Tom Llamas Set as ‘NBC Nightly News’ Anchor After Lester Holt Exit

Tom Llamas, who moved from a high-profile “anchor-in-training” position at ABC News to a similar role at NBC News in 2021, is no longer waiting his turn.

At some point following Lester Holt‘s departure in early summer, Llamas will assume the hosting role for “NBC Nightly News.” Currently, he is hosting a program on the NBC News Now live-streaming service during early evening hours. As such, each weeknight, Llamas will lead “Nightly” from 6:30 PM to 7 PM eastern time, and then transition directly to his streaming show, “Top Story.

Being the host for ‘NBC Nightly News’ is a significant privilege, one that comes with great responsibility. I am eager to collaborate with the exceptional journalists at ‘Nightly News’ and ‘Top Story’, delivering crucial stories every evening. In a statement, Llamas expressed his respect for Lester Holt, calling him a remarkable individual and one of the most trusted broadcasters in our era. Just as Lester does, I pledge to prioritize our viewers and uphold truth.” It is anticipated that Holt will assume a full-time position with ‘NBC News’ ‘Dateline’, a role he has filled for many years.

It’s no secret among TV news insiders that Llamas joining NBC News in 2021 was likely tied to him taking over the “Nightly” position. His departure from ABC News was due to the expectation that Llamas, who was anchoring the weekend edition of “World News Tonight,” wouldn’t have the opportunity to lead the program during weekdays because David Muir is the primary host for the nation’s most-watched evening news program at that time.

The ascent of llamas will set two previous workmates on a perpetual competition for viewers’ attention. Although fewer individuals tune into the evening news broadcasts compared to those who once gathered to watch veterans like Walter Cronkite or Tom Brokaw, these programs still draw a substantial audience. In the week of February 24, “World News Tonight” averaged nearly 7.92 million viewers overall, as per Nielsen’s data, compared to 6.37 million for “NBC Nightly News” and approximately 4.28 million for “CBS Evening News.

In the recent past, evening news anchors had the luxury of focusing solely on their primary broadcast; however, keeping Llamas engaged in live-streaming implies that such singular focus is no longer an option.

Around 86% of American adults frequently or occasionally obtain news through smartphones, computers, or tablets, with about 57% doing so regularly, as suggested by a 2024 survey from the Pew Research Center. This number is comparable to the percentage who received news digitally in 2023. Furthermore, the study showed that approximately 63% of adults access news via television at least occasionally. The frequency of Americans getting news from TV has been relatively stable in recent years, with around 33% frequently tuning in, according to Pew’s findings.

In the past, it was the audience who had to locate you,” Llamas explained to EbMaster in 2021. “Now, however, it’s more like we need to discover where the viewers are.

Other individuals have adopted a comparable transformation. John Dickerson, one of the co-anchors for a revamped edition of “CBS Evening News,” swiftly shifts from the traditional half-hour broadcast to a streaming version called “CBS Evening News Plus” once the program concludes.

Llamas has returned to NBC after a previous tenure, having initially worked with NBC News specials and MSNBC earlier in his career. Before that, he was at WTVJ, the NBC station in Miami, Florida from 2005 to 2009, and then at WNBC in New York. He moved on to ABC News in 2014 but has since come back to NBC. Viewers have seen him on shows like “Today” and other programs since his return.

Janelle Rodriguez, the NBC News executive vice president responsible for the nightly news broadcast and streaming services, stated that his extensive experience, which combines practical work in the field as well as desk-based tasks, makes him particularly qualified to continue the tradition of ‘Nightly News.’

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2025-03-05 23:57