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The Daily Nightly began on May 31, 2005. As Brian wrote in his first post it aims to provide a narrative of the broadcast day and a window into the editorial process at NBC Nightly News. Brian weighs in every weekday and NBC News correspondents and producers post regularly.

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Your questions on how we bring you the news

Posted: Friday, March 28, 2008 8:36 PM by Sam Go
Filed Under:

Brian Williams answers your Newsvine questions on how the Nightly News team puts together the newscast. How much of the show does he write? And how do they pick correspondents for each political candidate?

Watch the clip, below.

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Comments

Sounds like a tough life being a reporter and a news anchor, not to mention the long road it must take to be a part of a nation-wide news block on a major network.  Couldn't live with it, don't have the passion for it, but I can easily respect the people who go through all that work every single day.

Love your show, watch it every night, either live or online.

Randall Pfeifer, Anthem, Arizona (Sent Saturday, March 29, 2008 3:29 AM)

On March 28th 2008 you had a segment on how to teach financial resposibilities in the high school by some lady.  Could I get more information about her.

Darin Barry (Sent Saturday, March 29, 2008 9:36 AM)

I'm a little tired of hearing about the high cost of college and how graduates are going to have so much debt when they graduate. College isn't for everyone. Let me say that again, college isn't for everyone. People who go to college should have a reason to be there. They want to become a Doctor, a teacher, an engineer, it shouldn't be a place where you spend 4 years of your life trying to determine what you want to do with yourself. Just like becoming a concert pianist requiers sacrifice in the form of time and money so should college. College should not just be an extension of High School, but something one contemplates and decides the sacrifices are worth  before they commit to it. So please quit telling us about all the debt these poor college graduates are going to leave school with. If they want to make money and live debt free, they should become plumbers.

Daniel J. Kauffman, Oil City, PA. (Sent Saturday, March 29, 2008 10:58 AM)

Age, race, gender, even experience should not be of much concern to the voters of this country. I am growing extremely tired of being beat over the head with these manufactured divisions in our Nation and an ever larger assault on the intelligence of the American people. Americans are not bigots and racists. There exist bigots and racists in America and every other nation on the Earth. But to treat us in this manner is as intelligent as treating everyone in Spain as if they are turtles because there are turtles in Spain. Judgment should be of the greatest importance to Americans and all other Earthlings for that matter.

For example:
Many people of our great Nation, news organizations, political pundits, and representatives of the people have challenged the ideals behind a withdrawal from Iraq. These notions are to be rightly challenged, that, itself, is the great strength of our nation. However, I believe that those against ending the Iraq conflict are mistaken. Although many struggles between people seem endless, war, whether waged by the, ‘mighty vs. the few or the few vs. the mighty’, has a definitive beginning and an end. If there ever was a more complete description of our Nation's current leadership, or lack thereof on this matter, it is described by someone who lived over 2000 years ago in the fifth century B.C. Sun Tzu, in complete form, described the practices by which leadership affords, by both meanings of the word, victory or defeat. Historically, those who have heeded the strategies of this practiced master-of-war were victorious and those that did not, failed, both in the waging of the war and their Nation.

He says:
"When you engage in fighting, if victory is long in coming, the men's weapons will grow dull as will their spirits... If the campaign is not protracted, the resources of the State will not be equal to the strain. When your weapons are dulled, your ardour damped, your strength exhausted and treasure spent, other nations will rise-up to take advantage of your extremity. Then no man, however wise, will be able to avert the consequences that must ensue. There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare. Poverty of the State’s national treasury causes an army to be maintained by contributions from a distance. Contributing to maintain an army at a distance causes the people to be impoverished...the proximity of an army causes prices to rise, and high prices cause the people's substance to be drained away. In war, then, let your great objective be victory, not lengthy campaigns. Thus let it be known that the leader of armies is the arbiter of the people's fate, the man on whom it depends whether the Nation shall be in peace or in peril."

The generals of our military have studied such maxims, from Sun Tzu to Vom Clausewitz and further, and yet they have been "released" from their duties and patronized for their questioning of a failed strategy. It is, in a general sense, sometimes acceptable for a person, and therefore a leader, to set forth upon a goal and disregard all obstacles and critic of that journey; to charge forward and remain steadfast in the achievement of that goal. Yet history and common sense relay to us that war is not one of these instances.  And true leadership should not silence those critical of its policy, it should breathe them in, it should recall that no human is perfect, that those around us that criticize us offer a perspective of our being that we may sometimes be incapable of seeing for ourselves.

