Hi Brian - Isn't it amazing how fast things are changing in our world these days?  And yet, we are all expected to adapt - what else can we do?

Good to have you back.

Joan

Can someone explain to me what "called to the front office" means?  Just curious.  

One of my old bosses when I started in my business  always told me that you always leave your post on a high note on top of your game.   Then you use those past successes to garner more success!   So congratulations to Alexandra! I read on-line NN was #1 in November for viewers.  Way to Go!

Another manic Monday here!  Peace to All!    

Best of luck with the changes. Do you know how many people subscribe to your podcast? I'm curious.

Is the bloodbath over?  Talk on the net have said that the behind the camera people are being let go; any on-camera people on the chopping block?  I would hate to see some of my favorite faces disappear.

Some broadcast anchors make as much as company CEOs and are also keeping their extremely high salaries while others in the company are losing their jobs.

Yes Brian no one's job is safe in this Economy. I wish President Bush could actully do more to help Americans. It's strange watching Mr. Obama who is not a Senator anymore but a President in waiting. He is the only person making arraignments and talking about what he will do on Jan. 20th.  

Hank Paulson who knows nothing about Economy was educated by the Finance Dept of China. Let's hope China can educated the Fed Chief Bennie.  

Now that the Gitmo prisoners have been tortured so much their insane their willing to confess to what ever their told. It's good that these men aren't in a US court because people who are insane can't be tried for a crime. Let's hope no other country follows the Bush Policy that's done to these men. No American or Military should would wont to be held without being charged and tortured until they're beaten insane only to confess to anything.

See you same time same place

Good Evening Mr.Williams, Nice to see you this evening! Another fine broadcast this evening. First of all the report Pete Williams concerning the Blackwater Indictments against the five guards. It certainly appears there actions were inexusable because so many innocent civilians perished in the attacks. It will be interesting the learn what the sixth guard will say as a key witness since he pleaded guilty. It is really sad that innocent lives were lost.
The report by Mr.Fletcher from the border of Zimbabwe and South Africa showed such a desperate situation with the outbreak of cholera and no medicine to take care of those who are ill. Seeing the men standing behind the fence looking at Mr.Fletcher and his crew too afraid to cross was heartbreaking. Mr.Fletcher yelling out they were journalists with tv and not police didn't seem to effect them although I thought is was really nice of Mr.Fletcher to throw those bottles of water over the fence and wish the men well. Thinking first of people instead of the story. A very nice humanitarian gesture by Mr.Fletcher. I hope the men reach a safe destination as all the people of the region and receive the help they need.

On another note I think David Gregory is a wonderful choice to be the new moderator of Meet the Press. His knowledge and expertise of Washington is excellent and I'm sure he will do a fine job! Congratulations Mr.Gregory!
I am really sorry to have to say goodbye to some really fine reporters of NBC. They did some fine work and I wish them all the best.

Thank you for the broadcast Mr.Williams. Peace to You and to All!

Lots of Love to Laurel,Jackie,Stephanie,Celine,Claudia,Anna and Matt!
Be Well Always!
Stay Safe and Well Richard!
XOXO

I believe there is little understanding at the Big Three broadcasters re: their extreme leaning left in 'news' reporting and stories 'reported' along with the de-sensitizing of the people towards their nightly programing which continuously, sub-textually undermines and works to destroy the true and basic values that build human societies.

Despite the workmanship like sanitizing efforts of Brian and others at NBC, we the people (who once watched almost transfixed) see the elitist contempt for us out here, which literally oozes forth from too many of our television choices.

Hey Brian,

Just wanted to let you know that I watched you on Leno last Thursday and very much enjoyed it.  Being born and raised in Metro Detroit, I was was extremely proud to hear you personally support the bailout of the Big 3 and also equally proud of the fact that you own a Mustang GT.  Keep doing what you're doing!  You are a role model to me and I only hope to be half as good a journalist as you are when I grow up.

Thank you

Jackie,
When you deliver biased, pejorative rants on a daily basis, it is difficult to consider you a credible source of truth.

Great show Brian one thing stood out it was the Auto Czar. Now with only 15 billion the Auto Industry needs a Czar. With no accountability for how much Citi Group got and over 100 gone to AIG both no Czar needed as both continue to get more money without question. Nice to see the White House isn't concerned about keeping track of the 700 billion  dollars but that 15 billion has got to be kept track of.  

