Lester Holt introduced Monday that he might be stepping down from anchoring the NBC Nightly Information. He’s set to depart the anchor’s chair initially of the summer time.
“After 10 years, 17 in the event you embody my years on the weekends, the time has come for me to step away from my position as anchor,” Holt stated in a word to staffers. “It has actually been the distinction of a lifetime to work with every of you day-after-day, holding journalism as our true north and our viewers on the heart of every thing we do.”
NBC Information has not introduced Holt’s substitute and can doubtless maintain off on naming a successor till nearer to his departure.
“Lester is the beating coronary heart of this information group,” NBC Information programming EVP Janelle Rodriguez instructed NBC Information workers. “He’s earned deep respect and reverence from our newsroom, business colleagues, and, most significantly, viewers.”
“What’s equally exceptional is how Lester has masterfully crammed this esteemed position with extraordinary grace and humility,” Rodriguez added. “He’s confirmed time and time once more why he stands among the many nice legends of broadcast information.”
Holt’s announcement follows Norah O’Donnell‘s latest departure from the CBS Night Information anchor’s chair. Like O’Donnell, he’ll will stay with NBC Information, working full-time at Dateline the place he’s been a principal anchor since 2011.
Holt joined the NBCUniversal Information Group in 2000, first as an anchor for MSNBC earlier than transferring to NBC Information. In 2003, he was named anchor of Weekend In the present day following the loss of life of David Bloom, and added the weekend editions of the Nightly Information to his plate in 2007.
He took over the weekday Nightly Information in 2015, changing into the fourth solo anchor of the storied franchise after John Chancellor, Tom Brokaw, and Brian Williams. He additionally made broadcast historical past as the primary Black solo anchor of a nightly newscast.
For many of Holt’s tenure, NBC Nightly Information has occupied second place within the rankings in complete viewers and the Adults 25-54 demo. Final 12 months, the newscast recorded its greatest month in January when it attracted 7.3 million complete viewers. It drew its greatest demo viewers in August with 1.204 million viewers, and completed the 2023-2024 broadcast season because the No. 2 newscast with 6.437 million complete viewers and 955,000 demo viewers.
With Holt stepping down, ABC Information’ David Muir turns into the longest-running night information anchor. ABC World Information Tonight can be the most-watched night newscast on broadcast tv. Through the week of Feb. 10, ABC surpassed NBC by 1.557 million complete viewers and 223,000 demo viewers.