Leaders who accept these truths show judgment and benevolence to the Nation they serve and to those with whom we share this World.

Stephen, Greenville, SC (Sent Saturday, March 29, 2008 2:55 PM)

Thanks for taking the time to do this.  I find the process very interesting.

lnp, leonardtown, maryland, usa (Sent Saturday, March 29, 2008 5:18 PM)

I just watch ed your part on wal mart taking there money from the shank's and that is sad. you can tell wal mart for me I will never buy from them ever

Mike, West Virginia (Sent Saturday, March 29, 2008 6:58 PM)

You can't seem to bring us the news without hyperbolizing doom and gloom -- it's getting ridiculous. Much of the economic downturn is due to the way you report hiccups in the economy to people who have no clue as to what a recession is or means. If you want to report the news do it -- but without the NBC spin. Makes one wonder whether the Daily show is a parody or real news.

Bill, Odenton, MD (Sent Saturday, March 29, 2008 7:06 PM)

While I have enjoyed watching Nightly News during the past several years, I admit that I am bit dismayed with the way some stories are presented.  Regarding the Chelsea Clinton response to a student from Butler University who asked "...on the criticism of her mother that how she handled the Lewinsky scandal might be a sign of weakness and she might not be a strong enough candidate to be president."  Of course the focus was Chelsea Clinton's response, but shouldn't the story be reported in its entirety?

Lisa Campbell (Sent Saturday, March 29, 2008 7:09 PM)

Thanks Brian I really enjoyed your giving us an understanding of what goes on behind the scenes. Now I love the law as much as you love your job. I did invite some friends to watch this. It was like you were talking to us in the living room. Now I understand why some things I have earned or read aren't on the show. You have to understand all your viewers want is honest reporting and we trust you will give us that. I do wish you would have this question/answer site every weekend or two. There will so much going on in the future to so many Government crimes.

I really understand how you said you send messages at 1 am, I was on call for the court and was called at 2 or 3 am to sign complaints and set bail. Once I was awake I really couldn't go back to sleep. I only had to do it for one week out of the month. Now your job I'd be a walking mummy.  I like the way your company takes in to consideration an employees family not many companies do that today. My daughter and I would go shopping and people would stop me all the time an ask legal questions or when I was going to set a court date for their family member. I daughter and I started shopping in Ocean Township and not Long Branch.  Well you keep getting the news and I'll keep watching you report it.

Jackie Rawlings Riverside California (Sent Saturday, March 29, 2008 7:11 PM)

I was shocked at walmart action in your news clip this night. I wil not shop walmart again. If I could do more I would. ( I will be contacting my state rep about this, and my town council)

Gary Nueske, Placerville, CA (Sent Saturday, March 29, 2008 9:04 PM)

This has to do with tonights story on Wal-Mart and the poor lady in the car crash. After all the work the Brian Williams has done to present solid, thoughtful news, it seems a shame to have this horribly slanted, iconoclastic piece treading on the misery of this woman and her husband air just to try to make Wal-mart look bad. Shame on the editors who let this piece run in this format!! These poor people deserve better and so does Wal-mart and NBC.

John Neelands Milwaukie OR (Sent Saturday, March 29, 2008 10:16 PM)

I don't know anywhere else to contact you --- if you can, pleae let Mr. Shank know that my husband and I are appalled by Walmart's treatment to his family.  I am writing a letter to Walmart letting them know how we feel and we will not be shopping at their stores anymore and my husband is closing his credit card account with them.

D Faye Topping, Newport News, Virginia (Sent Saturday, March 29, 2008 10:43 PM)

Video quality of this is really spotty. Hoping it's just my connection, but Brian pauses every :15 or so, then starts talking again. The Web video viewer experience just isn't ready for a mass audience yet, I guess. But I'll keep watching and appreciate the effort to communicate with me via my preferred medium.

John Doe, Seattle, Wash. (Sent Sunday, March 30, 2008 6:00 PM)

Brian Williams

You ran a story about Hillary Clinton growing up in which she spoke a great deal.  Given her willingness to repeatedly lie about what happened to her in Bosnia, why should your viewers regard your presentation as anything more than a cruel joke that you and your staff don't get?


