Lester Holt to Exit ‘NBC Nightly News’ After Decade Behind the Desk

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Lester Holt, the well-known NBC News anchor who’s renowned for anchoring extended periods of breaking news without a pause, is now prepared for some much-deserved rest.

Longtime anchor at NBC News, Lester Holt, intends to take a break from his role on “NBC Nightly News,” a position he’s held since 2015, in the early summer. Instead, he plans to focus entirely on anchoring for “Dateline” NBC, a role he’s been performing since 2011.

Holt, who has served as anchor for ‘Nightly News’ for the past decade (or 17 years if you count weekends), announced his departure from this role on Monday. In a memo to staffers, he expressed his gratitude for working alongside everyone and their commitment to journalism and viewers. He also revealed that he will be taking on a new role as anchor of ‘Dateline NBC’ on a full-time basis, allowing him to delve deeper into topics he cares about and expand the broadcast’s reach.”

(Note: I’ve condensed the message slightly for clarity and conciseness, but the essence of the original message remains intact.)

Holt’s departure marks the latest instance of high-ranking television news figures choosing to leave their positions in recent months, as the industry undergoes significant changes due to the emergence of streaming services and faces a challenging media landscape during the early phase of the second Trump administration. Following suit are veterans like Chuck Todd, who parted ways with NBC News in January, and Andrea Mitchell, who ended her long-standing role on MSNBC’s daytime programming. More recently, Hoda Kotb also vacated her position at NBC News’ “Today” show.

I’m one among many who are bidding farewell from esteemed news platforms. Just like Neil Cavuto, who ended his long-standing service at Fox News Channel in 1996, and Chris Wallace, who recently left CNN after a brief stint, I too find myself moving on from NBC News.

At NBC News, Holt has been a soothing influence during challenging times. His composed and understated personality allowed the news division to progress after a period of turmoil. He assumed hosting duties for “Nightly” following his predecessor, Brian Williams, who was displaced from his position due to skepticism surrounding certain Iraq reporting trip claims he had made.

In 2015, Holt forecasted that in a year or two, viewers might tune into our content not just on their TVs but even on unconventional devices like toasters. He emphasized that we need to adapt and be prepared to cater to this new way of consumption, just as one spreads butter on bread when it’s toast.

2020 saw the introduction of a “Children’s Version” for the nightly news program called “Nightly.” Occasionally, Holt discussed mental health awareness with Sesame Street characters, and shared the birth of a unique antelope at the Oregon Zoo on air. Additionally, he occasionally adjusted the closing segment to provide a more profound and subtle reflection during significant national events. Before the 2020 presidential election, he reminded viewers that “democracy can be chaotic, but we must allow it to function, especially for our children who are observing us.” Throughout Holt’s tenure, the focus of “Nightly” expanded beyond just New York and Washington D.C., featuring news from various parts of the nation, including Florida and California.

Due to Lester’s consistent and prudent guidance, ‘Nightly News’ has managed to maintain its position as a reliable and highly-regarded news source for millions of viewers nationwide. Through some of the toughest periods our country has faced in recent times, particularly during the onset of the pandemic when Lester’s voice became a nightly comfort, he has steered the network. He has guided audiences to the heart of every significant story and interviewed global leaders, expertly drawing out insights on critical matters,” noted Janelle Rodriguez, NBC News executive vice president who manages the evening newscast.

NBC News declined to discuss potential replacements for Holt on “Nightly.” Hallie Jackson recently assumed anchoring duties for the Sunday edition of the show, and Tom Llamas, who joined NBC News from ABC News in 2021, is being considered as a contender for the position.

For the past 25 years, Holt has been part of NBCUniversal. He started with MSNBC in the year 2000 and later took on temporary hosting roles for “NBC Nightly News” and weekend anchoring duties at “Today.” Prior to that, he spent almost two decades working for television stations owned by CBS.

He is leaving “Nightly” because the format for evening news at CBS seems to be changing. After restructuring their long-standing “CBS Evening News,” CBS News now puts less emphasis on daily breaking news. In contrast, ABC’s “World News Tonight,” which has the largest overall audience among the three main networks, is closely linked with anchor David Muir.

We’re fortunate to have our jobs because condensing all the complex issues of the day into just 30 minutes, with only 23 minutes for commercials, is quite challenging. This speaks volumes about the skilled individuals we work with daily who help us manage this task effectively. I often ponder over the short attention spans of today’s audience, and it seems that our evening news show is staying one step ahead. In fact, 30 minutes is a reasonable amount of time, considering the circumstances, and we must move on to other things.” Holt said this in an interview with EbMaster in 2017.

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2025-02-24 19:17