author whose seemingly perfect career and marriage simultaneously implode, and she finds herself navigating life as a single woman in her 40s.” According to the press release, the show ratings-wise  “earned series high (1/27/15) across all key demos with nearly 1.5 million total viewers, 983,000 adults 25-54 and 872,000 adults 18-49, according to Nielsen Live+3 data. The ninth episode increased double-digits over the prior episode, up 14 percent in total viewers, 12 percent among adults 18-49, and 10 percent among adults 25-54.”  (TVbytheNumbers)

The McCarthys. CBS has pulled the sitcom from their schedule. While not officially cancelling the show, they haven’t said when or if the remaining episodes will air… which is network speak for “This just isn’t working out. It’s not you, it’s us. Can we have our CD’s back?” (TVbytheNumbers)