Opinions

Brian Williams and the end of a once trusted newsman

Former NBC “Nightly News” anchorman Brian Williams used to be one of the most trusted newsmen of the digital age.

The public knew Williams by name with his pleasant face and his retro newsman style.

Now, Williams is best known for lying about his brush with enemy fire in Iraq since 2003.

Williams was more than an anchorman: he acted like a wannabe celebrity. He frequently appeared on talk shows like “The Tonight Show” and “Saturday Night Live,” as well as “30 Rock,” according to the New York Times last month.

With NBC suspending him for six months without pay and investigating all of his previous reports, the idea of Williams as a trusted newsman has come to an end.

Since the birth of television, the American people have always had someone they could look to for reliable news.

When television was in its infancy, millions of Americans trusted Edward R. Murrow and his take on the Red Scare and the Korean War. In the 1960s, when America was divided over Vietnam and other social issues, anchorman Walter Cronkite seemed more trustworthy than any of the presidents in office.

In today’s Internet age, news isn’t confined to three channels, and online, anyone can be a “journalist,” so audiences have an increasingly difficult time trusting a news-source.

William’s lies have viewers questioning his honesty and wondering if his future newscasts should be taken with a grain of salt.

NBC’s move to expel him for six months is not enough to clean the blemish on his record.

When the scandal interferes with a profession that is in the spotlight, forced retirement or firing is the only solution.

Take for example the end of legendary newsman Dan Rather’s career with CBS news.

He was one of a trio of important anchormen throughout the 90s and 2000s that Americans tuned in to for current events like the 2000 presidential election and Sept. 11.

When Rather reported in 2004 on former President Bush’s National Guard service during the 1970s, other news organizations reported the story was false, according to the Washington Post in November, 2004. After much controversy, Rather retired from his 24-year career with a tarnished name.

When credibility comes into question in news reporting, one mistake is enough.

Despite all the apologies Williams has released, his best chance at salvaging his reputation is for the Iraq incident to be an isolated event. If NBC discovers more lies in his past reports, such as stories like Hurricane Katrina or meeting the pope, it will be game over for Williams.

If it is an isolated event, Williams must at least cut the talk show circuit and focus on the news.

With this act of contrition, Williams will have earned his cushy seat at the Rockefeller Center and perchance save the idea of the trusted newsman.

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