Joel

Joel Brainard, Schenectady, NY (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 12:28 PM)

Hello Mr. Williams.  While I usually enjoy, as best one can when viewing the personal trials of others', I was less than delighted to see Arlen Specter as the featured individual, presented as a man fighting cancer, all while he receives treatment and continues to work and serve in the Congress.  The news-piece was about a man with vastly superior medical insurance, insurance paid for entirely with taxpayer dollars, and yet he was depicted as somehow being superhuman.  I understand, all too well, the battles some people face, medically, but to depict Mr. Specter as the face of a man bravely and publicly facing his demons belittles the thousands that do so in quiet anguish because their health plans do not live up to the standards Mr. Specter enjoys, free- courtesy of the American taxpayer.  Methinks he may not be as able to face his workday if he had to spend hours attempting to navigate through a Byzantine, ineffective, and at times downright bizarre healthcare plan, the same plans most “Ordinary” Americans have.  The implicit imbalance in the piece is therefore truly noteworthy- and dramatic.  

In sum total I enjoy your reporting, but felt a need to articulate my concern regarding this particular matter.

Mark-Alan Lynch Providence, RI (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 2:37 PM)

I love Andrea Mitchell, but her segment w/Howard Wolfson made no effort to dispute his statement that the popular vote is "essentially tied," nor did she point out that Obama himself went on record this weekend saying that Hillary should stay in the race as long as she wants.  Doesn't seem like the best reporting style to allow statements to go to the public as fact and unchallenged.

Barbara, Texas (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 3:07 PM)

My video and quality was excellent.  As always, thanks Brian for the information!  

Anna (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 4:18 PM)

I would like to hear about using statistics to aportion the delegates in Florida and Michigan. I have written to many shows but no answers so far. Afterall, statistics are a very big part of the campaign. I guess a lot of people don't trust them so just eliminate the suggestion. Thanks, Mary

Mary George, St. Petersburg, FL (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 6:55 PM)

david gregory
you have the makings of a great show ...great guests with one exception... you've got to get rid of scarborogh... his inane arrogance as he talks over your other guests is detrimental to your show... ford, marrow,brownstein has so much more to offer... in the future leave him off your panel
thx bill fous

bill fous, fort myer,s fl (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 6:55 PM)

I really think NBC picked a winner when they choose Brian Williams as the replace for the great Tom Brokaw. Both come off as very warm people. Keep up the good work. Thank you.

Dan Clifford, Indianpolis, IN (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 7:07 PM)

I am totally disgusted with the news coverage on the upcoming primary. What kind of a country do we live in where the news media can throw the election.  Most of the idiots such as Keith Olbermann should report the news and keep their obnoxious opinions to themselves. If Hillary Clinton or John McCain had been attending Klu Klux Klan meetings for 20 years as Obama has been attending his totally racist church, they would be kicked out of the election.  Are we going to have to put up with anything Obama wants to pull in fear of being called a racist?  We better get to the truth before the Primary.  Once he is the candidate it's a little late. All the news channels should be sued by Hillary for gender discrimination.  Just report the news and shut the hell up!!!!!!!!

Marcia Watte, Butte, MT (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 10:34 PM)

My question is simple.  Sen. HRC said that she would have left the church that Sen. Obama explained quite clearly.  So the question is why did Sen. HRC not leave her husband after so many infidelities in their marriage?

jerry rubin, Whitefish Bay, WI (Sent Tuesday, April 01, 2008 2:03 PM)

I love how it is so difficult to find a place on this site to post a comment!  Brian Williams areported tonight how terrible the results were from the latest colesteral drugs and how that affects the patients and the doctors.

If you are in tune with life, you realize that doctors are nothing now but legalized drug pushers!  How surprising that they now are back tracking after the realization of the ineffectiveness of these drugs.

What's so funny is all the drug advertisements during the broadcast.  It just shows one how wealthy and powerful the drug industry is today.  

Also realize that NBC is owned by a major drug company.  Looks like free advertizing to me!!!

Drug Free at 44 (Sent Tuesday, April 01, 2008 6:55 PM)

I was very surprised (in a negative way) when Brian Williams while interviewing Suze Orman in yesterday's telecast, had a copy of one of her books and showed it on camera. Are you going to be pitching books by some of your correspondents/guests?
I found it very distasteful.  

Gloria Dodson (Sent Tuesday, April 01, 2008 11:47 PM)



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