No job is safe today and like Obama said it will get worse before it gets better. I like volunteering to help where I can and help as much as I can. I feel like I'm the richest lady in the world because I have things money can't buy. I don't take anything for granted and thank God I have the kids I do. They make my life the best.


Best to my friends Lisa, Laurel, Stephanie, Claudia, Celine, Anna and Matt

Oh I forgot. Lisa I sent Joe Biden a copy of Richard's book, yes I still have mine I brought one for the VP.

Good to see Martin Fletcher back on camera showing us he is not only a great reporter but a pretty terrific human being as well. Nice going Martin! Where ya been?!

I don't see how the world at large and the Africans in particular can ignore Mugabe's atrocities much longer. Genocide comes in many forms.

Hello and take care to all the usual suspects!

P.S. to Brian-- Re: NY football.....when they are good, they are very, very good and when they are bad they are horrid!

http://fotki.yandex.ru/tags/%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B3%D0%B0/users/yurilomovcev/view/124647?how=week&page=0
russian towns on volga river


best wishes brian

Brian,

I loved you on Ellen Monday, December 8th.  But you made a mistake.  You attributed the quote "I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her" to the movie "Love Actually."  The quote was really from "Notting Hill."  I am thrilled that you actually are familiar with both movies, and it was an honest mistake.  Keep up the good work.  You are too cool.

The hits just keep on coming. Hank Paulson now reports the following;
Fed approves Chinese bank CCB to open office in US

Just $15 billion left in first $350 billion of federal government's bailout pot

Hank should be getting ready to spend the rest of the 350 billion and then ask for more to give out to friends and business partners. That's why Obama said it would get worse he knows there aren't enough honest Law Makers to step up and protect the people. Pelosi and Reid are working hard to get their kick back money while saying one thing and doing another. Americans voted some crooks back in office just enough to keep the crime wave going.  We'll hear more double talk and Obama/Biden will have to use the Executive Order to stop these Law Making crooks from stealing more money after Jan. 20th.

After learning Citi Group's major share holder are the Saudi's they might ask for their take over next. Someone said Bush made the US for sale and so far that person was right. At lease Iraq's Stock Maket is doing very well as they continue to get the US 10 billion dollars a month.

Hello Brian and thank you for sharing with us the internal mechanism within your very own camp.  You see sometimes we people who sit on the other side of the camera forget that when our world is shattering because of economic woes that for those of you in the spotlight you too are facing the same effects.  Yes, it can be said we are all in the same boat but it doesn’t make the rowing any easier.  But I will, if I may, interject an old saying that holds a lot of truths so here it goes "when you encounter a stumbling block in the road on life’s highway don't be afraid or try to avoid it because it just might be the stepping stone to the greatest experience and provide the right change you have prayed for all of your life".  These are hopeful times that allow us to venture out and investigate something that we have wondered about for a long time but were too afraid to leave that cocoon because it felt so safe and warm.  Then when we do leave the cradle we find out that cocoon didn't make us safe and secure but we the individual person created our very own security blanket and no matter where we go we will take it with us and recreate that feeling because we also take the tools and techniques with us.  In the end we realize we are going to be just fine because we always have ourselves and if we excelled once we will rise again because the sky is the limit. I am 61 years old and sometimes I feel like Doctor Who but I can't tell you how many times I have said or heard someone say that if it wasn't for the change in my life I would have never stumbled into what is now the love of my life.  You and the entire world are in my every prayer because a prayer is our greatest tool. And to those who were called into the bosses office in the words of Cleavon Little in "Pearly" "may your dreams be your only boundaries".  

A number of people on this site have asked when Brian Williams is going to apologize for (or at least acknowledge) the Barry McCaffrey scandal.  On Nov. 30, the New York Times ran a front page article about General McCaffrey's role as an NBC News consultant and on-air commentator.  The Times revealed that McCaffrey used his air time at NBC News to advocate positions that would benefit companies in which he had a financial interest.  For those waiting for Brian to make a comment:  I would advise you not to hold your breath.  The first rule of public relations is "say nothing unless you absolutely have to".  The McCaffrey scandal is not going to cost NBC News any viewers or advertisers, so there's no reason for Brian to comment.  That would only extend the life of the story.  Brian's objective is to let the story die as soon as possible (it's practically dead already).  I'm sure that after the Times story ran, Brian huddled with the NBC PR spinweasels, and they advised him to keep mum.  Which is exactly what he has done.

I think many viewers are naive about the goal of Brian Williams and the Nightly News executives and producers (including, presumably, the new ones that have just been appointed).  Brian's goal is not to present the most newsworthy stories or to thoroughly cover the most important domestic and world events each night.  Brian's goal is to attract the most viewers each night and thus garner the highest ratings.  That way, Nightly News can charge the highest advertising rates and earn the most money.  And most weeks, Brian and Nightly News succeed in being the #1 rated evening news show.  The tried-and-true formula is simple, full of gossamer stories about kazoos, left-handed presidents, text messaging, presidential puppies, centenarians and Knut the polar bear.  Then there are the frequent tales of financially strapped senior citizens and cancer-stricken children--stories with little or no news value that are designed to bring a tear to the eye (and to bring viewers back night after night).  So, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.  Brian isn't concerned with the conflicts of interest in his broadcast.  He doesn't feel any need to justify Nightly News's content to the viewers.  After all, he doesn't answer to us.  "Journalistic integrity" is often an oxymoron, and Nightly News proves that night after night.  NBC accepts hundreds of millions of dollars in advertising and sponsorship money from the big pharmaceutical companies, and then feigns neutrality when covering their industry.  NBC allows GlaxoSmithKline to sponsor news segments, without even acknowledging that Glaxo is often a cause of the very problems highlighted in the story.  (But that is a subject for a whole other entry.)  Brian reports each night on the Big 3 auto bailout negotiations, while simultaneously professing his love for American cars.  Every time I watch Brian discussing the auto industry, all I can think of is the fawning pseudo-interview he did last year with Chrysler's Jim Press.  Certainly, there are people of integrity at NBC News (Martin Fletcher, Ron Allen, Richard Engel and Pete Williams come to mind).  But the main goal of NBC News is to earn money, regardless of any conflicts of interest that may arise.  

And now we learn that Nightly News allowed McCaffrey to use his air time as a way to promote his own financial interests.  Almost certainly, executives at NBC (including Brian Williams and NBC News president Steve Capus) were aware of McCaffrey's financial interests in military contracting companies.  But they turned a blind eye because it helped the ratings.  I'm convinced that NBC News would employ Charles Manson and Osama Bin Laden as commentators if they thought it would increase viewership.  So for those viewers who are still hoping to hear Brian comment about the McCaffrey scandal, you should instead hope for something more plausible.  Like a visit from Santa.

Hi Brian -
I'm hoping that Tom Brokaw looks at this blog once in a while.  I finished reading 'Boom' over the weekend and have now bought a half-dozen more copies for Christmas Presents for family members.  

It's a great book, the story of our lives.  

Thanks Tom.

Joan

Hello Brian,
I really enjoyed last nights segment "Financial Triage for the laid off" and look forward to the rest of the series. As someone who sees these stories often through the correspondence i get on my website damnineedajob.com, I'm glad to see real and useful advice about how to cope in these times and the faces of those living it. I would love to share some of my own experiences related to operating this site and how folks contact me just looking for someone to listen to their plight. So many feel they are sending resumes into the void and just want someone to hear them. Thanks for the good work.

Larry DInsmore

Brian,

I love your show and watch most nights but the negative tone of the broadcast is getting to be too much.

Couldn't your broadcast be less negative regarding the economy?   Everyone knows the economy is a mess and people are hurting.  You are giving people an excuse to feel sorry for themselves.  Why not do society a favor and be more encouraging so people are uplifted and not moving towards depression.  It seems you have an obligation to uplift people and not drive them to depression.

Ernest Becker

Hello Brian:
Each evening, I find the time to get the critical news of the day from your broadcast.  But lately, you've given too much attention to fluff topics not worthy of my  time.  Jay Leno's new show?  David Gregory's new job?  The tour of your new studios?  Please reduce promoting NBC and increase the time for NEWS.  How about some International news.
Thank you from a devoted viewer,
David  

Why are my posts censored and my name cut off of a post that did very tardily make it onto this 'insiders mainly' blog.  There are those NBC-friendly ranters who always are featured, while those others of us are shut out in various ways.

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